National Peace Essay Contest Week Agenda
National Peace Essay Contest agenda and photos now available online.
On Saturday, June 19th, 1999, the Institute welcomed the winners of the 12th annual National Peace Essay Contest!
More than 2,500 students in 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and American high schools overseas participated in this year's contest, writing essays about the different measures that can be taken to prevent violent international conflicts. The state-level winners received a $1,000 college scholarship and competed for national awards of up to $10,000.
While in Washington the students visited the Ethiopian and Eritrean embassies, toured the Smithsonian museums and monuments on the Mall, participated in simulation exercises on conflict-resolution, and attended an Awards Banquet where the first, second, and third place national winners were announced.
The students participated in a multiple-day conflict-resolution simulation exercise on the Eritrea-Ethiopia conflict . To aid in the exercise, the USIP Library has provided resources on Eritrea & Ethiopia.
Saturday, June 19, 1999
Student Arrivals all day
Registration:
The Governor's House Hotel
Washington, DC
6:00-7:00
Opening Dinner
The Governor's House Hotel
7:30-8:15
Orientation and Introductions
Heather Kerr-Stewart
Program Manager, U.S. Institute of Peace
8:15-9:00
Stanley "Bunjo" Butler, storyteller
Image on right: Stanley "Bunjo" Butler used the tradition of African storytelling to talk about conflict resolution.
9:00-9:45
Icebreaker Game
11:00
Room Check
The Governor's House Hotel
Sunday, June 20, 1999
10:30-1:00
Tour of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
1:15-2:00
Lunch at the U. S. Institute of Peace
2:00-2:45
Opening Session for Simulation
- Ambassador Daniel Simpson,
Vice President, National Defense University
U.S. Institute of Peace Board of Directors
Former Ambassador to Somalia
Image on right: Amelia Still of Alaska thanks Ambassador Daniel Simpson for speaking to the group.
3:00-5:00
Simulation
The Governor's House Hotel
6:00-7:00
Dinner in Georgetown
7:30
The Kennedy Center
"Red, White, and Tuna"
11:00
Room Check
The Governor's House Hotel
Monday, June 21, 1999
9:00-10:00
U.S. State Department Briefing
Department of State Headquarters
- Ambassador Richard Bogosian
Special Coordinator for the United States Information Agency
Greater Horn of Africa Initiative
Image above: Pointing to the Horn of Africa, Ambassador Richard Bogosian speaks to the students about conflict in East Africa.
10:00-11:15
Briefing at the Embassy of Ethiopia
- Mr. Fisseha Adugna
Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM)
Image above: Dr. Richard Solomon and Brian Holland of Connecticut
Image above: Taking a break from the busy schedule, Michael dela Merced of New Jersey and Deverraux Jones of Florida select items from a buffet of Chinese food during lunch between sessions.
- Gayle Smith
National Security Council
Special Assistant to the President &
Senior Advisor on African Affairs
Image on top: David Smock and Gayle Smith accept NPEC t-shirts from Kelly Phipps of Ohio. Smock, Director of the USIP Grant Program & Coordinator of African
Activities introduced Smith.
2:15-6:00
Simulation
The Governor's House Hotel
Sarah Grube of Maine, Brian Holland of Connecticut, |
8:00-8:40
Tour of the FDR Memorial
Stephanie Lyons of Tennessee and Anna Trader |
8:50-9:50
Night Tour of the Lincoln, Korean War Veterans , and Vietnam Veterans Memorials
11:00
Room Check
The Governor's House Hotel
Tuesday, June 22, 1999
9:00-10:00
Briefing at the Embassy of Eritrea
- His Excellency Semere Russom
Ambassador of Eritrea to the United States
At the Eritrean Embassy |
10:15-12:15
Simulation
The Governor's House Hotel
Role-playing Senegal and Tanzania, respectively, Emerson Hilton of Vermont and Anna Trader of Arizona listen to options for resolving the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. |
1:00-3:00
Exploration of the Smithsonian Institution
Ryan Cunningham of Wisconsin, Noah Baker of New Mexico, Annika Binnendijk of Maryland, Brad Snyder of Indiana, and Jacob Jost of Virginia taking a lunch break at the Smithsonian Castle on the Mall |
3:00-4:00
Guided Tour of the National Museum of African Art
4:30-6:15
Simulation & Debriefing
The Governor's House Hotel
6:45-7:45
Dinner at Ethiopian Restaurant
8:00-9:00
Performance by KanKouran Dance Troupe
The White-Meyer House
Dancing with the KanKouran Traditional African Dance Troupe |
9:30-10:00
Capitol Hill Briefing
The Governor's House Hotel
10:00-11:00
Ice Cream Social
The Governor's House Hotel
11:00 Room Check
The Governor's House Hotel
Wednesday, June 23, 1999
9:00-4:00
Capitol Hill Appointments
- Between appointments students can tour the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, or House and Senate Chambers
9:30
Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont
Image on right: Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont chats with Vermont winner Emerson Hilton on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Senator Leahy spoke to the state-level winners about the work of USIP.
6:15-9:30
National Peace Essay Contest Awards Banquet
Honoring First-Place State Winners
Meridian House
- Ambassador Olara Otunnu,
United Nations Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict
Image: Dr. Solomon and national winners Rebecca Bradburd of Massachusetts (3rd place), Jeanmarie Hicks of South Dakota (1st place), and Anika Binnendijk of Maryland (2nd place)
10:00
Airport Departure Meeting
The Governor's House Hotel
10:30
Informal Social
The Governor's House Hotel
12:00
Room Check
The Governor's House Hotel
Thursday, June 24, 1999
8:30-10:00
Colman McCarthy
Founder & Director, Center for Teaching Peace and
former Washington Post columnist
The Governor's House Hotel
Colman McCarthy answers question from students and state coordinators after his presentation. |
10:15
Hotel Check Out & Departures
The Governor's House Hotel