Grand Forks Peacebuilder Club

The Rotary Club of Grand Forks, British Columbia became a Peacebuilder Club on 6 April 2022.

The Club has a long history of working for Peace in its local community and has partnered with the Peace Cafe, a group of local residents sponsored by the Grand Forks and District Public Library who are interested in learning about Peace and promoting activities that spread the idea of world peace.

Grant Forks Peace Conference

On 30 April 2022, the Grand Forks Peacebuilder Club participated in the Grand Forks Peace Conference.

Conscious of the global challenges facing humanity—be it climate change, the pandemic, war and conflict, prejudices of every kind or widespread injustices, participants of a rising wave of conferences sweeping across the globe, are consulting together, finding a renewed sense of hope in humanity’s capacity for altruism. They are feeling connected by bonds of love and fellowship with others in a global effort aimed at social betterment.

The Baha’í community of Grand Forks is hosting, with the support and collaboration of the Rotary Club of Grand Forks, one of these conferences as another link in this chain encircling the globe.

The attached article describes the activities and outcomes of the Grand Forks Peace Conference.

Rotary Club of Grand Forks Peace Stone Dedication

On September 2, 2022, the Rotary Club of Grand Forks dedicated a Peace Stone as part of the 125-year Celebration of the City of Grand Forks.

A description of the events, including pictures of the stone, dignitaries, and participants can be found by clicking on the Grand Forks Peace Stone Dedication article. A video of the event is available at this You Tube link.

Grand Forks Secondary School Peace Pole Dedication

Students of the Global Citizen Club as the Grand Forks Secondary School formed a sub-committee to explore and plan the placement of a Peace Pole at the Grand Forks Secondary School.

April 27, 2023 was chosen for the GFSS dedication ceremony to symbolically launch the April 29 Peace Gathering Conference, as the Global Citizenship Club was a member of the Collaborators Team that planned and organized the second annual Peace Conference in Grand Forks, BC.

A video of this event can be viewed on You Tube. A press release describing this Peacebuilding activity can be found online.

On the Path to Peace: My Piece of Peace

The Rotary Club of Grand Forks held an event on 29 April 2023 at the USCC Doukhobor Community Centre.

This event will be held in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Grand Forks, the Baha’i and Doukhobor Communities, the Boundary All Nations Aboriginal Council, the Grand Forks Secondary School Global Citizenship Club and the  Boundary Peace Initiative.

A full description of this event can be found within the attached document.

Constructing Peace...Together

The Rotary Peacebuilder Club of Grand Forks held its 3rd Annual Peace Gathering on 20 April 2024.

The event was sponsored by a larger Collaborators Table that included the Bahai Community, the USCC Doukhobor community, Boundary All Nations Aboriginal Council, community artist Rocio Graham, Boundary Peace initiative and representatives from Grand Forks Secondary School.

The program started with a Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, Indigenous Drumming and Prayers. Michael Karlberg, from Western Washington University, opened the day as the first keynote speaker. HIs presentation was titled, "Constructing the World We Want to Live In." His presentation was followed by Lorelei Higgins, a Métis Canadian Cultural Mediator and Rotary Peace Community Lead for the City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Program. She spoke on "Creating a Share Path Forward.

Following a lunch of Borshch and Bannock, the participants spent the afternoon engaged in Talking Circles.

Community artist Rocio Graham joined us again this year as we construct a community art piece during the Gathering. We were also inspired with music from internationally acclaimed harpist Caroline Mackay, as well as the Grand Forks Choral Society and members from the Doukhobor Choir.

The Grand Forks Gazette reported on this event in their 25 April 2024 edition.

A video of this event will be posted to You Tube soon.