The year 2001 is the 100th anniversay of the Nobel Prize. This prestigious international award is named for Swedish Philanthropist Alfred Nobel. By inventing dynamite in 1866, he became one of the wealthiest Industrialists in Europe at the turn of the century. He died on December 10, 1896 leaving his fortune to create the Nobel Foundation.
Since 1901 the Nobel Prizes have been awarded on December 10 which is the anniversary of his death. The list of Nobel Peace Prize laureates represents an important chronicle of courageous women and men who have influenced the modern peace movement of this century. The Nobel Prize Internet Archive recognizes historic as well as current achievements of this award.

On March 1, 1961, President John Kennedy issued an Executive Order creating the National Peace Corps. Today more than 140,000 Americans have participated in this organization which has served over 100 countries. The year 2001 is the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps.

The National Peace Monument in Washington D.C. is sponsored by the National Peace Corps Association which is comprised of returned Peace Corps volunteers. In 1987, Congress dedicated 11 acres on the Potomac River to be developed as a memorial to honor peacemakers and peace initiatives. The National Peace Monument needs to raise $11 million dollars to complete this project. Please refer to their updated peace bibliography and curriculum guide above.

The year 2001 is the 30th anniversary of Greenpeace International. Greenpeace was conceived in 1971 when members of the "Don't Make a Wave" committee in Vancouver, Canada renamed their organization to proclaim their purpose: to create a green and peaceful world. Today, their headquarters is in Amsterdam, and they have 43 offices in 30 countries.

Amnesty International is an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of prisoners of consience throughout the world. It was created in 1961 after an English lawyer read in the paper that two Portuguese students had been sentenced to 7 years in prison simply for giving a public toast to freedom. Since that time, Amnesty International (AI) has become instumental in the upholding of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. AI also raises money for refugee help and actively seeks to eradicate the death penalty and cruel or inhumane treatment of prisoners. The organization won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for it's work in the furthering of international agreements, the upholding of peaceful causes, and the strengthening of the brotherhood of nations. AI currently has 1,100,000 members in over 160 countries and territories.

A Season for Nonviolence is a coalition of peace organizations to honor January 30 and April 4, 1998 as the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries respectively of M.K.Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.