*Editor's note: Welcome to the International Cafe. Grab a cup of joe, kick back, relax and enjoy these stories and photos from Ashlanders traveling around the nation and world. To submit your own stories and photos, please see our guidelines below.

Bitter arctic winds blasted the nation's capitol — the coldest weather in decades. The wind chill was below zero but my heart was warm as we leaned into the wind and hastened to Capitol Hill to promote the Department of Peace Bill. This was a day for us to remember and a personal achievement for me and my very supportive community.

Seven hundred of us paid 220 visits to senators and congressmen's offices in this well prepared national campaign to wage peace. Our bi-partisan Oregon group consisted of 14 people from all congressional districts and included two students, several teachers, mediators and peace activists headed by our state coordinator, David Hazen. Our group visited two senators and five congress district offices to deliver our message.

We shared our desires/reasons for the peace bill stating that the peoples of America have been saying "no" to war with loud voices; we said that we represented thousands more like us back in our communities.

Pip Cornall, of Ashland, poses in front of the Capitol Building.

We cited the Global Alliance for Departments of Peace in 20 countries, as evidence of a peace-minded global citizenry — that we believed that this movement will succeed just as the abolitionists and suffragettes succeeded, because this is an evolution occurring in the hearts and minds of millions worldwide.

We reminded our politicians that the bill would establish a cabinet level department of peace and non violence to give much-needed assistance to efforts by communities and state governments in coordinating existing violence prevention programs; as well as develop new programs based on best practices nationally. Including:

-- Teach violence prevention and mediation to America's school children

-- Effectively treat and dismantle gang psychology

-- Rehabilitate the prison population — the world's largest.

-- Build peace-making efforts among conflicting cultures both here and abroad

-- Support our military with complementary approaches to peace-building

-- Create a U.S. Peace Academy — a sister organization to the U.S. Military Academy.

In meetings with our representatives I cited Mediation Works in Medford, where I'm a volunteer. This example is repeated thousands of times across America; effective organizations executing peace building programs but hampered by the lack of funding, living from grant to grant.

Mediation Works is one of the best such centers in the United States with a small staff and 100 qualified mediator volunteers. Their 10 programs include peer mediation in area schools, victim offender and violence prevention programs for youth in the juvenile detention center and court sanctioned small claims programs.

The Department of Peace will give funding and be an institutional platform to such centers enabling them to expand and be more effective in reducing violence at multiple levels in communities across America.

Inspirational training

For several days and evenings before the visit to Capitol Hill we were involved in intensive training and motivating. Our trainers included authors Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, James O'Dea, research scholars from peace institutes, musicians who promote peace, experienced campaign organizers and lobbyists such as Lyn McMullen and Dot Maver. The sessions were intense, holistic and uplifting. I rubbed shoulders with some of the giants in the metaphysical and peace movements. I have never been involved in so many standing ovations; our thighs were burning from morning to night.

I'm grateful that presenters, Deepak and Marianne, who reminded us that for this movement to succeed we must be engaged in self improvement and walk the talk; we must experience peace within ourselves if we are to be beacons of peace. An angry activist will not bring peace to the world.

I'll conclude by stating that I feel in the cells of my body, what I felt as a small boy, that all people deserve peace and that peace is coming to our world and it is unstoppable. This is occurring as world citizens experience a personal evolution of consciousness.

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