Peace is more than the absence of war. It encompasses harmony between individuals, between communities, and between humankind and the environment. A Messengers of Peace service project is defined as any project that touches on one of these dimensions of peace:
- The personal dimension: harmony, justice, and equality
- The community dimension: peace as opposed to hostility or violent conflict
- Relationships between humankind and its environment: security, social and economic welfare, and relationship with the environment
Here are sample project ideas:
Personal Dimension
- Host a holiday party for children of prison inmates.
- Collect books and magazines for inner-city schools.
- Conduct entertainment programs, including skits and plays, at a nursing home.
- Make and donate gift boxes to be distributed by Feed the Children.
- Assist organizations that provide home maintenance services for those in need.
- Clean a Habitat for Humanity house before the family moves in.
Community Dimension
- Create a community prayer garden.
- Replace graffiti with peace-related murals.
- Host conflict-resolution workshops in a local school.
- Plan a sports tournament that brings together kids from different segments of the community.
- Serve as “victims” for a county EMT or first responders training course.
- Assist in the packaging of medical supplies for developing countries.
Environmental Dimension
- Clean up a campground, a local park, a river, or a school parking lot.
- Assist with a shoreline-restoration project.
- Collect and dispose of household chemicals, batteries, and other potentially dangerous waste products from the residences of shut-ins.
- Remove invasive species and plant native trees in a park.
- Volunteer at a community recycling center.
- Clear brush from fire buffer zone.
For tips on conducting successful projects, visit www.scouting.org/awards/journey-to-excellence/unit-tips.