We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Recently members of the Exchange Leadership Initiative (ELI) met for conversation, provocation and mutual support. Following that meeting, one participant wrote this lovely reflection:

Keeping Hope, Keeping Peace by Veronika Vicqueneau, ELI member

As divisions deepen across the world, I find myself searching for answers and questioning humanity’s fate and my role in fostering hope, unity, and peace.

Witnessing children and families suffering from wars and political events, my optimism waned. I questioned how one could create meaningful change amid such challenges. Can hope still be nurtured? This soul-searching has drawn me back to Maria Montessori’s wisdom. Her belief that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but a profound transformation of the human spirit reminds me that change begins with the smallest actions—nurturing understanding, compassion, and respect in ourselves and others.

Montessori’s Peace education[…]