My mediation friend and fellow traveller Bill Warters tells me this guy’s a dead ringer for yours truly. More importantly, he’s a character from an up and coming conflict resolution videogame called Cedaria Blackout, coming at you from Beirut, Lebanon. And while my experience in gaming is more of the Frogger vintage, I’m always happy to see our field embraced by creative, visionary types. So check these guys out, why don’t you.
Folks, after decades in our Manhattan location, the city has sold the building, and we’re fixing to find new digs. We’re eyeballing all kinds of new spaces, and hope to zero in on something very, very soon, as we need to set up housekeeping by November 1. As we help people unpack their conflicts, we’re packing up boxes. (See what I did there?)
We’ve been super lucky over the years, thanks to the courts and the city letting us use the space free of charge. We’ve helped thousands upon thousands of people build peace and understanding in this place. And Law and Order filmed at least two episodes in our offices! If these walls could talk…they wouldn’t. What with mediation being a confidential process.
We’re hoping this will be an opportunity to find space that will provide a dignified, professional environment for our heroic clients — who put their trust in us to provide a safe space for difficult conversations. Not to mention a great home for our amazing mediators and staff, who fearlessly and compassionately get in the middle of every kind of conflict you can imagine (and some that are beyond imagination).
The rent in this town is ever so high, so this would be a good time to consider donating to New York Peace Institute, so we can seamlessly continue to provide free conflict resolution services to thousands of New Yorkers from all walks of life. Any amount helps. Also! Please come hang with us at our PeaceRaiser on November 14th.
We’ll let you know when we have our housewarming party. Casseroles optional.
I really enjoyed our friend Ian Levy’s TEDx on hip hop as word therapy, so I invited him to do a PeaceTalk for us. Have a look, and see him live this Friday, September 27th, 6-8pm at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs, 15 Barclay St, Room 430.
And it’s free! Just RSVP here.
A bunch of our wonderful board members are hosting an evening of conversation, cocktails and a presentation by yours truly (here’s my recent TEDx Talk to give you a sense of what you’re in for).
Your purchase of a ticket will help allow New York Peace Institute continue to offer free mediation and other peacebuilding services in New York City.
Here are the deets:
Date: Thursday, November 14, 2013
Time: 6:00-8:00pm
Location: The TAI Group, 150 W. 30th Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY
Ticket Price: $100. Purchase yours here!
Attire: Come as you are.
New York Peace Institute is one of the nation’s largest community conflict resolution organizations, giving more than 10,000 people the resources they need to peacefully, creatively, and durably resolve their disputes. Every day, New York Peace Institute touches people from all walks life — helping them heal relationships, settle disputes, and have a safe space for difficult conversations. Learn more about our wonderful work here.
Special thanks to the amazing TAI Group for generously agreeing to host us!
Looking forward to seeing you all, and thank you for supporting New York City’s largest civilian peacebuilding force.
Big thanks to our wonderful board members who are organizing the event:
Jennifer Glueck-Bezoza
Alan Gross
James Isenberg
Ohyoon Kim
Damali Peterman
Michael Williams
Folks, here are all the videos from the Columbia University Teachers College TEDx event Be Here Now — a full day of short spiels on mindfulness by amazing people from all walks of life. (I did one too…here’s mine).
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