peacemakers of Minnesota video series
The Peacemakers of Minnesota Video Series is a collection of interviews of key individuals who have been part of the peace and justice movement in Minnesota for decades. The project was conceived and interviews were conducted by Ehtasham Anwar (Pakistan), and the videos were recorded by Suhail Ahmed (Pakistan), both Fulbright Humphrey Fellows 2013-2014, at University of Minnesota Law School, and hosted by the Human Rights Center. The project was supervised by Dick Bernard, president (2005-07) of the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers and then-vice-president of Citizens for Global Solutions, Minnesota.
Project coordinator Ehtasham Anwar conducted all interviews and asked the guests the same questions. In the videos, the questions are not included.
For viewer information, here are the questions, generally in order asked: 1) general background of the subject; 2) what was your inspiration/motivation for working on the theme of peace?; 3) what do you consider your successes?; 4) what ways/methods you think worked for you?; 5) what were your failures?; 6) what is your biggest regret?; 7) what do you foresee the future of peace organizations in Minnesota/USA?; 8) why is it so that even though so many individuals and organizations in the US are working for global peace, yet we do not see them making any considerable impact?; 9) what message would you like to give to public in general and youth in particular?
Sadly, Suhail Ahmed, who filmed the interviews, died in 2020. CGS-MN directors and members are profoundly sad for the loss of their esteemed friend, human rights advocate and kind collaborator. We will always miss him dearly. His colleague, Ehtasham, wrote his eulogy here: https://thoughtstowardsabetterworld.org/suhail/
The following Minnesotans with a history of working for peace and justice were interviewed in May and June 2014.
OVERVIEW
Mary Morris
MELVIN GILES
TOM WHITE
DICK BERNARD
LYNN ELLING