The postponement of His Holiness’ visit was a lesson in non-attachment and in recognizing and celebrating smaller steps of progress. This issue does not have the high profile coverage of the Ariya-Vinaya conference that we expected in August; the conference will happen at the end of January. On the other hand, the World Festival of Sacred Music was a great success. The series of concerts in Chiang Mai and at the Pridi Banomyong Institute in Bangkok were well-received. Many people who attended have told us that the atmosphere and spirit of unity at the festival were unique.
In terms of smaller victories, this issue reports on several conferences on alternative education and human rights. Propaganda aside, these conferences speak to the fact that there are many local efforts for political and educational change, often in creative and inspiring ways. The sustainability of these efforts largely depends on external resources and a strong network of supporters; one of the aims of Seeds of Peace is to help in their sustainability by increasing awareness.
Vol.17-No.1-Jan.-Apr.-2544-2001_compressed
