Top Image: Right: Speaker Peter Falkenberg Brown with Ambassadors for Peace Club president Clareen O'Connor.
On Wednesday, April 13, the Unificationist-affiliated student organization "Ambassadors for Peace Club" opened a seminar to students in Forum Hall at Kansas State University. Peter Falkenberg Brown, a Unificationist writer, was invited to speak on the topic "Love, Democracy and the Survival of the World". This topic brought in a total of 60 attendees from the University, and an article written by the University's newspaper, Kansas State Collegian.
The event was organized by Ambassadors for Peace Club president, Clareen O'Connor, 22, and vice president Rebecca Karnowski, 23, who are both Unificationist students at the University. "We are pretty much the main ones running the club," said O'Connor, "and there is currently no other Unificationist-affiliated club at K-State."
According to Kansas State Pastor, Rev. Peeter Saarna, the event went well. "It seems times have really changed on how we operate and how we are now received on campus. Mr Brown was flown in for the event with sponsorship money received from the University, and there was even a reporter there taking pictures and scribbling away." Peter Falkenberg Brown is the Co-Publisher of the Significato Journal at http://significatojournal.com.
The Declaration of Peace is posted at: http://significatojournal.com/peace/.
Below is the article published by the reporter who attended the event:
Speaker brings message of peaceful future
The air was buoyant with healthy vibrations as words like peace, democracy and soul took center stage, and Peter Falkenberg Brown gave his speech entitled "Love, Democracy and the Survival of the World –How Each Individual can make a Difference" yesterday at Forum Hall. The Ambassadors for Peace club, a student organization here at K-State organized the speech and the Student Governing Association co-sponsored the event.
The event began with Rebecca Karnowski, the Vice President of the Ambassadors for Peace club, giving the opening address to the gathering, and a brief introduction about the Club and also the five governing principles of the organization.
Karnowski then deferred to Clareen O'Connor, the president of the Club, who introduced the speaker to the audience.
"I knew him through my parents because we are both from Maine" O'Connor said when asked how she picked Mr. Brown. "And I have heard him speak a few times before and found it appealing."
Peter Falkenburg Brown is an author, columnist, publisher and public speaker from Portland Maine and his specialty is "The Culture of Heart". He, along with his wife is the founder of the online magazine "Significato Journal" which emphasizes the theme "Nectar for the soul."
Brown began his speech talking about the Kansas weather and how this was his first visit to the state. He then moved on to the main topics of discussion which were Love, Democracy, and Survival of the World. Brown commented that he knew people who really thought the world was coming to an end based on a wide variety reasons.
"People think the world will not survive" he said.
The speaker then pointed out that it is simple to give in to the thought of doom and give up.
"It is easy to think there is not much hope left" Brown said.
He then pointed out that when in despair one could give into a carefree life and get into practices like alcohol and drugs or just get into a resigned state and never care.
Democracy was the nest topic and Brown emphasized how it was the new hope for the human civilization and how there has been a trend of more countries embracing "The system of government where every individual has full liberty and rights."
He quoted incidents from history to highlight how democracy was not the trend in the not too distant past, but it is in the present day.
The final aspect of the topic illustrated the contributions one person can make to society as an individual.
"One person can make a difference by supporting democracy around the world" he said.
Brown emphasized on people trying to be compassionate and helpful in every little way possible.
"People are yearning for peace" Brown said, and he added that more people are treading the path of peace.
Examples of individuals that changed the world where mentioned, whether they made a difference in a good or bad way. He mentioned great names like Mother Teresa and Alexander the Great and presented informed meaningful quotations from the likes of George Bernard Shaw and Mahatma Gandhi.
"It takes desire and will and a fighting spirit" Brown said talking about how an individual can make a difference. "You will never know the magnified impact (of your actions) years away."
Brown said every small act of kindness multiplies itself into huge phenomena that affects many lives.
There was a reasonable turnout at forum hall and Mr. Brown received a lasting ovation at the conclusion of his speech.
"I saw the poster on campus and thought it was an interesting topic" said Ariel Grinnell, freshman in Elementary Education.
Grinnell shared the collective opinion of the audience that the speech was really good.
"I especially liked the way he emphasized about the difference one person makes and the stats he gave to support the same," Grinnell said.
Many among the audience stayed back to talk to Brown and also to get signatures on Brown's book, the "Declaration of Peace," which was drafted by Mr. Brown and highlighted 12 Universal principles of peace.
Courtesy of Kansas State Collegian, April 14, 2011 |
