Creating Peace Together
by Connie De Jong, PhD
World Peaces opened a storefront in late October of 2020 based on the hope and belief that people would need to reconnect once it became safe to do so, and we wanted to be ready to provide one of the spaces to host those connections. Handcrafting workshops are one of the central ways we are creating space for connecting with each other. I want to tell you a little more about why World Peaces offers workshops and how to be a part of how they evolve in our physical space as well as online. Handcrafting is a central aspect of Fair Trade. We believe there is so much value in working with our hands. We can connect with the materials- typically recycled or natural materials, through handcrafting. We can connect with our families, neighbors, strangers and friends through handcrafting. We can connect with the wider global community through handcrafting and trading handcrafts. This is simple, age-old, powerful and transformative work. The pandemic has taken a toll on our minds and our connections with each other. Handcrafting workshops provide a way for Page 2
