Pennies for Peace

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pennies for Peace is a program sponsored by the Central Asia Institute (CAI) that "helps educate American children about the world to show them they can make a difference one penny at a time."[1] The program focuses on raising cross-cultural awareness through education to promote peace and fight terrorism.[2]

Pennies for Peace was launched by CAI executive director Greg Mortenson to raise funds for rural schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.[3] Mortenson is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Three Cups of Tea.[4][5][6]

The idea behind the Pennies for Peace program is that in industrialized nations, "a penny is pretty much worthless, but in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan a penny can buy a lot. With one single penny, schools can buy a student a pencil. With a pencil, the student can become literate and educated."[7] Mortenson believes he can promote peace through education, especially the education of girls, because: "If you educate a boy, you educate an individual; if you educate a girl, you educate a community."[8]

Pennies for Peace is based in Evergreen, Colorado, and as of February 2008, had raised over eight million pennies since its inception in 1994.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Students give to Pennies for Peace", Pat Ferrier, The Coloradoran, March 4, 2008
  2. ^ "Promoting peace one penny at a time", Kristin Holtz, Litchfield Independent Press, March 25, 2008
  3. ^ "Pocket change for social change", Lora Pabst, Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 5, 2008
  4. ^ "Paperback Nonfiction Bestsellers", The New York Times, March 16, 2008
  5. ^ "American mountaineer fights Taliban with books, not bombs", John Blake, CNN International, March 3, 2008
  6. ^ "Famous author, humanitarian visits Paly", Megha Ram, The Paly Voice (Palo Alto, CA), November 19, 2007
  7. ^ "Pennies being collected for the schools in Central Asia", The Huron Daily Tribune, March 6, 2008
  8. ^ "Educating the World One Step at a Time", Alison Walkley, Fairfield Citizen News, March 7, 2008
  9. ^ "Author builds schools by pinching pennies - Students donate coins for classrooms in Pakistan, Afghanistan", Anna Webb, Idaho Statesman, February 9, 2008

[edit] External Links