Nominees announced for 2019 Santa Barbara

Peace Prize

By MITCHELL WHITE, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

August 18, 2019 12:17 AM

The United Nations Association of Santa

Barbara and Tri Counties has announced

the nominees for the 2019 Santa Barbara

UNA Peace Prize.

The nominees are:

Evie Treen, founder of Friends of Woni International that builds wells and schools

in Kenya.

Sue Mantle DeCicco, founder of the Peace Crane Project, which invites every child

to wage the cause of peace while increasing writing and language skills.

Dr. Lori Leyden, founder of Create Global Healing that works with victims of

trauma from genocide, refugees and school shootings

Professor Joe White, creator of A World Without War that seeks to extend the

Olympic Truce worldwide to a full year in 2024.

Leslie Clark, founder of Nomad Foundation, which helps nomadic tribes in Niger

support themselves with traditional new technologies such as solar power and

water well drilling.

Linda Eckerbom Cole, founder of African Women Rising that empowers women

after war.

Victoria Riskin, chair of Human Rights Watch, Santa Barbara chapter.

The Peace Prize was created by the United Nations Association of Santa Barbara

and Tri Counties. The chapter is one of the oldest in the United States, having

formed in 1947. It spans San Luis Obispo, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

The nominations opened in May and closed in July. Nomination criteria includes

creating peace in the world, expanding of defending human rights internationally

and advancing developing nations through new infrastructure, supply delivery, or

creating schools and education opportunities, according to Peace Prize co-chair

Sharon Byrne.

“The United Nations Association is delighted with the quantity and caliber of the

nominees,” Ms. Byrne said in a statement. “Clearly, our community cares about

our world, and is working very hard to make a difference.

The winner of the 2019 Peace Prize will be announced at the prize dinner,

scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at the University Club of Santa Barbara, 1332

Santa Barbara St.

Dinner tickets are $100 and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more

information, visit www.unasb.org