Storytelling can be a means to connect strangers and in the process foster empathy and kindness.

While there is , Mike Boudreau understands how through sharing stories, and listening to the stories of others, one can build connections with their community and through these connections a path to peace.

害羞草研究所淚f we want there to be peace in the community we need to understand people in the community,害羞草研究所� said Boudreau. 害羞草研究所淗ow do you do that? You have to sit down and tell them your story, and then listen.害羞草研究所�

A practising Buddhist who offers meditation sessions, Boudreau is also the Peace Building Committee Chair with the Shuswap Rotary Club.

This year, Shuswap Rotary became a Peacebuilder Club, a club mandated to play a vital role in 害羞草研究所�.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淎 lot of people think about peace building as international, like resolving conflict between countries and stuff like that,害羞草研究所� said Boudreau. 害羞草研究所淎nd really, we need to be peace building right in here (pointing to his heart), and then our family, and then our community and our country 害羞草研究所� it kind of works out from that.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the approach our club has been taking. What can we do to help people become not just peace advocates, but peace builders, have an interest in it and do something about it, because a lot of people feel there害羞草研究所檚 nothing they can do. They turn on the TV and see what害羞草研究所檚 going on in Gaza and Ukraine and feel helpless.害羞草研究所�

One way to be a peace builder, Boudreau explained, is through acts of kindness. In February, the club reached out to people in the community seeking stories of acts of kindness, about things people did for others or were done for them. The club later shared some of these stories publicly for Pink Shirt Day.

Wanting to keep the momentum going, the club set up a QR-code accessible database at , where one can find suggestions for acts of kindness to do for others. It also welcomes suggestions for acts of kindness, and invites people to share personal stories/experiences involving acts of kindness.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e working with a number of groups throughout the Okanagan right now who think this is really cool and wish to adopt it,害羞草研究所� said Boudreau. 害羞草研究所淵ou can also report kindnesses that have been done to you and we害羞草研究所檒l publish those.害羞草研究所�

Another of the club害羞草研究所檚 peace-building initiatives will begin in the summer in partnership with Rev. Jenny Carter at First Community (Salmon Arm害羞草研究所檚 First United Church).

害羞草研究所淭he third Friday of each month, starting in June, we害羞草研究所檙e hosting Peace and Pizza,害羞草研究所� said Boudreau. 害羞草研究所淭his is by donation so it害羞草研究所檚 accessible to everybody, and what we害羞草研究所檙e going to do is have a fireside chat.害羞草研究所�

The first speaker will be Neskonlith knowledge-sharer Louis Thomas.

害羞草研究所淟ouis and I will sit in front of an audience and I害羞草研究所檒l say, 害羞草研究所楲ouis, tell me your story,害羞草研究所� and then let him tell his story, and then I害羞草研究所檒l have a list of questions to kind of probe the corners and depths.害羞草研究所�

Boudreau pointed out it can be easy to simply label a person instead of taking the time to listen to and understand them.

害羞草研究所淪implifying creates polarization and division, and it害羞草研究所檚 the wrong way to grow because society is fracturing around us with all of this division so we need to do the opposite, we need to start listening to each other,害羞草研究所� said Boudreau. 害羞草研究所淲e need to listen to each other害羞草研究所檚 story. That害羞草研究所檚 what we害羞草研究所檙e going to do with this Peace and Pizza. We害羞草研究所檒l teach everybody how to be curious about other people害羞草研究所檚 stories害羞草研究所� and after people will go away with the skill of learning other people害羞草研究所檚 world view.

害羞草研究所淟earning somebody else害羞草研究所檚 world view does not mean you have to agree with them, but it does require you to develop some understanding of them. When you understand someone else害羞草研究所檚 world view, you害羞草研究所檙e less likely to be polarized and labelling and that sort of thing.害羞草研究所�

Boudreau noted the Peace and Pizza chats may not bring people at 害羞草研究所減olar extremes害羞草研究所� together. However, they may still be reached through a ripple effect.

害羞草研究所淚f we get enough people saying, 害羞草研究所榟ey, do you understand that person害羞草研究所檚 story?害羞草研究所� that will spread,害羞草研究所� said Boudreau. 害羞草研究所淪ociologically there害羞草研究所檚 six degrees of separation. That means six ripples and you害羞草研究所檝e got everybody in the world. So if you害羞草研究所檝e got one person doing the right things that害羞草研究所檚 going to ripple害羞草研究所� we just need to influence enough people to say 害羞草研究所榟ey, what害羞草研究所檚 your story?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

The Shuswap Rotary club is also looking for ideas, other ways people/groups are encouraging acts of kindness and/or steps towards peace.

害羞草研究所淎nybody that has a peace building idea in the community or is already doing something along those lines, we would like to know about it, about them and what they害羞草研究所檙e doing and if they need help or whatever.害羞草研究所�

The first Peace and Pizza event will be at First Community, 5:30 p.m. on June 21. To learn more about upcoming events, and to share or report acts of kindness, visit peacebuilders.world. For more information about the Shuswap Rotary Club, visit shuswaprotary.org.

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