Peace activist attends local elementary school in hopes of educating children about peace, empathy, love and how they can implement it in their communities.

I say Peace Bus. You say Peace Bus.

That is how peace activist Kwabi Amoah-Forson opened his all school assembly at Lister Elementary. On Oct. 3, Forson spent the whole school day visiting classrooms, connecting with students and spreading the history of his peace movement, the Peace Bus – a bright blue Mitsubishi. 

Many who attended voiced they won’t forget the experience. Laura Sorgenfrei, an instructional coach, said the Peace Bus team just taking time to be there with them was impactful. “Students want peace, they crave it,” said Sorgenfrei. “In our world today, coming together around that common theme was important and powerful for them.”

Michelle Hahn, a second-grade teacher, reflected on her experience with students who struggle to understand other points of view. “Look beyond just the words that are being used, to understand why they’re saying what they’re saying and how their feelings are coming through,” said Hahn.

After graduating from City University with a master’s degree in business, Forson was unsure where his path was leading. He began going to Wrights Park with a poster and boombox playing classical music, as he made conversation with people about peace. After being attacked, he started travelling to surrounding parks and even Europe. “That negative scenario was turned into a positive because it allowed me to get out of that space,” said Forson.

Forson was inspired by many peace activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and Brian Haw, but most importantly, Abie Nathan. Nathan was an Israeli bomber pilot. He later realized how his violence directly affected people and decided to fly an airplane from Tel Aviv to Cairo as an activist, in promotion of world peace. 

This story inspired Forson to begin taking flight lessons. “The Peace Bus is forever. But I want to have a peace plane and be the first person to circumnavigate the globe in the promotion of world peace,” said Forson.

The Peace Bus team returned in August from a trip down to the United States-Mexico border, after an unexpected experience with the border patrol officers. He described the atmosphere as calm and not chaotic, unlike how the media depicts it to be. “I think it was an intervention from God,” said Forson. “Or some sort of force because how often does border patrol have random people come and let them interview them, let alone stand next to them.”

The assembly ended and students crowded the Peace Bus, asking for autographs and photos. The students weren’t the only people who felt personally impacted by the assembly however. “I walked away with a greater sense of community and a greater sense of hope for generations to come,” said Sorgenfrei.

With his goal of being a peace pilot in mind, Forson has many projects in the works, one being a television show centered around The Peace Bus. In the meantime, he encourages other schools in surrounding communities of any level, to reach out, Lister Elementary being the first school he attended. “I can do this day and night. With any school that’s willing to have a conversation about peace, togetherness and how to communicate with each other.”