David Wick and Irene Kai brought the seeds of a Culture of Peace to Ashland, Oregon from their years of work with Pathways To Peace in which David had been active since 1980. They began as “CPI-Ashland” to organize a small group of dedicated local peacebuilders to explore, plan, and organize an association, working closely with the Ashland City Council. In less than three years, the Ashland Culture of Peace Commission has taken important steps to begin to fulfill its local – global mission.

Our Mission: To inspire, activate, and model a Culture of Peace in Ashland, Oregon which will serve as a beacon of light for all humanity.

Our Values: Compassion, Accountability, Inclusivity and Respect serve as the compass for our work and goals to be achieved. We acknowledge that our values are not valid unless they are experienced in our meetings, programs, and interactions with each other and the world.

As a teaching/learning community we engage all sectors of Ashland, Oregon in activities that promote harmonious relationships with each other and the natural world. Activities include communication trainings, forums, talking circles, consultations, collaboration with others, articles and publications. These activities encourage participants to explore the meaning of peace within ourselves and to reach out to others with curiosity and compassion.

On May 16, 2017 ACPC guided the Ashland City Council to join the International Cities of Peace and proclaim Ashland a City of Peace. ACPC has also provided recruiting and training for Winter Shelter volunteers and shelter listening programs and we are now one of the twelve community partner organizations to create and open the “One Site” Winter Shelter for the homeless which will be open seven nights a week.

Through the leadership of Irene Kai, ACPC brought the World Peace Flame from Wales to Ashland, which makes Ashland only the second city in the United States to have such a monument, the first one is located at the Human Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. On September 21, 2018, the World Peace Flame was lit by the Executive Director of the World Peace Flame Foundation, Savitri MacCuish from the Netherlands and SOU President, Linda Schott at the Thalden Pavilion, Sustainability Center, Southern Oregon University. Letters from Governor Kate Brown and Senator Jeff Merkeley were read in support of the Monument. Given the World Peace Flame is an eternal flame, a class from the Ashland Middle School volunteered to refill the lamp with the recycled biomass oil every Friday for the school year. They are the official Flame Keepers. The Ashland monument will forever mark this energetic location as an important City of Peace for travelers from around the world.

The intention of being a beacon of light for all humanity is being fulfilled by having a physical eternal World Peace Flame illuminating from Southern Oregon University. Peace education in many forms is being disseminated in Ashland.

The Ashland Culture of Peace Commission is a local-global initiative. It grew organically with the strength of years of experience behind it through Pathways To Peace. As we act locally and think globally we seek to challenge and shift our individual and community attitudes and beliefs from a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace. We believe this will lead to a shift in mindset and behaviors which will lead to positive systemic change. Additional information can be found at ashlandcpc.org and contact David Wick, Executive Director, davidwick.acpc@gmail.com.