Arson attack on the School for Peace

On the morning of Tuesday, September 1 - the first day of the new school year - we woke up to a very difficult reality. The main building of the School for Peace burned down during the night. The building, in which so many peace activists have been trained, in which thousands of dialogue groups have met over the past 40 years, and the word “peace" spoken countless times, had been turned into a smoldering ruin. Five out of seven classrooms had sustained heavy damage.

We now know from the police and fire departments that this was an arson attack. We have no information as to the perpetrators.

If this was an attempt to damage the primary school, in order to coincide with the opening of the school year, then it was the wrong target, as the School for Peace is the village’s center for dialogue and outreach.

Whatever the cause, a building has been ruined, but not the dream. Our burning desire for peace and our urgent work will continue unabated. We thank you for your support.