Peacebuilding
We are Architects of Peace! Everything we do as Rotarians lays the foundation for individuals to thrive and communities to flourish. Our work in the areas of education, literacy, food scarcity, health, clean water, the environment, leadership, economic development, and so much more – that’s peacebuilding.
Peace is more than the absence of violence or war. True peace – positive peace – is transformative. It’s where people have the resources and tools that build trust; where conflicts are resolved short of violence or war.
Our Call to Action: Become a Peacebuilder Club or Global Peace District. The resources below will get you started. Together, let’s demonstrate Rotary’s mission of building a more peaceful world. Reach out – we look forward to connecting!
Suzanne Bragdon | Peacebuilder Coordinator
Suzanne Bragdon served as District Governor in 2022-23 (D5160) and is currently serving as a Rotary Positive Peace Activator for North America and the Caribbean. As a retired city manager and aspiring screenwriter who sees the world through stories, she is excited to share the latest on Rotary’s peace-building efforts, and the role we all play in building a more stable, resilient and peaceful world.
Larry Horton | Peacebuilding Coordinator
Larry joined a satellite club in Phoenix in 2011 and led its transformation into the Rotary Club of Camelback Crossroads in August 2024. He served as District Governor in D5495, northern Arizona, in 2022-23. After retiring from law enforcement and commercial real estate, Larry became an IEP Positive Peace Activator through Rotary International’s partnership with the Institute for Economics & Peace, receiving training at RI headquarters in Evanston. As a Positive Peace Activator, Larry distinguishes between negative peace and positive peace, explaining the latter as attitudes, institutions, and structures that sustain peaceful societies, and discusses the eight Pillars of Positive Peace. He encourages Rotarians to leverage the IEP/Rotary partnership to align their peace building efforts with Rotary’s Area of Focus, offering workshops, training, and presentations to promote positive peace. Larry also advocates for public peace promotion, such as establishing Peace Poles or conducting peace symposia, and helps Rotarians develop a personal positive peace ethic for everyday life.