La Sierra University is getting ready to celebrate its third Peace Week, February 22 to March 2, 2013.

Launched in 2010 by La Sierra University humanities and religion faculty, this week of lectures, workshops, poetry readings, art exhibits, and film discussions is held every two or three years and features presentations by professors and guest speakers on various aspects of the peace theme.

This year's program will feature Azim Khamisa, international peace activist, called “the Man of Forgiveness,” who will share the tragedy of losing his only son in a gang-related incident and his journey to forgiving his murderer. He has been featured in major network television interviews and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Season for Nonviolence Peace Hero Award, the Temple Award for Creative Altruism, the National Crime Victims Special Community Service Award (presented by President Bill Clinton and Attorney Janet Reno), and the Circle of Courage Award from Youth Reclaiming International (alongside Muhammad Ali).

The Reverend Alexia Salvatierra will be featured during the weekly worship service with her talk titled “Shalom and the Welcoming Table.” Rev. Salvatierra is an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and former Executive Director of Clergy and Laity for Economic Justice for the State of California (CLUE-CA) and one of the most inspiring and effective organizers of faith communities helping them engage their faith on behalf of the poor. Rev. Salvatierra has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Changemaker Award (Liberty Hill Foundation), the Stanton Fellowship (Durfee Foundation), the Amos Award (Sojourners), the Giants of Justice Award (CLUE-CA), and the Prime Mover Award (Hunt Alternatives Fund).

The Paul J. Landa lecture series will feature Philip Clayton, Dean of Claremont School of Theology and Provost of Claremont Lincoln University and author of over 20 books and hundreds of academic and popular articles on topics ranging from philosophy to the science-religion debate to explaining theology to a secular 21st century. His lecture is titled “What Does It Mean to Be a Peacemaker in a Divided World: Reimagining Jesus' Radical Way of Compassion for the 21st Century.”

Other on-campus activities during the week include a special First Service, Fri., Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. with Michael B. Kelly II, senior pastor, Mt. Rubidioux Seventh-day Adventist Church and Martin Luther King Trailblazer Award recipient; “Archaeology of Peace” presentation with archaeology professors Kent Bramlett and Douglas Clark; a brown bag discussion titled “Justice @ La Sierra” directed by Ginger Hanks Harwood, associate professor of religious and theological studies; and a lecture titled “Culture and the (Im)Possibility of Forgiveness” by World Languages Department Chair Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsson. In addition to these lectures, a reading of peace poetry will be coordinated by Lora Geriguis, associate professor of English, and Dulce Peña, attorney and management professor, will run a workshop on the fundamental principles of conflict resolution.

On the final Saturday of the week, Professor Fritz Guy will lead out in a peace liturgy during the early Sabbath service. Pastor Chris Oberg's sermons for the day are titled “Taming the Beast Within”—finding peace within that will make for peace in community. That same evening, renowned film producers/directors Michael and Carole Wilson will be on hand to show and discuss their documentary, “Reconciliation: Mandela's Miracle.” The film documents the pivotal role Nelson Mandela played in South Africa's peaceful transition out of apartheid through the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Throughout the week the Brandstater Gallery will feature a special exhibit by Susan Ossman titled “On the Line,” in which the artist contemplates clotheslines to “investigate lines of all kinds.” Commenting on her exhibit, Ossman observes that “On the Line leads us to recall fresh laundry's associations with purity, intimacy and propriety and to question which social bindings are loosened when the fresh scent and delicate touch of sheets on the line become just a memory.” Art Department Chair Beatriz Mejía-Krumbein will help attendees discover further metaphors related to “ties, knots, belts, secrets, community and resilience.”

For more information, see the schedule of events with times and venues and a map of the La Sierra University campus. The Peace Week 2013 organizing committee includes Doug Clark, Fritz Guy, Ginger Harwood, Sam Leonor, and Lourdes Morales-Gudmundsson. Questions relating to the week's activities should be addressed to Prof. Morales at lmorales@lasierra.edu or by calling 951-785-2120.

Peace Week 2013 Schedule

La Sierra University is celebrating its third PEACE WEEK on campus February 22-March 2, 2013

The Brandstater Gallery will feature a special art exhibit by Susan Ossman, titled “On the Line,” February 11-March 11. Prof. Beatriz Mejía-Krumbein will also be making a presentation on Ms. Ossman's work during Peace Week. Watch for the date.