Peace First, Inc

Founded 25 years ago, Peace First is an international nonprofit organization that exists to create the next generation of peacemakers. We believe passionately that young people are natural problem solvers and that by unleashing their moral imaginations we can create a youth-led movement to counter the culture of violence that affects us all. We believe in the power of all young people to change the world through peacemaking - not someday in the future - right now. To this end, we invest in their ability to see themselves today as leaders and to maximize their capacity to solve some of society's most pressing problems.

Since our founding, Peace First has developed a best-in-class curriculum to teach young people the skills of courage, compassion, and collaborative leadership and apply them to the injustices they find in the world. This classroom curriculum is now open-source and available online via our Digital Activity Center, and it has been used by educators in all 50 states and more than 90 countries around the world. In 2013, we continued to build on our belief in the power of young people by launching the national Peace First Prize, a sort of Nobel Peace Prize, along with a two-year fellowship for young people who exemplify the positive impact that young peacemakers can create in the world. The Prize has generated over 120 million media impressions, thousands of nominations and applications, and awarded over 20 fellowships to a group of extraordinary young exemplars.  

Peace First is now focused on creating a global movement of young people (ages 13-25) to counteract the culture of violence, intolerance, and hatred that plagues too many communities around the world. Called the Peace First Challenge, this project combines the use of media and on-the-ground partnerships to recruit young people from around the world to a digital platform that provides critical resources and connections that move young people from experiences to ideas to actions. With the goal of true culture change top of mind, our long-term aim is to support a movement of 2.5 million young people engaged in peacemaking. Not only will millions of young people develop the skills and lifelong commitment for peaceful social change, but we will source and share powerful solutions from those closest to the problems.