Greater Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada: International Cities of Peace
Peace begins with you.
The Peace Leaders Collaborative of Greater Moncton is a local-global initiative that grew organically from the strength and diversity of a few passionate people talking at a kitchen table. As part of the kitchen table conversation, we ignited a vision to create an engaging, community-wide movement dedicated to fostering harmonious relationships with ourselves, others and the natural world.
Photo above: Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Moncton
Note: Introduction page with information primarily at the time of joining International Cities of Peace. For updates, please contact the liaison.
Welcome to Greater Moncton Area
The Greater Moncton Area is situated on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq people and the Wabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy). The Peace Leaders Collaborative recognizes that we work, play and gather on the traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We are, therefore, all treaty people. The three municipalities; Moncton, Riverview, and Dieppe make up Greater Moncton. Here, you will find a fast-growing, diversified community where development strategies place citizens and the environment as key pillars to achieving sustainability.
This area of Atlantic Canada has an easy-living pace and lots of room to grow. The 140,000 plus residents contribute to a diverse and peaceful culture exemplified by wonderful people, ethnic restaurants and exciting festivals year-round. Each of the three communities possesses a vibrant arts and culture scene.
The region is scenically beautiful and features two spectacular national parks within a one-hour drive. It is an ideal setting for peace tourism.
Dawn Arnold, Moncton Mayor
Ann Seamans, Riverview Mayor
Yvon Lapierre, Dieppe Mayor
“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one. – John Lennon
Our Vision
To elevate the state of peace in Greater Moncton by connecting, engaging and supporting an impactful network of Peace Leaders, organizations and citizens in fulfilling their peace passions.
Our Mission
To become a recognized model Peace City, where everyone feels connected and included.
About the Liaison
Darlene Doiron
Darlene Doiron is a Chartered Mediator with over 25 years of experience in counselling, teaching, mediation and conflict resolution. She is employed as a Manager of Psychological Health with the Federal government and the founder of Medi8 Solutions Inc. which is a company supporting peaceful dialogues, mediation, and training. Darlene is a graduate of both Programs on Negotiation and Mediation at Dalhousie University and Harvard University. Her passion for peace was ignited at a young age and she chose to focus her career on the art of diffusing difficult conversations. With a Master’s Degree in Sustainable World Peace through the United Nations University of Peace, she promotes inner peace, happiness, forgiveness and gratitude as her guiding principles. She strives to champion peace at the community level and urges everyone to get involved in their unique way, as she believes small things can make a big difference.
Letter of Intent
Current and future Areas of Focus
Peace Education
As children grow, they form their unique worldview. They learn how to interact with the people around them. Learning about peace and healthy conflict is a wonderful opportunity to equip upcoming generations with the skills they need to build healthy relationships and peaceful perspectives of the world around them. When this happens, the impact creates a ripple effect in our communities which drives the passion behind teaching emotional fitness, mindfulness, conflict resolution and non-violent communication skills to youth through peace education. The peace education project leader is a former innovative school educator and co-founder of PLC, Anne-Marie Collette, who believes that peace education needs to become the backdrop to all that transpires in a school system and cannot be an add-on. It needs to become the heartbeat of the school and she is working diligently with local school districts to incorporate these principles through project-based learning engaging one teacher at a time to grow a community of peace educators.
“In order to know lasting peace, we must start with our children.” — Mahatma Gandhi
“What more noble task can a community undertake than to support our children to develop peacebuilding skills? In this highly stressed society, it is imperative that we, as adult leaders, funnel our energies and financial resources to assist with the advancement of peaceful communities so we can have a better world. In investing in our children now, we invest in sustainable peace for our future. There is hope if we act now. Time is of the essence.” – Anne-Marie Collette
Peace Conversations and Dialogue
Connection and conversation are key pillars to expanding a culture of peace in our community. It is important to have “safe spaces” for dialogue and the sharing of stories where people feel that they are genuinely listened to and have a voice – where there is an opportunity to understand the perspectives, values and needs of each other, to find healing and to co-create sustainable solutions.
Peace Cafés in Greater Moncton are just one way we are opening space to create awareness and an opportunity to reconnect with each other, and to learn and grow together as we seek to understand the challenges and opportunities of our time. They can help us lessen the divide between us to discover more connection, community and unity within our diversity.
Peace Tourism
Peace Tourism in Greater Moncton is an area with great potential for future growth. This community with all its natural beauty can generate social, cultural, economic, and environmental benefits in contributing to a “Culture of Peace” for all.
Peace Mosaic Project
We are building an online Peace Mosaic which will invite and engage our citizens in celebrating Greater Moncton becoming an International City of Peace by building an online Mosaic that defines what Peace means to each of us. The symbolism of this mosaic itself represents diversity, inclusion, belonging and community. Everyone’s contributions are a necessary part of co-creating the whole picture of our community where everyone can thrive. In the process of building the mosaic together using social media and other methods, we engage citizens in collectively imagining our city of peace. We invite the voices, creativity, playfulness and passions of everyone that wants to be involved in celebrating our potential.
Peace Legacy
Our legacy focuses on social inclusion, respect, dignity, compassion and kindness. The Peace Leaders Collaborative opens a space for collective imagining by overcoming generational and cultural barriers to empower each person to make a difference. We all reside on one planet with seven different generations complete with over seven billion people. Peace touches upon everything from reducing crime in our neighbourhoods, bullying in schools and the workplace, to the way we care for our elders and planet. It is an active community process that transforms everything we do. From our word choice to the way we live, learn and conduct business. We hope that Greater Moncton will be a model for peace both nationally and internationally. The founding members of the Collaborative highlight the urgent need for peace in today’s world of uncertainty, and reflect the words of the late Bob Stewart, a local champions of peace. Bob often noted that “peace is possible; it is only one decision away.”
In loving memory of Robert Stewart, Peace Founder
Contact us
Greater Moncton Peace Leaders Collaborative
https://peaceleaderscollaborative.com/greatermoncton/
Anne-Marie Collette, Coach for Awakened Leaders
amcollette@bellaliant.net
www.annemariecollette.com
Richard Schultz
1-403-247-8042
WisdomWays: www.wisdomways.net
ElevateWork: www.elevatework.ca
Darlene Doiron
1-506-878-1570
Darlene@medi8solutionsinc.com
Note: If information or photos used here are copyrighted, please contact us and we will immediately delete the copyrighted material.
