This speech was delivered by Resource Center for Nonviolence co-founder Scott Kennedy in 2008 when he was awarded the 2008 El-Hibri Peace Education Prize. In May, 2014, the El-Hibri Foundation produced this Youtube video that combines audio from Scott’s speech with a slideshow.
The photos are courtesy of Bob Fitch Photo Archives © Stanford University Libraries, Matt Fitt and include other photos from the Kennedy family, Resource Center for Nonviolence and El-Hibri Foundation archives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sb44XkxBvI
Excerpts from the speech: “there are so many on whose shoulders I rise.” Scott highlights the importance of a place and community: of local work that is also national and international in scope; deeply rooted in our community- that is the heart of social change work, the essential Gandhian practice of truth seeking.
He quotes from a book by Jean Zaru, a Palestinian Quaker christian: “Occupied with Nonviolence” about her life in Ramallah and her sacrifices… “How do I teach a culture of nonviolent action? I raise critical and decisive consciousness; consciousness of the value of justice over injustice, peace over warfare; human institutions over against dehumanizing institutions, I try to make clear that we are against evil not against people…Human well-being is our ultimate goal; We should be ready to say what we think is the truth, and be ready to pay the price… that is what all peace education is about… to build a world that is more nonviolent.”
He mentions his favorite quote from Gandhi: “an abstract principle has no meaning without its concrete application” and includes more stories and quotes from Jean Zaru on truth: “truth speaking must be put into practice…. “I will never kill for truth- truth is incompatible with violence.”