The United Nations Association of Santa Barbara and Tri Counties has announced the nominees for the 2019 Santa Barbara UNA Peace Prize.
The nominees are:
Evie Treen, founder of Friends of Woni International that builds wells and schools in Kenya.
Sue Mantle DeCicco, founder of the Peace Crane Project, which invites every child to wage the cause of peace while increasing writing and language skills.
Dr. Lori Leyden, founder of Create Global Healing that works with victims of trauma from genocide, refugees and school shootings
Professor Joe White, creator of A World Without War that seeks to extend the Olympic Truce worldwide to a full year in 2024.
Leslie Clark, founder of Nomad Foundation, which helps nomadic tribes in Niger support themselves with traditional new technologies such as solar power and water well drilling.
Linda Eckerbom Cole, founder of African Women Rising that empowers women after war.
Victoria Riskin, chair of Human Rights Watch, Santa Barbara chapter.
The Peace Prize was created by the United Nations Association of Santa Barbara and Tri Counties. The chapter is one of the oldest in the United States, having formed in 1947. It spans San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
The nominations opened in May and closed in July. Nomination criteria includes creating peace in the world, expanding of defending human rights internationally and advancing developing nations through new infrastructure, supply delivery, or creating schools and education opportunities, according to Peace Prize co-chair Sharon Byrne.
“The United Nations Association is delighted with the quantity and caliber of the nominees,” Ms. Byrne said in a statement. “Clearly, our community cares about our world, and is working very hard to make a difference.
The winner of the 2019 Peace Prize will be announced at the prize dinner, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at the University Club of Santa Barbara, 1332 Santa Barbara St.
Dinner tickets are $100 and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, visit www.unasb.org.
