Global Peace Services USA (GPS) is a movement to promote education, skills training and awareness in support of a professional peace service and within the service professions, based on a philosophy of active nonviolence.
Many people, especially the young, are seeking to serve others and protect values dear to them. They want security; they want to serve genuine human needs; they want to help build community locally and internationally; they want to work in ways that are ecologically responsible. They want professional training for such service.
We aim to find ways to educate and train people for practical peace service at home and abroad.
We believe that many others want to support those willing to train for an extended period of peace service. GPS can link all those who share these goals.
We applaud the many initiatives at the local level in the United States and internationally which embody the spirit of GPS. Building on links in the United States, Burundi, Croatia and Sweden, we seek to forge other links with persons and groups of like vision. We want to learn from each other, developing better methods for training those willing to serve, regardless of their age, race, educational status or economic situation.
GPS is an idea whose time has come.
Together with others in a growing national and international network, we want to hasten the day when many women and men will earn their living in peace services. Some may serve for several years; others may have a full career of professional service. They will be equipped to:
GPS has several pilot projects underway and invites all those with an interest in peace service for a better world to join with us in making a difference.
GPS adheres to the following principles:
