Join Jill Flakne and Scott Miniea of the Nobel-Nominated PeaceJam program for an interactive and entertaining learning experience.  How do youth across the world learn from and work with Nobel Peace Prize Laureates such as The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmund Tutu?  How can young people across a 4-state region come together on a university campus for a youth-centered conference with a Nobel Laureate?  How can young people make a REAL difference by addressing one of 10 major world problems in their own communities?

The PeaceJam programs combine EDUCATION with INSPIRATION and ACTION.  Learn more about 14 leading Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and their lives and work and get inspired to make a difference in your community.  You can learn more about this global movement at www.peacejam.org/heartland

Scott Miniea has worked in education for 20 years teaching K-12 English and Spanish and holding administrative positions in the areas of service-learning, state and federal grants, curriculum, technology, and at-risk student programming.  His current role as Heartland Region Affiliate Director for PeaceJam involves directing all aspects of the international PeaceJam program in the Heartland of the US, including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and southern Iowa. Through the inspiration of leading Nobel Peace Laureates, PeaceJam helps young people of all ages make a difference in their own communities. Jill Flanke is the regional trainer for PeaceJam groups. 

Trees For Life International's work started in the early 1980s with the planting of fruit trees in India. The emphasis was on creating awareness, training people to plant and take care of trees, and providing them with the resources needed to accomplish their tasks. Each recipient made a pledge to help at least two others in the same manner in which they had been helped. The program grew rapidly in India and spread to Guatemala, Cambodia, Nepal, Costa Rica, Haiti, Indonesia, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Nicaragua and El Salvador. As a result, tens of millions of fruit trees have been planted. Our focus is on developing and providing the tools of empowerment to local community leaders who can create hope among others. Empowerment in our case means: Awareness + Networking of resources which leads to Action.

Balbir Mathur was born and raised in Allahabad, India. At the age of eight, an encounter with soldiers occupying his country caused him to ponder the question of what makes one country, one culture, or one person more powerful than another. His pursuit of an answer led him to the United States, where he became a successful international management consultant. Then a crippling two-year illness, culminating in a visionary experience, sparked a deep transformation in him. He left his business and dedicated his life to fighting world hunger and poverty by serving the poorest of the poor. His efforts grew into a worldwide movement that empowers people with knowledge of how they can break the vicious chains of poverty. The movement demonstrates that when people help each other, they can unleash extraordinary power that impacts every life.

LISTENING TO THE EARTH DREAMING

Over many centuries, in one culture after another, the importance of dreams has been recorded in myth and fable, in scripture and ancient histories.  In tribal cultures the world over, dreams led the way toward understanding of earth and sky, the planets, and other people.  Yet today we pay scant attention to what we might be learning from our dreams.

DreamWork/BodyWork, a combination of dream work and bioenergetic psychotherapy practiced by facilitator Jean Campbell over the past fifteen years, allows discovery of dream meaning through movement.  This "Listening to the Earth Dreaming" workshop will begin with movement, provide a guided meditation, and allow time for discussion and discovery.

Jean Campbell is the former President of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, currently Chair of the IASD Board of Directors.  Her research on group, mutual, shared and social dreaming spans several decades.  She is the author of a number of books and other publications, most recently Group Dreaming: Dreams to the Tenth Power published by Wordminder Press in 2006.
In 2001, her creation of The World Dreams Peace Bridge, an international group of peace dreamers, resulted in two major projects growing from group dreams: The Peace Train Project, which began in 2001, has seen the creation of thousands of "trains" drawn on paper by school children and others around the globe, shipped from one location to another, and displayed world-wide.  The Aid for Traumatized Children Project, started when group members dreamed of the children of war-torn Iraq, has raised over $60,000 since 2004 for aid to Iraqi children.

Nelson Kraus, M.D.

QUANTUM COMPOSTING: Bringing a deep richness to living, loving and spirituality

By bringing together W. Edward Deming, Einstein, quantum physics, acupuncture, Western medicine, homeopathy, Wayne Dyer, U.S. Army Special Forces, Meg Wheatley, Deepak Chopra,  flight training, A Course in Miracles, The Church Within, human physiology and over six decades of life experience, Dr. Nelson Kraus has discovered a conceptual commonality in life and spirit.  Blending dozens of philosophies and concepts from a diverse range of endeavors and “composting” them brings a simplicity and richness to living a life filled with peace, abundance and joy.  In this breakout session, Nelson provides a glimpse into how we all can evolve into quantum living.

Nelson grew up on a hobby farm in central Ohio, the son of a deeply spiritual university physics professor who built the Ohio State University Radio telescope and studied space out to the “edge” of the universe. This was Nelson’s introduction into spiritual and metaphysical thinking.  Nelson holds four college degrees and has experienced a unique diversity of “work experience” including active duty with the US Army (Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran), fifteen years in medical practice (including complimentary approaches), ten years in commercial radio and television (“guest expert" on Oprah), business consulting, motivational speaking, stand-up comedy, and university professor.  He is currently teaching a variety of subjects at Indiana University, MedTech College, and the University of Indianapolis.

GRANDMOTHER SILVERSTAR, Indigenous Culture,Cherokee
American Indian Elder Peacekeeper Grandmother SilverStar (Tsalagi, Lakota) is a keeper of the 52,000-year old sacred Star Knowledge Medicine Bundle.  Eldest of 13 grandchildren, Grandmother SilverStar was born in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, in the heart of the United States of America.  Her Cherokee People are the People of the Seven Stars and her Oglala Lakota People are the People of the Seven Council Fires. She is the eldest of 13 grandchildren and Mother of 13 children.  SilverStar is honored to be working and praying with the "International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. She has also participated in Sacred Peace Pole and Flag Ceremonies worldwide through the World Peace Prayer Society.  In 2004, Sao Paulo, Brazil, she sang sacred Dakota Songs at the Planting of a Peace Pole at the Fraternidade Universalis PAX, Universal Brotherhood of Peace Center, and at Mt. Fuji World Peace Prayer Sanctuary.  She sang sacred Dakota Songs on Summer Solstice 2004, during the WPPS Indigenous People of the World Gathering, anchoring "Infinite Gratitude to Mother Earth."

MELANIE RUDOLPH, Laughter Yoga International

Melanie Rudolph graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, IN with a double Master's Degree in Wellness Management & Applied Gerontology.  Melanie is a Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. She traveled to Mumbai, India and was trained by the Founder of Laughter Yoga International, Madan Kataria, M.D.   Laughter Yoga was started in 1995 in India with a group of 5 people laughing for the joy of living. Today, There are more than 6,000 laughter clubs in more than 60 Countries Worldwide. Melanie is the founder of the Louisville Laughter Yoga Wellness Club in Louisville, KY. Since becoming a part of the Laughter Yoga Movement, Melanie has laughed with many people from around the World. She has a passion for Laughter Yoga, in part, as a way remember her mother, Marilyn, who passed away when Melanie was 8 years young.  Laughter Yoga International is a Global Movement for Health, Joy & World Peace. Give Laughter A Chance. Laughing Peaceably Begins By Laughing Peacefully.

LYNN WIETIES, Baha'i

Lynn will share the vision of the Interfaith tradition that honors the commonality of all religions.

Kenn will share his epiphany for OUR1Planet...the history, ideas, partnerships, vision and unlimited potential & opportunity we all possess, for greater peace, cooperation, awareness and positive community/ global action... through the utilization & empowerment of current & emerging Internet technology, you will discover how you can be a part of manifesting this incredible reality for all!

Founder, President & CEO of OUR1Planet® and Principal Partner of the International Network of Social Entrepreneurs®.  He is a progressive dynamic, interactive speaker and instructor .  Kenn possesses over 20 years experience in Public Relations, Business Presentation & Communication, Strategic, Marketing, Technology, PMO leadership, Global Program and Project Management and Creative Design.
Invested in philanthropic efforts since his primary education days, Kenn has been involved with hundreds of awareness and activism efforts.  Kenn has been a successful leader and coordinator of multiple fund raising and membership campaigns for several organizations including: FEMA, the Red Cross, the United Way, UPS, PUSH, Pi Kappa Phi and many other business and non-profit organizations.
Teaching others, since he could read, Kenn feels one of his greatest gifts is that of empowering others; through examples of lessons learned, experiences gained and ideas generated.  He brings a personal connectivity to everyone he meets, connects with, teaches or shares a singular moment with!
Kenn is an unapologetic idealist, visionary, lifelong optimist, an experienced speaker, avid outdoor enthusiast and adventurer, creative designer, past community and collegiate actor and musician, ardent fan of history, martial arts, travel, philosophy, world culture, classic literature and film!

REV. SAMUEL PRICE, Baptist Minister

Seventy-six year old Reverend Samuel Price is the founder and minister of Wood Street Baptist Church in Lebanon, Missouri.  At the age of nine, Samuel gave his heart to the Lord.  His journey to ministry has been long and varied.  He graduated from Penn State when he was 18, has been an airplane pilot in the Korean War, was one of the top ranked heavyweight boxers in the world, and even won a race to the top of Mt. Marathon in Alaska.  He lived in an Amish community, ran a Christian Carnival and lived in Brazil as a missionary for several years.  In his own words Rev. Price says, “One of my favorite topics is peace.”  He describes himself as someone with discipline, heart, grit and determination.  He will be speaking from his experiences about the need for people to be at peace with themselves before being at peace with others.

JACK SISK, Living Insights Center

The Living Insights Center welcomes each individual as a sacred being.  We honor each person’s right to see Reality in whatever way he or she chooses, and we hope to support each individual’s spiritual path in every way possible.  We honor all religious traditions and modern spiritual systems, and we have sanctuaries presenting a comprehensive spectrum of those traditions.

Jack Sisk is the founder and President of the Living Insights Center in suburban St. Louis, MO. Living Insights is a universal religious and spiritual center, a temple for every faith and every individual, and Jack possesses a broad knowledge of religious traditions and spiritual paths. Before creating Living Insights in early 2001, he'd been a corporate health lawyer for nearly 25 years.