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.

91裸聊视频淚f we want there to be peace in the community we need to understand people in the community,91裸聊视频� said Boudreau. 91裸聊视频淗ow do you do that? You have to sit down and tell them your story, and then listen.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频�.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淎 lot of people think about peace building as international, like resolving conflict between countries and stuff like that,91裸聊视频� said Boudreau. 91裸聊视频淎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 91裸聊视频� it kind of works out from that.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 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 there91裸聊视频檚 nothing they can do. They turn on the TV and see what91裸聊视频檚 going on in Gaza and Ukraine and feel helpless.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e working with a number of groups throughout the Okanagan right now who think this is really cool and wish to adopt it,91裸聊视频� said Boudreau. 91裸聊视频淵ou can also report kindnesses that have been done to you and we91裸聊视频檒l publish those.91裸聊视频�

Another of the club91裸聊视频檚 peace-building initiatives will begin in the summer in partnership with Rev. Jenny Carter at First Community (Salmon Arm91裸聊视频檚 First United Church).

91裸聊视频淭he third Friday of each month, starting in June, we91裸聊视频檙e hosting Peace and Pizza,91裸聊视频� said Boudreau. 91裸聊视频淭his is by donation so it91裸聊视频檚 accessible to everybody, and what we91裸聊视频檙e going to do is have a fireside chat.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淟ouis and I will sit in front of an audience and I91裸聊视频檒l say, 91裸聊视频楲ouis, tell me your story,91裸聊视频� and then let him tell his story, and then I91裸聊视频檒l have a list of questions to kind of probe the corners and depths.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淪implifying creates polarization and division, and it91裸聊视频檚 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,91裸聊视频� said Boudreau. 91裸聊视频淲e need to listen to each other91裸聊视频檚 story. That91裸聊视频檚 what we91裸聊视频檙e going to do with this Peace and Pizza. We91裸聊视频檒l teach everybody how to be curious about other people91裸聊视频檚 stories91裸聊视频� and after people will go away with the skill of learning other people91裸聊视频檚 world view.

91裸聊视频淟earning somebody else91裸聊视频檚 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 else91裸聊视频檚 world view, you91裸聊视频檙e less likely to be polarized and labelling and that sort of thing.91裸聊视频�

Boudreau noted the Peace and Pizza chats may not bring people at 91裸聊视频減olar extremes91裸聊视频� together. However, they may still be reached through a ripple effect.

91裸聊视频淚f we get enough people saying, 91裸聊视频榟ey, do you understand that person91裸聊视频檚 story?91裸聊视频� that will spread,91裸聊视频� said Boudreau. 91裸聊视频淪ociologically there91裸聊视频檚 six degrees of separation. That means six ripples and you91裸聊视频檝e got everybody in the world. So if you91裸聊视频檝e got one person doing the right things that91裸聊视频檚 going to ripple91裸聊视频� we just need to influence enough people to say 91裸聊视频榟ey, what91裸聊视频檚 your story?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淎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 they91裸聊视频檙e doing and if they need help or whatever.91裸聊视频�

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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