Peace Essay Winners Focus on Current Conflicts
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| Top: Students participate in a role play exercise. Above: Essay contest winners talk with Max Kampelman and Pamela Aall. |
he United States is in Bosnia to prevent genocide, says John Menzies, a senior fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and former U.S. ambassador to Bosnia. "For me, Bosnia is not a choice, but a moral imperative," Menzies told state-level winners of the Institute's National Peace Essay Contest at the awards banquet in June. "The Dayton peace agreement has not failed, as some would argue, it simply has not yet succeeded. The greatest threat in Bosnia is that we will not . . . see the peace process through to a successful conclusion."
Menzies added that, although it is not possible to change people's hearts overnight, it is possible to change their behavior for the better. He urged the students to remember that individuals make a difference in the direction of world affairs. "Retain your moral compass and never become cynical," he said.
Youth today face an extra challenge in this regard, noted Institute board vice chairman Max M. Kampelman, who also addressed the group. The United States has come to the end of a period of strength during which the country was unified in its stands against Nazism during World War II and against communism durng the Cold War. Now, we are entering the 21st century without a national consensus about our responsibilities internationally, he said. The country needs to engage in vigorous debate over defining our obligations abroad.
Nearly 5,000 students from 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and high schools overseas participated in this year's peace essay contest. The event was organized by Heather Kerr-Stewart, education specialist in the Education and Training Program, with the help of Janice Hoggs, project assistant. All first-place state winners received a $750 scholarship and a trip to Washington June 21-26.
In addition to the talk on Bosnia, the students were briefed on the conflict in Northern Ireland at the Irish Embassy, the British Embassy, and the U.S. Department of State. They also attended a congressional briefing and a panel discussion by journalists covering Northern Ireland. These activities were complemented by an extensive simulation and role play exercise focused on peace negotiations to resolve the conflict.
The national winners of this year's contest were Joseph Bernabucci of Washington, D.C., who won first place and a $5,000 scholarship; Lisa Schwartz of New York, second place and a $2,500 scholarship; and Catherine Howell of Louisiana and Roxanne Dunaway of Kentucky, who tied for third place and a $1,000 scholarship. The winning essay can be found on our web site: www.usip.org.
© 1997 United States Institute of Peace
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