Storytelling can be a means to connect strangers and in the process foster empathy and kindness.

While there is , Mike Boudreau understands how through sharing stories, and listening to the stories of others, one can build connections with their community and through these connections a path to peace.

香蕉视频直播淚f we want there to be peace in the community we need to understand people in the community,香蕉视频直播� said Boudreau. 香蕉视频直播淗ow do you do that? You have to sit down and tell them your story, and then listen.香蕉视频直播�

A practising Buddhist who offers meditation sessions, Boudreau is also the Peace Building Committee Chair with the Shuswap Rotary Club.

This year, Shuswap Rotary became a Peacebuilder Club, a club mandated to play a vital role in 香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎 lot of people think about peace building as international, like resolving conflict between countries and stuff like that,香蕉视频直播� said Boudreau. 香蕉视频直播淎nd really, we need to be peace building right in here (pointing to his heart), and then our family, and then our community and our country 香蕉视频直播� it kind of works out from that.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the approach our club has been taking. What can we do to help people become not just peace advocates, but peace builders, have an interest in it and do something about it, because a lot of people feel there香蕉视频直播檚 nothing they can do. They turn on the TV and see what香蕉视频直播檚 going on in Gaza and Ukraine and feel helpless.香蕉视频直播�

One way to be a peace builder, Boudreau explained, is through acts of kindness. In February, the club reached out to people in the community seeking stories of acts of kindness, about things people did for others or were done for them. The club later shared some of these stories publicly for Pink Shirt Day.

Wanting to keep the momentum going, the club set up a QR-code accessible database at , where one can find suggestions for acts of kindness to do for others. It also welcomes suggestions for acts of kindness, and invites people to share personal stories/experiences involving acts of kindness.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e working with a number of groups throughout the Okanagan right now who think this is really cool and wish to adopt it,香蕉视频直播� said Boudreau. 香蕉视频直播淵ou can also report kindnesses that have been done to you and we香蕉视频直播檒l publish those.香蕉视频直播�

Another of the club香蕉视频直播檚 peace-building initiatives will begin in the summer in partnership with Rev. Jenny Carter at First Community (Salmon Arm香蕉视频直播檚 First United Church).

香蕉视频直播淭he third Friday of each month, starting in June, we香蕉视频直播檙e hosting Peace and Pizza,香蕉视频直播� said Boudreau. 香蕉视频直播淭his is by donation so it香蕉视频直播檚 accessible to everybody, and what we香蕉视频直播檙e going to do is have a fireside chat.香蕉视频直播�

The first speaker will be Neskonlith knowledge-sharer Louis Thomas.

香蕉视频直播淟ouis and I will sit in front of an audience and I香蕉视频直播檒l say, 香蕉视频直播楲ouis, tell me your story,香蕉视频直播� and then let him tell his story, and then I香蕉视频直播檒l have a list of questions to kind of probe the corners and depths.香蕉视频直播�

Boudreau pointed out it can be easy to simply label a person instead of taking the time to listen to and understand them.

香蕉视频直播淪implifying creates polarization and division, and it香蕉视频直播檚 the wrong way to grow because society is fracturing around us with all of this division so we need to do the opposite, we need to start listening to each other,香蕉视频直播� said Boudreau. 香蕉视频直播淲e need to listen to each other香蕉视频直播檚 story. That香蕉视频直播檚 what we香蕉视频直播檙e going to do with this Peace and Pizza. We香蕉视频直播檒l teach everybody how to be curious about other people香蕉视频直播檚 stories香蕉视频直播� and after people will go away with the skill of learning other people香蕉视频直播檚 world view.

香蕉视频直播淟earning somebody else香蕉视频直播檚 world view does not mean you have to agree with them, but it does require you to develop some understanding of them. When you understand someone else香蕉视频直播檚 world view, you香蕉视频直播檙e less likely to be polarized and labelling and that sort of thing.香蕉视频直播�

Boudreau noted the Peace and Pizza chats may not bring people at 香蕉视频直播減olar extremes香蕉视频直播� together. However, they may still be reached through a ripple effect.

香蕉视频直播淚f we get enough people saying, 香蕉视频直播榟ey, do you understand that person香蕉视频直播檚 story?香蕉视频直播� that will spread,香蕉视频直播� said Boudreau. 香蕉视频直播淪ociologically there香蕉视频直播檚 six degrees of separation. That means six ripples and you香蕉视频直播檝e got everybody in the world. So if you香蕉视频直播檝e got one person doing the right things that香蕉视频直播檚 going to ripple香蕉视频直播� we just need to influence enough people to say 香蕉视频直播榟ey, what香蕉视频直播檚 your story?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

The Shuswap Rotary club is also looking for ideas, other ways people/groups are encouraging acts of kindness and/or steps towards peace.

香蕉视频直播淎nybody that has a peace building idea in the community or is already doing something along those lines, we would like to know about it, about them and what they香蕉视频直播檙e doing and if they need help or whatever.香蕉视频直播�

The first Peace and Pizza event will be at First Community, 5:30 p.m. on June 21. To learn more about upcoming events, and to share or report acts of kindness, visit peacebuilders.world. For more information about the Shuswap Rotary Club, visit shuswaprotary.org.

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