The Box of 'LIKES' by MANNAM The PEACE #2. ENOUGH BLOOD SHED: 101 Solutions to Violence, Terror and War

Enough Blood Shed (the image is from www.newsociety.com/Books/E/Enough-Blood-Shed)
: 101 Solutions to violence, terror, and war 
(Mary-wynne Ashford & Guy Dauncey. (2006). Canada: New Society Publishers)

When I looked for books and journals about peace and peace campaigns, skimming the list of Indigo Sowon's list on its site, I found this book: Enough Blood Shed. 

Korean title is not 'Enough Blood Shed' instead it reads '평화 만들기 101 (To Make Peace 101.)'

There are 101 solutions from comprehensive and abstract ones to very specific ones.
Solutions for individual, women, children&youth, schools, activists, religious organizations, conflict zones, special expertise, business, cities, nations the authors they are telling. And the another reason the book is useful is there are many activities of other peace organizations and links where we can get sources.

The book is encouraging people who want peace but are hesitating to act for it or don't know how they can act for peace. Authors try to suggest specific ways to support world peace.

Here are some quotes that encouraged me when I started <더 PEACE> in MANNAM and the city of Busan. 

(There is an example about a boy who changed through an assignment whose topics were 15 of the most serious issues the world is facing. Students were told to find the hopeful solutions.)......He said, "I have never thought about any of these issues before. I have only cared about hockey. Now that I know, I'll never be the same again, will I?"...I think he was affected so deeply because the issues were presented by his friends and peers, rather than by me (the instructor of the course). He saw them (peers) struggling with their despair and finding hope in the steps that are already underway. (Transforming Our Thinking 46p.)

Reading this part, I found that making changes is not that much huge or grand one and it can begin from ME. Also, I expected <더 PEACE> could be the place where one person can change his/her thought little by little through an another friend through discussion and sharing their thoughts. Now, it really works in <더 PEACE>!!!

Actually, <더 PEACE> talk concert is not like a difficult conference and there is no one who is a professional speaker or studies about peace. Some friends who have not participated yet and some readers who are reading our blog/facebook page think this talk concert is boring one or difficult one.

Among us, MANNAM, there are many people from all walks of life and we try to make the community without discrimination and misunderstanding. Just we come, and talk about peace and think about peace. Friends who joined event, actually told that it was fun and enjoyable and even they felt 2 hours is not enough!

The world is facing many problems which threaten humanity and it seems impossible to establish world peace in realistic world. However, why not? Why don't we transform our thinking? Like an above example and our example <더 PEACE>, our thinking is changed by the act and thought of one another around him or her. 

Many parts of the book <Enough Blood Shed> inspire me to think about how to act for peace.
Two things I keep in mind: 

• I am sure through this book that one activist is needed to start projects. If there was no one who started to walk for peace, we would just stay in our own life and couldn't make a step forward to world peace. One person, who thought volunteerism, Korean culture, and history began associating many organizations in Korea and it bore MANNAM Volunteer Association. In this point, I give respect to the Chairwoman Nam Hee Kim who started volunteer works through cultures and the Honorary Chairman, Man Hee Lee who helped her to set up many events remembering Korean histories.

• And secondly, I saw many examples and got many links of organizations or associations which are working for peaceful world and felt the need of networks. Some projects can be begun from one activist but if there is no network, although an activist wants to practice his or her thinking, all plans and projects will be failed. MIYC, whose purpose is to unite youth organizations around the world, is doing meaningful job and the effect / influence will become even bigger. 

The book is not only encouraging but also it gives some practical tips and real examples of peace campaigns and movements for peace. I think it will be very helpful to whom wants to set up some new projects for peace or culture exchange program domestically / internationally. 
Hope more and more people and organizations cooperate for the earth. 

Love and Hope for peace is contagious, then it can be spread from one to another. It can be come true by networks and movements among people. MANNAM Volunteer Association also wants to be one of those networks which deliver Love and Hope for PEACE! 

The Box of 'LIKES' by MANNAM The PEACE #1. INDIGO SOWON

The first one I picked from the box of 'Likes' is INDIGO SOWON in Namcheon, Busan. Most readers don't know well, but the reason that I chose this is Indigo Sowon gave me fresh ideas and introduced many books to help make The PEACE.

Indigo Sowon is a nonprofit humanities bookstore for youth founded by Korean human right activist, Aram Hur. The first time that I met Indigo was when they held 'Indigo Youth Book Fair 2010.' Its poster has one elephant, and the title was '가치를 다시 묻다 (Re-evaluation of Values.)'  It caught my eyes and I met many valuable books and activists for human values.

Since then, I have subscribed its newsletter and often visited the homepage or the bookstore in Namcheon. There are many activities and useful sources for humanities and youth. Especially, many books of humanities that we cannot discover when just dropping by usual bookstores. Of course, most of books are in Korean language, so I am sorry for it.

Before when I held the 1st MANNAM The PEACE talk concert, I scrapped news and read other books related to peace movements and at that time, lists of books on Indigo website helped me a lot and I got inspiration from them. One of them is <Enough Blood Shed: 101 Soluntion to Violence, Terror, and War> of Mary-Wynne Ashford and Guy Dauncey. Mary-Wynne Ashford came to Busan for the 2nd UN Youth Peace Camp co-hosted by the Commemorative Organization for World Peace and Indigo Sowon. She was a guest speaker and 220 teenagers participated in the symposium. I missed her speech but bought her book and it really helped me and team members a lot. Next week, I will introduce about her book.

Indigo Sowon has offered the place where youth can share their ideas freely.

They do not learn and study certain subjects according to curriculum, instead,

 they are discussing human, war, terror, peace, environment, poverty, equality, education, etc. and express their ideal and ideas. Through it, they even publish their magazine 'INDIGO+ing' not just learning and accepting the established knowledge. And since 2010, 'INDIGO', the international version of 'INDIGO+ing' written in English has been published. The magazine is published once every two months.

I was surprised to see many youth think about human seriously and discuss about issues which we face today on the earth. And thank Indigo Sowon for making the place where we re-discover books which are hidden but valuable to read, encouraging Korean youth to think about human values, and doing many conferences and symposiums for teenagers. People who run Indigo Sowon, including Aram Hur, they might know that youth have power to make change the society and move world. Their thinking is more flexible than adults.

When preparing the 2nd The PEACE talk concert, Rodrigo talked about the importance of education for youth. He had a chance to join the program which connects international students in universities with elementary or middle schools, and makes them teach their culture or other worldwide issue to children. He saw many students show open mind to any culture and they are active to understand the cultural differences. Then, he said he believes education is very important to make world peace.

In that point, Indigo Sowon, the special humanities bookstore for youth, are doing really great things to make world more beautiful to live together and they are establishing world peace. After World Peace Festival, MANNAM formed networks with many international youth organizations. And this year, MANNAM initiated MIYC with international youth organizations, dreaming great projects and programs with many international youth organizations. When designing programs, Indigo Sowon's ideas or past events also can help us set up, I think. :) One thing that I want more is that if there are more active programs beyond just discussion, it will be definitely great!

And all readers who live in Korea or has a chance to visit Busan, Korea! I recommend to visit Indigo Sowon or visit their website (it's linked their 2010 youth book fair Eng. version)
If you get off Namcheon subway station and go upstairs through Exit #1, you can find Indigo bookstore in 5 minitues walk. If you get lost, contact to me, haha :) Oh, plus, in front of Indigo, there is a cafeteria called Eco-topia, where you can get fresh foods of which ingredients are eco-friendly. And you can't meet Indigo on Monday like a public library or museum!