Past Projects

Middle East Project (1988)

CIC representatives traveled to Israel and the West Bank of Jordan to interview and meet with Jewish and Palestinian leaders, in hopes of encouraging initiatives for Middle East peace. Other aspects of the Israeli and Palestinian peace movements were also explored.

Mission of the Cranes (1988)

Delegates from CIC presented 1000 folded paper cranes, letters of peace and forgiveness, and a children's peace poster to the people of Hiroshima, Japan on Peace Day, August 6. The cranes and letters from American citizens - schools, churches, youth groups, families and individuals - expressed sorrow and asked forgiveness for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

CIC representatives also met with the parents of Sadako Sasaki, the young girl whose statue stands in the Hiroshima Peace Park. (Her story, Sadako and the Thousand Cranes, is featured in book and film.) They laid a wreath of multi-colored cranes on Sadako's family burial site, and presented Sadako's parents with a specially designed silver crane pin, letters of peace from children, and a special string of paper cranes folded by children in the United States.

EarthWalk Conference (1989)

EarthWalk brought together indigenous elders and environmentalists from around the world in shared concern for the future of the planet. A meeting of a council of elders preceded the conference, so that they could set the agenda for the forum.

EarthWalk provided opportunities for developing understanding and consensus among Native American, Australian Aboriginal, New Zealand Maori and African representatives, who demonstrated leadership in behalf of future generations with their recommendations for practical earth ethics.

The conference resulted in several initiatives, including an Indigenous Council for the Environment, an EarthWalk Education Resource Network, the idea of an Earth Treaty, the EarthWalk International Network (an environmental emergency network), the founding of the Australian National Committee for the United Nations Environment Programme, and a Message of Apology to Mother Earth and her indigenous guardians on behalf of Earth Walk.

Wisdom of the Grandmothers (1995)

CIC invited indigenous women elders from around the world to share their wisdom through workshops, panels, learning circles and assemblies at the NGO Forum on Women, affiliated with the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. Elders who participated in CIC sponsored panels and workshops included Pauline Tangiora, Maori tribal elder and Winifred Pele Hanoa, Native Hawaiian elder.

The Delphi School (2000-2003)

This model of education, with the kind heart and kinship with all life at its core, was introduced through a series of classes for young people in Ojai, California. The sanctuary-like setting provided children with the opportunity to interact with the animal kingdom as well as all nature, encouraging them to express harmlessness, compassion and respect towards all life. Classes based on partnership and respect for all life prepared children and youth to fulfill their life purpose in conscious cooperation with the Earth. Service and kindness to one another, the community and Mother Earth were emphasized in all studies and projects. Texts included Six Lessons with Delphi: How to Live Happily with All Life.

The Delphi School model of education was implemented by other organizations, most notably the Graffiti Abatement Program (GAP), a city-funded, community-based organization in Tucson, Arizona. GAP developed a variety of educational programs based on this approach, which it took into prisons, schools and juvenile detention centers.

The Delphi School provided the foundation for The Sanctuary School, CIC's current educational outreach for youth and adults.

Other Conferences and Activities

United Nations Third World Conference on Women, Nairobi, Kenya (1985)

42nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference at the United Nations: Only One Earth: Environment and Development (1989)

Everyone's Rights: Everyone's Responsibility (1989) At this workshop, sponsored by the NGO Committee on Human Rights/NY, and co-sponsored by the UN Centre for Human Rights and the UN Department of Public Information, CIC introduced a motion that was accepted and included in the final summary report to the Centre for Human Rights. The motion was in support of the recommendation of indigenous people to be called 'people' instead of populations, within the United Nations.

The National Convention on Human Survival (1990) CIC Executive Director Patricia Jepsen Chuse delivered a talk on "A U.S. Perspective for the Future" at this conference in London, England.

43rd Annual DPI/NGO Conference at the United Nations: A World Safe for Children: Meeting the Challenge in the 1990's (1990) A special representative among the CIC delegation that attended this conference was Judy Swamp of the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois confederacy.

United Nations Environment Programme Youth Environment Forum (1991)

44th Annual DPI/NGO Conference at the United Nations: Peace, Justice and Development: Ingredients for an Emerging world Order (1991)

Earth Charter (Meeting of the US Citizens Network on UNCED) (1991)

World Women's Congress for a Healthy Planet (1991) CIC was a co-sponsor of this preparatory conference for UNCED (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, "Earth Summit") and led a workshop on Children and the Environment.

Second Global Structures Convocation: Environment and Development (1992) A conference co-sponsor, CIC held a workshop on Developing Environmental Ethics, which featured panelists Chief Leon Shenandoah (Tadodaho, Chief of Chiefs of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy), LaDonna Harris (Presdent, Americans For Indian Opportunity), Dr. Michael Fox (Vice President for Humane Society of the U.S. and Humane Society International) and Thomas Banyacya (Interpreter of prophecies of the Hopi Nation).

NGO Global Forum (parallel conference to the "Earth Summit", United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, 1992) CIC sponsored and participated in several workshops and panels at the Global Forum during this two-week long event, including: Earth Ethics; Grassroot Approach to Development; Children and the Environment; and Children's Round-Up. It also convened the Earth Treaty Presentation at the Earth Parliament, during which Earth Treaties from around the world were presented to indigenous women by a CIC youth representative. The treaties were collected by CIC as part of the Earth Treaty Project, an outgrowth of the EarthWalk conference.

Earth Day '93: Working with the Earth - Honoring Indigenous People (1993) Patricia Jepsen Chuse was a keynote speaker and workshop presenter at this Native American sponsored Earth Day gathering in Winnebago, Nebraska.

Third Global Structures Convocation: Human Rights, Global Governance, and Strengthening the United Nations (1994) CIC convened two workshops with panelists: The Challenge of Peace - A Middle East Perspective and Indigenous Peoples and Global Governance.

Vienna NGO Forum (1994) CIC attended this European/USA Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Beijing Women's Conference, held in Vienna, Austria, October 12-15.

53rd Annual DPI/NGO Conference at the United Nations: Global Solidarity: The Way to Peace and International Cooperation (2000) CIC presented the workshop Global Community: The Earth and Her Children, featuring a powerful and insightful panel of speakers. Represented were the Voice for the Environment: Dr. Noel Brown; Voice for the New Education: Marilyn Mosley; Voice for the Indigenous Elder: Chief Oren Lyons; Voice for the Child: Philipa (Pippa) Baker-Rabe, age 12; and Voice for the Animal Kingdom: Tana Herbert.

About CIC's Founder: 

Patricia Jepsen Chuse