POPULATIONS SERVED: Children, youth, their families, educators, professionals, community leaders, policy makers, and the general population, and especially minorities, and those most vulnerable, in undeserved, uninsured, and gang infested areas.
LINKAGE: Private schools, public schools, public school districts, communities, organizations, health departments, churches, children’s museums. SERVICES PROVIDED AND METHODS: Providing education, raising awareness, and conducting the “Anti-Violence Day" events, Peace Days, presentations, workshops, distribution of educational materials, petitions influencing policy makers, letter writing campaigns, billboards, public service announcements (PSAs), art displays, and the media are methods IHERC uses to:
Outcomes: Through a community-based campaign and a strong collaboration with public and private schools, health departments, government agencies, communities, policy makers, and non-profit organizations, the International Health & Epidemiology Research Center is empowering educators, parents, and children with essential information. The campaign's vital message remains--guns are not toys, and violence is not play. Both real and toy firearms can kill. Many communities, public and private schools and school districts, professional organizations, churches and children's museums throughout California have successfully implemented this innovative project. It has drawn national and international attention. The Anti-Violence Campaign for peace has directly served over 150,000 children, parents, and professionals. It has indirectly served millions, throughout the world, through media and Internet since its inception in April 1995. Replacing Violence with Art: We have successfully involved well-known artists and art students in the program, and they have created many professional works of art with anti-violence and peace messages with toy guns and weapons surrendered at events. We are also trying to encourage schools and other institutions to emphasize the importance of replacing violence with art for their students, especially in their art classes. Influencing Policy Makers and Educators: We have endorsements and support from the following: American Public Health Association, Million Mom March/Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, National School Safety Center, Los Angeles Unified School District (Board Members, Safety Planning and Multicultural Education Committees), Claremont Graduate School, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los Angeles County Health Department, Los Angeles Children’s Museum, American Academy of Pediatrics, Iranian Medical Association, Santa Barbara Women Against Gun Violence, Missourian Women Against Gun Violence, President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, Senator Diane Feinstein, Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator Hilda Solis, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn, Irvine Mayor, Los Angeles Councilman Richard Alarcon, Los Angeles Councilman Michael Feuer, David Agren and many more. Click Here to View Awards and Recognition Bill Boards: Many billboards with messages of peace and non-violence have been created and displayed in various communities in California especially before Christmas-time. They discourage parents and the public from purchasing toys that teaches or encourages violence, such as toy guns, toy weapons, war figurines, war toys, and violent video games. Media: Strong media coverage of each event, countless newspaper articles published in the U.S. and around the world, and extensive radio and television interviews with Dr. Kioumehr have successfully augmented the ANTI-VIOLENCE CAMPAIGN'S FOR PEACE message and millions of people around the world have been served by this campaign and the media’s attention to it. |