The Dayton International Peace Museum
You hear about it from time to time in this city, but it's not somewhere you'd think to go unless you were entertaining company from out of town. There are 400 museums in this country devoted to war, but only one devoted to peace - and it's right here in Dayton.
The Dayton International Peace Museum
The Dayton International Peace Museum: You hear about it from time to time in this city, but it's not somewhere you'd think to go unless you were entertaining company from out of town.
Bashir Ahmed stands among the artifacts honoring Liberia and the legacy of those who sought to make it a better place.
Somber reminders
As he sits surrounded by weavings, statuettes, and photos of those who devoted their lives to building a better world, Bashir Ahmed, the museum's director of operations, can't help but wax poetic about his museum's mission.
"It's strange how there are 400 museums in this country devoted to war, but only one devoted to peace." Ahmed said.
Indeed, from the Dayton Accords which halted the Bosnian War to Sister Dorothy Stang who gave her life fighting for change in Brazil's deepest jungles, Dayton has been a vehicle for many a peaceful movement.
Those aren't the only two things you'll find honored at the museum at 280 West Monument Ave. downtown, which has spaces honoring Nobel Prize winners from Martin Luther King Jr. to Elie Wiesel, as well as a sobering exhibit devoted to the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the artwork of many a child longing for a more peaceful world.
Ahmed noted the main exhibit changes every three months, and has included far-reaching topics like the influence of Gandhi as well as close-to-home realities such as human trafficking through the I-75 corridor and efforts to put it to an end.
"It's an all-volunteer program," Ahmed said, "We bring in people from schools and churches and even out-of-state. We're the only peace museum." He said.
Liberia: an emerging peace
In coming months the museum will direct its attention on Liberia, the West African nation founded in 1847 with many former slaves from the United State.
"Liberia has gone a long way, but they still have a ways to go," Ahmed said.
The nation has been ravaged by civil war in recent years, but a 2003 peace agreement and 2005 democratic elections have paved the way for a brighter future for the county.
Leymah Gbowee and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf were at the forefront of the efforts to bring about peace in the formerly beleaguered country. In 2011, they were two of the thee co-recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, and today Sirleaf is the first female to be elected a head of state in Liberia.
A Taste of Liberia
Honoring the exhibit, the Dayton International Peace Museum will host a "Taste of Liberia," a chance to sample some of the traditional cuisine.
Among other attractions will be a silent auction for Liberian artwork as well as a keynote speech by Rev. Abeoseh "Abby" Flemeister and her husband Clifton, both Liberian natives.
Reservations are required by January 23. The museum is asking for a $10 donation per person, or $15 per couple, payable at the door. For more information, call 937.227.3223 or email info@daytonpeacemuseum.org.
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