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reclaiming respect

Respect is the Missing Measure in Our Global Symphony of Peace

November 19, 2025 No Comments

In every age, humanity has searched for the key to lasting peace. We have drafted treaties, built institutions, and convened summits. Yet too often, the essential note is missing respect. Without respect, dialogue collapses into division, classrooms fracture into conflict, and families lose their harmony. Respect is not courtesy; it is the cornerstone of peace. At the heart of Destination Peace, the true engine of our initiative is not passive policy but active relationships. We build bridges with people from every walk of life, teachers and veterans, artists and diplomats, seniors and youth. Each relationship is a measure in the larger symphony of peace, and respect is the rhythm that allows those measures to flow together. When we honor the dignity of every person, difference becomes dialogue, and diversity becomes strength. Respect empowers those who feel powerless, dignifies the forgotten, and fosters assistance to communities that have been silenced. It is the foundation of principled leadership, the spark of reconciliation, and the language that transcends borders. In classrooms, respect elevates teachers as peacebuilders. In civic life, respect transforms adversaries into partners. In sacred rituals, respect honors legacy and continuity, reminding us that peace is not only for today but for generations to come. Our world is split by polarization and uncertainty, but the path forward is clear. If we reclaim respect together, we can compose a future where dignity is not the exception but the rule. Peace is not built in isolation; it is composed in the vibrant relationships we nurture across cultures, generations, and experiences. Respect is the universal measure by which humanity can find harmony again. The call is urgent, but it is also hopeful. Each of us has the power to reclaim respect in our daily lives through listening, honoring, and uplifting those around us. When we do, we add our voice to the global symphony of peace, measure by measure, until what I refer to as the “music of dignity.” I hope for the day when solidarity resounds across the world and with humility, I invite you to continue this journey by obtaining my month‑old book, Reclaiming Respect, now available on Amazon.

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Reclaiming Respect book launch

Over 70 Global Leaders and Changemakers Gather for Virtual Launch of Reclaiming Respect

October 24, 2025 No Comments

Historic Book Release Unites Voices from Six Continents in Call for Dignity-Centered Peacebuilding October 16, 2025  In a powerful demonstration that the hunger for healing transcends borders, more than 70 participants from across the globe gathered virtually yesterday for the launch of Reclaiming Respect: A Blueprint for Peace in a Divided World by Emanuel C. Perlman, Founder and CEO of Destination Peace International. Spanning time zones from Hawaii to Bangladesh, the 57-minute premiere event brought together educators, parents, community leaders, peacebuilders, and concerned citizens who share a common conviction: that respect is not merely a social courtesy, but the essential foundation for lasting peace. A Coalition Forged Across Divides “After 50 years of peacebuilding across 46 countries, from former war zones to remote villages, from palaces to places of deep poverty, this book was born of one universal truth: Respect is the language every human heart understands,” Perlman told attendees in his opening remarks. The event showcased some of the book’s extraordinary coalition of endorsers, luminaries representing diverse disciplines, backgrounds, and perspectives. Distinguished speakers included: Confronting the Hard Questions The heart of the program featured a searching 14-minute interview conducted by Precious Amayo, esteemed anchor from the TVC Nigeria Television Network. Amayo pressed Perlman on the questions many are asking: Can you really respect someone whose views you find morally wrong? What about people who don’t deserve respect, dictators, abusers, and criminals? Perlman’s responses, grounded in five decades of frontline peacebuilding, offered a framework that distinguishes between respecting the inherent worth of every human being and condoning harmful actions, a nuance critical to breaking cycles of dehumanization that fuel conflict. The conversation also addressed parenting in “a culture that models contempt,” the political implications of respect-centered work, and what qualifies someone to write about peace in an age of polarization. More Than a Book: A Movement Begins “This is not just a book launch,” Perlman emphasized in his closing remarks. “It’s the beginning of a global movement to reclaim what we’ve lost.” That vision was embodied in the event’s diverse global participation. Attendees joined from: The program concluded with a stirring performance by the Model Choir One True Voice, offering a moment of unity and hope befitting the book’s central message. Who This Book Serves Reclaiming Respect is written for what Perlman calls “anyone who refuses to accept that division is destiny,” parents raising children amid cultural cynicism, teachers reclaiming classrooms, leaders seeking to unite rather than divide, and anyone loving someone across a political or ideological chasm. In his opening words, Perlman framed the stakes with clarity: “When we forget the sacred worth of every life, we get violence, hostage-taking, and divided communities. When we remember, when we reclaim respect, we get families healed, communities restored, and a world where everyone comes home.” Looking Forward As Precious Amayo reflected in her closing remarks, the convergence of voices at this launch from neuroscientists to community organizers, from Baltimore to Dhaka demonstrates that the principles in Reclaiming Respect resonate across every conceivable boundary. For a world weary of shouting and hungry for a better way, October 16, 2025, may be remembered as the day a global conversation began, one grounded not in naive optimism, but in the field-tested conviction that every human being is too precious to be reduced to a position, too sacred to be weaponized, too valuable to be dismissed. For more information about Destination Peace International’s work, visit Destination Peace 

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World Peace Day in Enugu

World Peace Day in Enugu: Movement Toward Global Peace

October 3, 2025 No Comments

Peace begins with each of us. On September 21, 2025, World Peace Day brought more than 1,000 people together at The Base Landmark in Enugu, Nigeria. This wasn’t just a ceremony, it was a practical, hopeful day about how ordinary people can build more peaceful homes and communities, even in these difficult times. What happened Leadership and supporters The event was led by visionary Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa, who brought energy and a clear vision for practical peacebuilding. Other key contributors included: Together they showed that peace needs people from different backgrounds to work together. New resources launched Thank you A big thank-you to LEAD Network Africa, Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa, Professor Gazis Ogbodo, HRM King Igwe Asadu, Alex Ogbodo, and everyone who attended. Join our newsletter Stay connected with Destination Peace. Subscribe to our newsletter for:

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peace education

The Hidden Matchstick

September 16, 2025 No Comments

History teaches us a sobering lesson about the fragility of peace: incidents can cascade into devastating global conflicts when they occur within volatile geopolitical environments. Yet this reality remains largely invisible to most people until catastrophic “strikes.” Understanding these dynamics, and educating others about them, is precisely why peace initiatives like Destination Peace serve as vital preventive instructional organs for our world. Consider how a single gunshot in 1914 plunged the world into unprecedented carnage. Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination by a lone nationalist didn’t inherently demand a global response, but it struck the match in a powder keg of alliance systems, imperial rivalries, and nationalistic fervor.  Similarly, disputed naval encounters in the Gulf of Tonkin escalated American involvement in Vietnam from advisory support to full-scale warfare, while Soviet intervention in Afghanistan transformed a local insurgency into a decade-long proxy war. These patterns repeat because societies fail to recognize the warning signs until it’s too late. The cost of ignoring these realities is measured not just in military casualties, but in decades of economic devastation, displaced populations, and social trauma that reverberates across generations.  When we don’t teach citizens to recognize the escalatory dynamics that transform minor incidents into major wars, we leave them defenseless against the very forces that could destroy their communities. However, history also demonstrates the transformative power of peacemaking gestures when people understand their importance. For example, at age 24 witnessing live on TV Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s unprecedented 1977 visit to Jerusalem that transformed the Middle Eastern landscape through a single act of diplomatic courage. Even earlier as a young child watching live TV news reporting during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy and Khrushchev’s conscious choices toward restraint prevented nuclear warfare, decisions informed by their understanding of escalation dynamics. Organizations like Destination Peace make these invisible realities visible, teaching communities to look beyond words, promises, and speeches to examine the proven track records of leaders. By bringing awareness to patterns that most people never notice, how “alliance systems” create domino effects, how symbolic gestures can either inflame or heal tensions, how individual choices in crisis moments shape history, such initiatives serve as society’s early warning system. True assessment of leadership requires examining actual decisions under pressure, not campaign rhetoric or diplomatic niceties. Just as history shows how overlooked sparks ignite global fires, today’s political landscape reveals how ignored records of candidates will shape our collective fate.” In an age where campaign slogans often mask destructive legacies, peace education trains citizens to discern substance from spectacle. The lesson is clear: peace education isn’t an academic luxury but a practical necessity. When societies understand how wars truly start and how peace is built, they become equipped to prevent the former and achieve the latter. 

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courage to risk everything

He Would Have Been 100 This Year: A son’s Tribute to his Late Father’s Courage

September 5, 2025 No Comments

THE COURAGE TO RISK EVERYTHING Throughout history, ordinary individuals have made extraordinary choices to risk their lives for others, embodying the highest ideals of human courage and selflessness. These acts of heroism often occur in split seconds, when moral clarity cuts through fear and someone decides that saving others matters more than personal safety. Private First Class Ivan E. Perlman exemplified this heroic spirit during the Battle of Iwo Jima on March 1, 1945. When a flare dropped from a plane ignited an ammunition dump, spreading fire toward a critical battery communication area during an active enemy artillery barrage, most would have sought cover. Instead, Perlman made a different choice. He rushed directly through hostile fire and exploding ammunition to remove an endangered vehicle, preventing potential catastrophic damage and saving lives. For this act of “heroic achievement,” he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V.” My beloved father’s story reflects a pattern seen across professions and circumstances: the firefighter who enters a burning building, the civilian who pulls a stranger from a car wreck, the soldier who shields comrades from danger. These individuals share a common thread, they see beyond their own preservation to a higher duty. What drives such courage? Often, it’s not the absence of fear but the presence of something stronger: love for others, commitment to duty, or an innate understanding that some things transcend self-preservation. These heroes rarely see themselves as extraordinary; they simply respond to what their conscience demands. Private Perlman’s courage on Iwo Jima reminds us that heroism isn’t reserved for the famous or powerful. It emerges from ordinary people who, when faced with the choice between safety and service, choose to serve. Their legacy lives on, inspiring future generations to answer the call when others need saving most. My father’s example of selfless service in the face of danger was one of the significant reasons I established Destination Peace, carrying forward his commitment to protecting and serving others not through battlefield heroics, but through the vital work of building understanding and preventing conflict before it takes the future away from those who end up paying the ultimate sacrifice.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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protect our children

A Call to Protect Our Children

August 28, 2025 No Comments

The tragic shooting at a Church School in Minneapolis has left my heart heavy with grief. As soon as I heard the news, I reached out to my dear friend, a Catholic priest in my hometown, to offer condolences and support. We spoke of the senseless trauma inflicted on victims, their families, and friends, and the creeping desensitization among those who witness these horrors from a distance, falsely believing they are immune. As spiritual leaders, we recognize that while these losses may not wound us physically, they erode our humanity when we turn away, refusing to seek solutions. The unspeakable irony of children murdered in prayer not only silencing their voices but ending their innocent lives affects us deeply. Prayer is the heartbeat of my faith, but when children are gunned down in its embrace, our response cannot end with a solemn “amen.” We must act with urgency. These tragedies demand more than reflection; they require us to confront the sparks of violence before they ignite into devastation.  I am recommitting to my peace work, laboring harder and faster to awaken communities to their civic duty.  We cannot waste time on trivial debates while our children’s lives are at stake.  We must demand strategies that protect them with real solutions, not empty words. The pain in my soul for these precious children fuels my resolve. Their prayers, interrupted by violence, call us to stand together, to rebuild a world where innocence is safeguarded, and where no child fears death in a place of worship, not just with prayers, but with actions that ensure their light endures.

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Elmina and Cape Coast Castles

Journeying with Destination Peace Through Ghana’s Slave Dungeons

August 21, 2025 No Comments

PART I – Echoes in the Dungeons Rising on Ghana’s coastline, Elmina and Cape Coast Castles appear as weathered fortresses of stone and sea. Yet behind their walls lies a story far heavier than the ocean breeze that surrounds them. These castles, built in the 15th and 16th centuries, were not merely trading posts, they were prisons, staging grounds for the transatlantic slave trade, and silent witnesses to one of humanity’s darkest eras. Elmina Castle, constructed by the Portuguese in 1482, greets visitors with a sobering reality. Its dungeons, damp, airless chambers where thousands of Africans were chained together still carry the weight of despair. Standing in these cramped cells, it is impossible to ignore the echoes of human suffering, the lives torn apart, and the brutal efficiency with which bodies and spirits were broken. Cape Coast Castle deepens this pilgrimage. Here, the infamous “Door of No Return” marks the final threshold for millions forced into slavery. For those who walked through it, the world behind them was forever lost, and the world ahead held only uncertainty and unimaginable pain. To stand before that door is to stand at the edge of both history and humanity’s conscience. The story of these castles is not only about sorrow. It is also about resilience, memory, and the enduring spirit of communities who refuse to let the past be erased. This is where Destination Peace steps in. I founded Destination Peace to dismantle what I refer to as “knowledge silos,” those mental barriers that keep cultures, histories, and peoples separated. Too often, history is consumed in fragments: a paragraph here, a headline there, stripped of context and stripped of empathy. Destination Peace breaks that cycle. By guiding visitors through Elmina and Cape Coast Castles, the organization transforms static information into living memory. Participants are not just tourists, they become witnesses, dialogue partners, and bridge-builders. The work of Destination Peace insists that history must not remain a cold record on a page. It must be felt, shared, and wrestled with. Only then can we honor the past while cultivating a future rooted in compassion and understanding. The journey through Elmina and Cape Coast is not just a look back; it is a mirror held up to the present. These stones remind us that the struggle for dignity and freedom is unfinished and that silence is complicity. In Part II, we step deeper into the architecture of cruelty where a simple trap door reveals the calculated dehumanization embedded in every corner of Elmina Castle.

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Saxophonist Harrison Chidalu Ibaro

The Patriotic Salute from a Gifted Saxophonist 

August 14, 2025 No Comments

At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, my wife and I were greeted by a gifted saxophonist, Harrison Chidalu Ibaro. With fervor and grace, he offered us a soul-stirring rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. Harrison, as you will discover in his own words, holds that music transcends mere entertainment. To him, it is the language of the soul, a vessel for emotion, a bridge between hearts, a force that shapes atmosphere itself. When he plays, he does not simply perform; he paints with sound, giving breath and color to feelings unseen. As a professional singer, I share this belief. I believe that singing is a sacred act, a Divine gift offered in devotion to the Creator of music. Emanuel C Perlman My Journey with the Saxophone: Creativity, Passion, and Purpose By Harrison Chidalu Ibaro The first time I heard a saxophone solo, it felt like someone was speaking directly to my soul. That sound was raw, expressive, and full of emotion. It wasn’t just music; it was storytelling without words. My name is Harrison Chidalu Ibaro, and I’m a saxophonist from Enugu, Nigeria. Music has always been my language. I’ve been singing since childhood and joined the choir when I entered high school. My family is musically inclined, with two of my siblings as choristers and my younger brother playing the keyboard. Growing up in that environment, music wasn’t just a hobby. It was part of our daily rhythm. I began my journey with the clarinet in 2014, when I was in Junior Secondary School 2 (equivalent to 8th Grade in the U.S.). At school, we were encouraged to learn at least one musical instrument, and I chose the clarinet. I was already active in the choir, and this felt like the next step, I remember asking my dad to buy me the instrument. I didn’t expect him to agree, thinking he would say it would distract me from my studies. To my surprise, he asked what a clarinet was. I laughed and showed him a picture in our Oxford dictionary. Right there, as he was dropping me off at school after midterm break, he handed me the money. That moment meant everything to me. I told myself I had to make him proud, not just academically, but through this new skill he supported without hesitation. In 2017, I got my first taste of the saxophone through one of my teachers. I didn’t have full access to it because he didn’t trust me enough to handle it properly, and he was also too busy to teach me. Eventually, he left. In 2018, my school bought a saxophone, and I was put in charge of it. That was my turning point. I improved quickly, and by 2019, I bought my own. My foundation in the clarinet helped me transition smoothly, and I learned a lot just by observing and practicing. The saxophone gave me something the clarinet could not: freedom. While the clarinet was mostly for orchestral settings, the sax allowed me to perform solo and express myself more fully. It became my voice. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, I found myself idle at home. That was when I decided to take things further. I began performing, going for gigs, and building my presence. Even when events were free or low-paying, I showed up. It was about growth, not money. Five years later, I’m proud of that decision. It shaped me. Music, for me, is more than entertainment. It is how I express emotions, connect with people, and create atmosphere. When I play, I’m not just performing. I am painting emotions in the air. My slogan is “Matchless entertainment, beautiful memories,” and that is exactly what I aim to deliver. Music has given me access to people, dignitaries, and a digital identity. I’m known across my socials as a saxophonist, and that recognition means a lot. More importantly, music has given me a sense of purpose. It has allowed me, and is still allowing me, to experience becoming more confident, more expressive, and more connected to who I truly am. I’ve had countless moments where people come up to me after performances to share how much they enjoyed the music or how it inspired them. Some even ask me to mentor them, especially the younger ones. My students appreciate the lessons deeply, and seeing them grow is one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. For me, the saxophone is not just an instrument. It is a bridge to the hearts of others. I want to keep building that bridge, one note at a time. I am passionate about fostering musical growth through tutorials and mentorship. Music is a gift, and I believe it should be nurtured, respected, and never trivialized.

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Violinist Franklin Bosah

The Strings of Unity: An Instrument of Tranquility heard at Destination Peace Summit

August 7, 2025 No Comments

Franklin Bosah, a talented violinist and pharmacy student at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), captivated attendees with his artistry at our recent peace summit orchestrated by Lead Network Africa founder Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa in Enugu. His performance of “We Are The World” was a powerful testament to Destination Peace’s core message regarding music’s ability to unite and inspire.  FRANKLIN CHUKWUMA BOSAH My name is Franklin Chukwuma Bosah.  I am a Violinist  and also a pharmacy student of Enugu State University of Science and technology (ESUT) I was first introduced to the violin when I was 14 years old (2019). At first, I was overwhelmed by it because an instrument that creates wonderful sounds and sonorous melodies in the hands of a professional was mere wood and wire in the hands of a newbie. At first, I lacked consistency on the instrument and due to that, I wasn’t seeing any progress or improvements, not until 2024, when I bought my own first personal violin and that is when my breakthrough started. I decided to give in all the commitment, dedication and consistency it needed and in the space of a year and 6 months, I can say that I have made far more advancement than I did in 5 years. This taught me a lesson, that consistency is the secret weapon to success and achievement  Music is an essential tool to humanity. It is one universal language everyone tends to understand. It’s only through music that people of different languages, different religions and different beliefs can be found, singing along to a particular melody and lyrics in unity and oneness, that is why no song unites a country like their national anthem My reason for picking the violin is simple, it is where I create music best and it is where I express myself freely. It is more than just a bow on strings, it is a deeper connection, that is why I can boldly say that today, I am doing something I love and have passion for and that I will make it my priority to promote unity through music, one note at a time

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afia tv destination peace

THE EASTERN EYE, AFIA TV Episode Summary: “Harnessing Tourism Potentials in South East Nigeria: Culture, Economy & Destination Peace”

July 31, 2025 No Comments

Host Alex Ogbodo is joined by guests Emanuel C. Perlman, founder of Destination Peace, and Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa, Executive Director of Lead Network Africa. The discussion explores how tourism in Nigeria can move beyond leisure to become a tool for healing, economic growth, and cultural preservation. The episode delves into key challenges such as poor infrastructure, security concerns, lack of narrative control, and fragmented branding. Despite these hurdles, the guests outline strategic opportunities in cultural festivals, cultural tourism, ancestral heritage, and a creative economy to reposition the region as a thriving global tourist destination. Also read: Religious, traditional leaders call for unity, tolerance in Enugu

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