Introducing PeaceFest ‘08 - By: Steve Mahaley

On August 15th, 16th, and 17th of this year a benefit event, SL PeaceFest ’08, will be taking place. Our group, Peace Train, is comprised of many dedicated staffers from a number of countries, cultures and walks of life who are striving to make a positive difference for world-wide peace by utilizing the global virtual world platform of Second Life.

Peace Train members are all active in Second Life as individuals and have been brought together for this worthy cause simply by their own shared desire to create positive change in the real world. Please see our website: http://slpeacefest.wordpress.com for current information about PeaceFest '08, the Peace Train group and Second Life.

What it is:

This 3-day festival of music, art and panel discussions on peace will provide opportunities for attendees in Second Life to donate Linden dollars (in-world currency, then converted to US dollars) that will benefit the following organizations:

• Amnesty International
• World Conference of Religions for Peace
• UNICEF
• Kids 4 Peace
• Uthango Social Investments

All proceeds from the PeaceFest will be given to these groups. Peace Train is not keeping any of the money raised, and, with support from numerous volunteer organizations, is providing the venues and coordination for the PeaceFest events.

Goals for PeaceFest 08:

Quite simply, our aim is to create the largest ever fundraising event in the metaverse (virtual world space) and to have those funds generated through contributions from in-world and concurrent real-life activities. Other goals include:

• Bringing together some of the best international minds on peace in the panel discussions;
• Showcasing the best in talent that the virtual world (and real life) has to offer;
• Creating a unique venue for dialogue on peace-related initiatives;
• And, in every way possible, creating a bridge between the virtual world experience and real-world impact (through marketing, fundraising, performances and international connections)

Our panel presenters and discussions are core to the event, along with the art sales, dances, and live music of course. Here are a few of the presenters / organizations we are lining up:

• Coalition for Work With Psychotrauma and Peace; Vukovar, Croatia. Dr. Charles Tauber
• International Centre for Conflict and Human Rights Analysis; Accra, Ghana. Samuel Jacobs Abbey
• Association UMUSEKE; Kicukiro, Rwanda. Mariette Utamuvuna
• Centro de Estudios para la Paz; San Juan, Costa Rica. Celina Garcia
• Imaginaction; California, USA. Hector Aristizabal
• Uthango Social Investments, Cape Town, South Africa. Dorette Steenkamp

Presenters will join from their locations via Skype, and their voices will be streamed into Second Life, where images of their works will be displayed, and attendees can ask questions through text chat.

Our method of collecting donations is through Second Life, using a dedicated PeaceFest avatar named PeaceFest Pevensey. Individuals may donate to PeaceFest at any time by searching People (in Second Life) and finding PeaceFest Pevensey's profile, and clicking Pay and choosing a donation amount.

We will be happy to speak with you about this event and Second Life, and are very interested in promoting the event in the ‘real life’ media.

Please join us as we show the world a global community that strives toward creative excellence, multi-cultural understanding and a peaceful existence for all.

About the Author

Steve Mahaley, Peace Train Engineer (aka: Cotton Thorne within Second Life) acarson1@gmail.com Bonnie Malone, Peace Train Engineer (aka: Tonks Akina within Second Life)

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