Join the Hartsough-Duncan Founders Circle: A Commitment To A Dream
Nonviolent Peaceforce is pleased to announce the Hartsough-Duncan Founders Circle - a unique new program to honor its founders while supporting their vision of a less violent world.
Named for NP's visionary founders David Hartsough and Mel Duncan, the Hartsough-Duncan Founders Circle is a special designation for supporters who make a financial pledge of three to five years to NP. The program was conceived to give donors an opportunity to thank Mel and David and to reflect their long-term commitment by collectively funding one civilian peacekeeper in the field in
each of the founders' names.
Ten years have passed since the two met at the 1999 Hague Appeal for Peace, which is convened with the goal of "identify[ing] the remaining steps necessary for the de-legitimization of war." Mel and David attended intending to gather support for their respective visions. They left the conference with a single vision and the determination to make it happen.
By 2002, the groundwork was in place and peacemakers from 49 countries met in Surajkund, India for the Convening Event. The following fall, Nonviolent Peaceforce had its first team in Sri Lanka. This has been called "one of the most visionary and realistic alternatives to war in the world today."
In 2007, a second field project began in the Philippines and our first rapid deployment provided protective accompaniment in Guatemala. And in 2007 David Hartsough retired from NP. This year, when Mel Duncan announced his intention to step down from the executive directorship to a different role, the idea for the Hartsough-Duncan Founders Circle was born.
