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Peacemaker_Primperfect14

Kate Crisp
Kate Crisp

Peacemaker Institute, represented by Vivienne Cassavetes in Second Life, has been highly active in the virtual world for over two years. Some of their many activities include daily meditation sessions attracting over 10,000 avatars, tai chi sessions, protests against oppression, and discussion groups. While their original goals of using Second Life to reach more people have been scaled back due to technical challenges, Peacemaker Institute continues to make a positive impact through their numerous meaningful activities and community building efforts in Second Life.

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14 Prim Perfect December 2008 C H A R I T Y NE WS Peacemaker Institute by Coughran Mayo MORE THAN A FEW NON-PROFITS HAVE FOLLOWED The same could hardly be said for Peacemaker the lead of their corporate cousins in Second Institute, and Vivienne Cassavetes, its represen- Life, and pursued an if you build it, they will tative in Second Life. You could probably count come approach. An initial 鍖urry of interest in on two hands the number of days that Vivienne the virtual worlds is followed up with the es- has not been logged into Second Life building, tablishment of a corporate beachhead, be it an organising, teaching, and helping out newcom- island sim, an of鍖ce or an information kiosk. ers, since the group 鍖rst arrived. Add your two Some posters are placed describing the work of feet and maybe my hands and feet as well, and the organisation, perhaps there is a place to sign you could count the number of days that Peace- a visitor log, and of course, a donation jar. Early maker Institute has not been hosting or helping activity is followed by less and less time inworld with some meaningful activity or other. on the part of the non-pro鍖ts avatar represen- Over the past two years, for example, Vivi- tatives, and ultimately the organizational site is enne has hosted a Global Meditation for Peace all but abandoned. session nearly every day. Although these quiet,
Prim Perfect December 2008 15 seated groups are brief (20 minutes), those who The original goals of Peacemaker Institutes have attended (present company included) will entry into Second Life were to 鍖nd alternative, attest to the refreshment and renewal that comes from par- ticipation. Its a quiet oasis in the middle of an often hectic day. Over 10,000 avatars have come to Peacemaker Institute meditations. In the past sev- eral months, regular tai chi sessions have also been held at the Peacemaker Center on the Commonwealth sims. But that, as they say, is just the beginning. Additional ac- tivities which have been sup- ported in whole or in part by Peacemaker Institute include: Free Burma protests, with over 1,000 attendees Free Tibet vigils, attended by several hundred avatars Ongoing YouTube video offer- ings, relevant to the groups purpose, for discussion and viewing non-localized venues for, and innovative ways Discussion groups in Nonviolent Communication to present, the organisations various trainings (NVC) and groups, which have been held in the Boul- Buddhist womens support group der area for some time previous to the Second Integral Peacemaker Training discussion groups Life experience. Vivienne acknowledges that she Participation in the international Conversation has had to rethink these goals over the past two Caf辿, which included organising two years. We have had to scale back on our hopes, conversations on the week of the as the steep tech/learning curve of Second Life annual event, continuing weekly has proven daunting for many of our constituents thereafter there are too many obstacles for some to over- Ongoing support in organisation come. Inworld activities, popular with so many of Commonwealth for Progressive Second Life residents, have not attracted the in- Organizations terest of outside members of the Peacemaker Structured activities during Institute in the numbers originally hoped for. She peace festival still believes that Second Life can be an effec- A featured role in machinima of tive platform for non-pro鍖t groups, particularly Draxtor Despres in the areas of collaboration, networking, and Art show at Twilight Gallery community building. Vivienne remarks, I would Peacemaker Institutes activi- like to see non-pro鍖t groups being more effective ties in Second Life have spread inworld in presenting training in key areas such back out into the real world as as communication skills, con鍖ict resolution, and well, completing a circle. Vivi- group dynamics skills. enne has organised Facebook and Even though the groups original goals may Ning Groups for the Institute, rep- have been reduced, it is impossible for anyone resented her organisation at the who has come into contact with Peacemaker In- Boulder, Colorado Serious Sec- stitute, and with Vivienne Cassavetes, through ond Life MeetUp Group (Peace- the many activities noted above, to believe that maker Institutes home base), Peacemaker Institute has not had a noticeable and participated in the BlogHer impact on Second Life, and on real life as well, and Netroots Nation events. through the Second Life connection! E

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Peacemaker_Primperfect14

  • 1. 14 Prim Perfect December 2008 C H A R I T Y NE WS Peacemaker Institute by Coughran Mayo MORE THAN A FEW NON-PROFITS HAVE FOLLOWED The same could hardly be said for Peacemaker the lead of their corporate cousins in Second Institute, and Vivienne Cassavetes, its represen- Life, and pursued an if you build it, they will tative in Second Life. You could probably count come approach. An initial 鍖urry of interest in on two hands the number of days that Vivienne the virtual worlds is followed up with the es- has not been logged into Second Life building, tablishment of a corporate beachhead, be it an organising, teaching, and helping out newcom- island sim, an of鍖ce or an information kiosk. ers, since the group 鍖rst arrived. Add your two Some posters are placed describing the work of feet and maybe my hands and feet as well, and the organisation, perhaps there is a place to sign you could count the number of days that Peace- a visitor log, and of course, a donation jar. Early maker Institute has not been hosting or helping activity is followed by less and less time inworld with some meaningful activity or other. on the part of the non-pro鍖ts avatar represen- Over the past two years, for example, Vivi- tatives, and ultimately the organizational site is enne has hosted a Global Meditation for Peace all but abandoned. session nearly every day. Although these quiet,
  • 2. Prim Perfect December 2008 15 seated groups are brief (20 minutes), those who The original goals of Peacemaker Institutes have attended (present company included) will entry into Second Life were to 鍖nd alternative, attest to the refreshment and renewal that comes from par- ticipation. Its a quiet oasis in the middle of an often hectic day. Over 10,000 avatars have come to Peacemaker Institute meditations. In the past sev- eral months, regular tai chi sessions have also been held at the Peacemaker Center on the Commonwealth sims. But that, as they say, is just the beginning. Additional ac- tivities which have been sup- ported in whole or in part by Peacemaker Institute include: Free Burma protests, with over 1,000 attendees Free Tibet vigils, attended by several hundred avatars Ongoing YouTube video offer- ings, relevant to the groups purpose, for discussion and viewing non-localized venues for, and innovative ways Discussion groups in Nonviolent Communication to present, the organisations various trainings (NVC) and groups, which have been held in the Boul- Buddhist womens support group der area for some time previous to the Second Integral Peacemaker Training discussion groups Life experience. Vivienne acknowledges that she Participation in the international Conversation has had to rethink these goals over the past two Caf辿, which included organising two years. We have had to scale back on our hopes, conversations on the week of the as the steep tech/learning curve of Second Life annual event, continuing weekly has proven daunting for many of our constituents thereafter there are too many obstacles for some to over- Ongoing support in organisation come. Inworld activities, popular with so many of Commonwealth for Progressive Second Life residents, have not attracted the in- Organizations terest of outside members of the Peacemaker Structured activities during Institute in the numbers originally hoped for. She peace festival still believes that Second Life can be an effec- A featured role in machinima of tive platform for non-pro鍖t groups, particularly Draxtor Despres in the areas of collaboration, networking, and Art show at Twilight Gallery community building. Vivienne remarks, I would Peacemaker Institutes activi- like to see non-pro鍖t groups being more effective ties in Second Life have spread inworld in presenting training in key areas such back out into the real world as as communication skills, con鍖ict resolution, and well, completing a circle. Vivi- group dynamics skills. enne has organised Facebook and Even though the groups original goals may Ning Groups for the Institute, rep- have been reduced, it is impossible for anyone resented her organisation at the who has come into contact with Peacemaker In- Boulder, Colorado Serious Sec- stitute, and with Vivienne Cassavetes, through ond Life MeetUp Group (Peace- the many activities noted above, to believe that maker Institutes home base), Peacemaker Institute has not had a noticeable and participated in the BlogHer impact on Second Life, and on real life as well, and Netroots Nation events. through the Second Life connection! E