COMMUNITY OUTREACH AT CHILDREN'S PEACE FESTIVAL

Each year the Emaho Foundation in Scottsdale celebrates the anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize. One of this year’s events was a Children’s Peace Festival with the theme of “Universal Responsibility,” with that responsibility taking all forms - responsibility for each other, our animal friends, and the environment. The event was a forum where children learned new ways to find and make peace, and take ownership of how that can occur. Our group hosted a table with displays and information about the Roots & Shoots program, as well as an origami paper crane making activity. One of our nine year old members gave a short speech about Roots & Shoots, quoting Dr. Jane’s November interview with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now. The children also enjoyed learning about Buddhism and meditation, looking at beautiful sand mandalas, creating earth friendly crafts, learning to juggle, and playing with dogs before the animal blessing that occurred at the event.