Imagining Peace Conference & Youth Congress On Peace Offer Solutions To Youth Violence With A Peace Platform For Mayor Emanuel & Board President Preckwinkle
International Buddhist Leader, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, with Youth & Community Leaders Combat Youth Violence Through a Vision of Peace
[Download the press release in PDF format]
In the wake of the tragedy in Boston and continued escalation of violence across the nation, the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, a recognized global leader in peace initiatives and the highest leader of Shambhala, continues the Imagining Peace Conference in Chicago on Saturday, April 27, with a Youth Congress on Peace. Hosted by The Shambhala Meditation Center of Chicago, City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are the Honorary Co-Chairs.
The Youth Congress on Peace at Malcolm X City College provides a forum for a diverse group of representatives from youth advocacy groups, violence prevention organizations, and at-risk youth to share in a progressive journey through global issues affecting peace, systemic issues and community impact, and one’s own personal relationship with peace, to address the rising issue of youth violence and build a Peace Platform. The Peace Platform will be presented to Mayor Emanuel and Board President Preckwinkle.
Sunday’s program, Peace Practices, at Malcolm X City College concludes the conference with discussions on how dialogues can be continued in our communities to apply the Shambhala principle of inherent goodness and bring about personal and societal transformation.
Performances included:
Youth poets from “Louder than a Bomb: The Chicago Youth Poetry Festival” and the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence | Young musicians from Alternative Schools Network and UCAN | Closing theatrical performance with The Goodman Theatre | Video segments filmed by the Community TV Network-Trained Youth | Student art exhibitions from the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and Alternative Schools Network | Contemplative photography from the Chicago Military Academy Students.
Moderators included:
Molly Adams, Host, Vocalo 90.7 & 89.5 FM | Shantell Jamison, Host, Vocalo 90.7 & 89.5 FM | Jaquan Reed, Student, Youth Connection Leadership Academy | Ashley Williams, Student, Sullivan House Alternative High School
Panelists included:
Vianney Cervantes, Student, El Cuarto Ano High School | Dr. Teresa Cordova, Executive Director, UIC Great Cities Institute | Keenan Davis, Student, Youth Connection Leadership Academy | Sol A. Flores, Executive Director, La Casa Norte | Christopher Hogan, Student, Winnie Mandela Intergenerational High School | Kady Leibovitz, AM, LCSW, UCAN | Ryan Libel, Director of Operations, Thousand Waves Martial Arts & Self-Defense Center | Lizbeth Marin, Youth Leader, The Life Campaign & Board Member, Albany Park Neighborhood Council | Ameena Matthews, Violence Interrupter, CeaseFire Illinois | Beverly Pacelli, Board Member, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence | Rochelle Perry, Director of Client Services, THE SAFER Foundation | Elena Quintana, Ph.D., Executive Director, Adler Institute on Public Safety & Social Justice | Fleet Maull, Founder, Prison Mindfulness Institute | David Watson, Student, Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy
Media Kit:
- Media Alert (PDF)
- Press Release (PDF)
- Youth Congress on Peace E-vite (PDF)