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Davis Projects for Peace

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Alice Bruno’s 2022 Davis Project for Peace in Sicily was titled “Sicilia conSenso: Making Peace with Our Bodies by Teaching Consent.”

Alice Bruno’s 2022 Davis Project for Peace in Sicily was titled “Sicilia conSenso: Making Peace with Our Bodies by Teaching Consent.”
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During the summer of 2021, Janica Kozina completed her Davis Project for Peace focused on facilitating non-intrusive inter-ethic communication for children with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the summer of 2021, Janica Kozina completed her Davis Project for Peace focused on facilitating non-intrusive inter-ethic communication for children with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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During the summer of 2023, Valeska Kohan and Amanda de Souza completed their Davis Project for Peace in Brazil titled, “Seeds for Peace: Fighting Racism in Rio de Janeiro by Empowering Public School Teachers.”

During the summer of 2023, Valeska Kohan and Amanda de Souza completed their Davis Project for Peace in Brazil titled, “Seeds for Peace: Fighting Racism in Rio de Janeiro by Empowering Public School Teachers.”

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Since 2007, Macalester College has participated in 24 different Davis Projects for Peace! View all past projects here.

Projects for Peace was created in 2007 through the generosity of Kathryn W. Davis, a lifelong internationalist and philanthropist who died in 2013 at 106 years of age. She is the mother of Shelby M.C. Davis who funds the Davis United World College Scholars Program currently involving 91 American colleges and universities. Mrs. Davis’ legacy lives on through the continuation of Projects for Peace in order to spark initiatives for building prospects for peace in the world. The Davis family and friends believe, like Mrs. Davis did, that today’s youth – tomorrow’s leaders – ought to be challenged to formulate and test their own ideas.

What does Projects for Peace hope to accomplish?

We hope to encourage student initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship focusing on conflict prevention, resolution or reconciliation. Some of the most compelling projects to date have reflected one or more of the following characteristics: contributing to conflict prevention; ameliorating conditions leading to violence/conflict; looking for and building on shared attributes among differing peoples, races, ethnicities, tribes, clans, etc.; fostering diplomacy or otherwise contribute to advancing peace processes underway; promoting economic opportunity and entrepreneurship among those in post-conflict areas; finding creative ways to bring people on opposite sides of issues together, such as through art, sports, music or other techniques to promote a common humanity; developing leadership and mediation skills training for those in conflict or post-conflict societies; starting or leveraging initiatives, organizations (e.g. education, health) or infrastructure projects to build/rebuild community. In general, projects should be building blocks for a sustainable peace. The overall program is intended to be worldwide in scope and impact, but specific projects may be undertaken anywhere, including in the U.S.

Who is eligible to design a project?

All current Macalester students (including seniors who would complete their projects after graduation) are eligible. All students, not just Davis UWC Scholars at those schools, are eligible. Groups of students (all from Macalester), as well as individual students, may submit proposals.

How does the funding work?

While Davis funding per project is limited to $10,000, projects with larger budgets are welcome and co-funding from other sources – such as other philanthropists, a college or university, foundation, NGO/PVO or students’ own fundraising – is encouraged.