Article about Peacemaker Institute's work in Second Life

1. 14 Prim Perfect • December 2008
C H A R I T Y NE WS
Peacemaker
Institute
by Coughran Mayo
MORE THAN A FEW NON-PROFITS HAVE FOLLOWED The same could hardly be said for Peacemaker
the lead of their corporate cousins in Second Institute, and Vivienne Cassavetes, its represen-
Life, and pursued an “if you build it, they will tative in Second Life. You could probably count
come” approach. An initial flurry of interest in on two hands the number of days that Vivienne
the virtual worlds is followed up with the es- has not been logged into Second Life – building,
tablishment of a corporate beachhead, be it an organising, teaching, and helping out newcom-
island sim, an office or an information kiosk. ers, since the group first arrived. Add your two
Some posters are placed describing the work of feet and maybe my hands and feet as well, and
the organisation, perhaps there is a place to sign you could count the number of days that Peace-
a visitor log, and of course, a donation jar. Early maker Institute has not been hosting or helping
activity is followed by less and less time inworld with some meaningful activity or other.
on the part of the non-profit’s avatar represen- Over the past two years, for example, Vivi-
tatives, and ultimately the organizational site is enne has hosted a Global Meditation for Peace
all but abandoned. session nearly every day. Although these quiet,

2. Prim Perfect • December 2008 15
seated groups are brief (20 minutes), those who The original goals of Peacemaker Institute’s
have attended (present company included) will entry into Second Life were to find alternative,
attest to the refreshment and
renewal that comes from par-
ticipation. It’s a quiet oasis in
the middle of an often hectic
day. Over 10,000 avatars have
come to Peacemaker Institute
meditations. In the past sev-
eral months, regular tai chi
sessions have also been held
at the Peacemaker Center on
the Commonwealth sims.
But that, as they say, is just
the beginning. Additional ac-
tivities which have been sup-
ported in whole or in part by
Peacemaker Institute include:
• Free Burma protests, with
over 1,000 attendees
• Free Tibet vigils, attended
by several hundred avatars
• Ongoing YouTube video offer-
ings, relevant to the group’s
purpose, for discussion and
viewing non-localized venues for, and innovative ways
• Discussion groups in Nonviolent Communication to present, the organisation’s various trainings
(NVC) and groups, which have been held in the Boul-
• Buddhist women’s support group der area for some time previous to the Second
• Integral Peacemaker Training discussion groups Life experience. Vivienne acknowledges that she
• Participation in the international Conversation has had to rethink these goals over the past two
Café, which included organising two years. “We have had to scale back on our hopes,
conversations on the week of the as the steep tech/learning curve of Second Life
annual event, continuing weekly has proven daunting for many of our constituents
thereafter – there are too many obstacles for some to over-
• Ongoing support in organisation come.” Inworld activities, popular with so many
of Commonwealth for Progressive Second Life residents, have not attracted the in-
Organizations terest of “outside” members of the Peacemaker
• Structured activities during Institute in the numbers originally hoped for. She
peace festival still believes that Second Life can be an effec-
• A featured role in machinima of tive platform for non-profit groups, particularly
Draxtor Despres in the areas of collaboration, networking, and
• Art show at Twilight Gallery community building. Vivienne remarks, “I would
Peacemaker Institute’s activi- like to see non-profit groups being more effective
ties in Second Life have spread inworld in presenting training in key areas such
back out into the real world as as communication skills, conflict resolution, and
well, completing a circle. Vivi- group dynamics skills.”
enne has organised Facebook and Even though the group’s original goals may
Ning Groups for the Institute, rep- have been reduced, it is impossible for anyone
resented her organisation at the who has come into contact with Peacemaker In-
Boulder, Colorado “Serious Sec- stitute, and with Vivienne Cassavetes, through
ond Life” MeetUp Group (Peace- the many activities noted above, to believe that
maker Institute’s home base), Peacemaker Institute has not had a noticeable
and participated in the BlogHer impact on Second Life, and on real life as well,
and Netroots Nation events. through the Second Life connection! E