Peace, Education, Art, Communication (PEAC) Institute, an American nonprofit 501(c)(3) and Peace Culture Village (PCV), a Japanese nonprofit, are committed to promoting peace culture among young people, especially those from less than peaceful areas of the world. Although we employ diverse methods—international travel, art, communication training, social-emotional character development, permaculture, nature experiences and intercultural exchange—PEAC and PCV’s joint programs are unified by our determination to expose at-risk youth to the concept of peace culture and explore what peace means for different people in different contexts.

PEAC believes that international travel has a life-long impact on young people. It deepens self-knowledge and enhances the way they interact with the world around them. International travel broadens the traveler’s perspective dramatically. Young people in conflict and low-income areas deserve this broadening regardless of where they come from or what they have. PEAC looks for young people who have big dreams but lack essential resources to make them come true and takes them on international trips, during which they create community action plans to be implemented when they return to their home countries. After their return, we provide ongoing mentorship, leadership training, and the support they need to make a real difference in their communities. 

PCV, a PEAC campus in Hiroshima Prefecture, is a training camp where staff villagers, volunteers, and campers work together to find an alternative to the violent, war-torn society in which we live. PCV cultivates peace as a way of life through methods of peaceful conflict resolution and problem-solving in a diverse, international community devoted to mutual respect, benefit, and satisfaction. Community members explore what peace means to them, learn how to practice peace in their home communities, and gain skills relevant to conflict resolution, environmental sustainability, and self-sufficiency. 

PEAC and PCV are separated by national borders, not to mention the Pacific Ocean, but are linked by common members and a common commitment to peace education. Both are nonprofits and both are motivated by the desire to help young people encounter peace culture, especially in Hiroshima. The city that suffered the tragic start of the nuclear age has had decades of experience helping people of all ages think more deeply about the kind of world they want to live in. Please explore our joint website to learn about our programs and how you can help or get involved.