www.departmentofpeace.ca

Nov. 8, 2008

Dear Kathleen,

I have reviewed your project, The Fountain of Peace 2009, and find it admirable and extremely valuable as it engages Canadian school children with children around the world in a dynamic and child-friendly way.

This project is consistent with and furthers the spirit and intent of our initiative to create a federal Department of Peace in Canada in which peace education would be a cornerstone. It makes peace building tangible for children, their teachers and parents alike. I recommend it to all school boards and individual schools and eagerly await its realization so that we may participate directly in it.

In peace,

Dr. Saul Arbess,
National Co-chair,
Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI)

Canadian Centre for Teaching Peace Box 70, Okotoks, AB Ph: (403) 431-2469 Email: stewartr@peace.ca Website: www.peace.ca

January 31, 2009

Dear Kathleen Arnason,

I am very pleased to write this letter of support for your project, "The Fountain of Peace". As one of the founding directors of the Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace, I am pleased to offer my support to this worthy project.

Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace is committed to building a better world for our children and to advancing peace in the world. We do this through education and by bringing people together. Our organization also has an extensive online educational resource, PEACE.CA. The purpose of PEACE.CA is to bring together all peoples of the world in the promotion of lasting peace through "thinking globally and acting locally", building peace in the community, strategic action planning, networking, informationg sharing, etc. PEACE.CA should enhance cooperationg between nations, cultivate goodwill and peaceful understanding among people, and promote human and economic development.

In my capacity with Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace and PEACE.CA, I work with a variety of individuals who are interested in teaching and learning about peace. In my opinion, there is a great need for engaging, entertaining and educational materials that provice Canadians with a broad perspective on peace and non-violence issues. I feel that your initiative, "The Fountain of Peace" could be such a resource. I feel that its content and engaging style would make your work accessible to a wide variety of youth/individuals. I also feel that your project would show some practical and tangible peace/non-violence initiatives, whichw ould help to dispel the common misconception that the practice of peace is an intangible affair.

In conclusion, I am confident that I would happily recommend your project on PEACE.CA and to the countless individuals who contact me with inquiries about useful educational resources. (For example, our web site currently receives over 60,000 visitors per month from around the world.) I look forward to seeing "The Fountain of Peace" once it is available. Should you require any further assistance or clarification, please feel free to contact me at our address above. Best wishes in your good and important work.

Sincerely,
Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace

Robert Stewart, C.A., C.M.C.
Director

September 2nd 2009,

Dear Kathleen,

It is my pleasure on behalf of the Victoria International Development Association (VIDEA) to write in support of the Fountain of Peace project. VIDEA has worked to inspire individuals and communities to take action on global issues for over 30 years. During this time we have worked with youth and schools across Canada to help students understand global issues and to become responsible global citizens.

In recent years we have worked hard to create connections between youth in Canada and youth in Africa through our Breakthrough for Africa project. As part of this project young people have taken part in art exchanges, letter writing, and actions of support and solidarity. Recently young people from schools in the Kelowna area have raised funds to build a community school in a remote area of Zambia called Senanga. This initiative signified the difference that young people can make in partnership – as a result of this initiative more than 200 young people a year in Senanga District will get an education that might otherwise be impossible.

The Fountain of Peace project works to build knowledge, understanding and partnerships for change. As you know education is a basic human right and one of the key foundations on which sustainable community development stands. This project recognizes this, and puts into action opportunities for young people to support the right of children in Zambia to gain access to education - funds that derive from this project will help to secure education for young girls and boys in the Lundazi area of Zambia.

Once again – many thanks for spearheading this wonderful project,

With all best wishes,

Lynn Thornton
Executive Director
VIDEA