Peacemakers Incorporated is hosting their 5th Annual Peacemakers Celebration of the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21. This year’s gala salutes small businesses and women-owned businesses for their role in promoting peace in their communities. It is widely acknowledged that economically stable societies have a much greater capacity for peace. Small businesses has always been the backbone of economic stability, and women have historically served as society’s peacemakers. Consequently, women business leaders are in a unique position to change the world.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Terry Neese, founder and CEO of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) and its Peace Through Business program. The IEEW Peace Through Business program educates and empowers women entrepreneurs in developing countries to achieve their dream of financial independence, community involvement, and political activism. Since its creation in 2006, the program has trained more than 300 women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan and Rwanda.
Peacemakers Incorporated is a 501(c)3 corporation that was founded in 1987 by renowned Dallas peace activist and former journalist, Vivian Castleberry. With an initial goal of sponsoring international women’s peace conferences, Peacemakers’ work has expanded to include facilitating a variety of peace education programs for the DFW community including the DISD Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, the MasterPeace program, and the UNT Castleberry Peace Institute at the University of North Texas.
A member of the U.S. Afghan Women’s Council, past national president of the National Association of Women
Business Owners (NAWBO), and founder of Terry Neese Personnel Services, Dr. Neese is known as a small business expert and was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the “Power 30”—the most influential small businesspersons in Washington, D.C. She has been featured throughout several media outlets including
MSNBC, FOX News, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner and Washington Times.
Proceeds of this year’s Gala will support peace education in North Texas and the 2015 International Women’s Peace Conference. For more information or to purchase tickets online, go to www.PeacemakersIncorporated.org or call 972-239-2942.
