Personal Profile
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Kimberly Weichel |
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My Life Purpose
My passion and life's work
over the past 30 years has been to: 1) reduce conflict and increase
understanding through local and international peacebuilding, 2) be a catalyst
for social change, and 3) support women to speak their voice and realize their
full potential. My work as a social pioneer, educator, and specialist in
conflict resolution and cross-cultural projects rests on several spiritual
principles: that we are all interconnected, that we individually and
collectively make a difference, that itÕs time to Ōbe the change we want to
seeĶ, and that it is important for each of us to bring our unique gifts
forward. To realize these principles, itÕs essential that the feminine
qualities of partnership, collaboration, intuition, nurturing and long-term
thinking are integrated within ourselves and within society.
My work has
included
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• working for change under apartheid in South Africa for 5 years |
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I am co-founder and co-director of the Institute for PeaceBuilding. The Institute is an international initiative to provide practical education, training, consulting, mentoring and books about peacebuilding. It is a project of Pathways To Peace, a global pioneer and leader in the growing field of peace building. I speak, teach and lead workshops on conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and nurturing our feminine and spiritual values.
I am very involved with peace building in different sectors of this society, including the media. I co-founded Our Media Voice: Campaign for Accountability to shine light on the need for media accountability and reform. I strongly believe that we cannot have a healthy democracy unless we have a healthy media. I am co-producer and correspondent for two cable TV shows that highlight positive stories and inspire others to take action.
I am also very active in the field of peace building in business, and I co-direct the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Spirit at Work, a non-profit association providing community, information, and education for those who are interested in integrating their spirituality in the workplace. I am developing and co-producing training materials for companies, called Human Spirit at Work. I have a deep personal commitment and yearning to nurture the soul in organizations and individuals, and my own spiritual journey and beliefs provide the basis for my work. I have led discussion groups and workshops on nurturing spirit at work, and have written a practical workbook on this topic.
I'm a passionate mother of 2 children, a son named Julian who is 13 years old, and a 17 year old daughter, Ariel, whom my husband, Carl, and I adopted 5 years ago. And I'm grateful for my relationship with my husband of 32 years.
I am particularly grateful for the wide diversity of extraordinary experiences and people I have encountered on my life's path. I have greatly benefited from each one.
Background
My background includes over
30 years' experience in international projects, cross-cultural training, global
communications, conflict resolution, marketing and Third World development.
IÕve directed international programs, marketing strategies, cross-cultural
training, and radio/media campaigns, and worked as a consultant with such
international agencies as the United Nations Development Program, the U.S.
Agency for International Development, Peace Corps, World Education, the World
Bank as well as many consulting firms. I have worked locally with a number of
international firms and organizations, and was executive director of several
non-profit organizations. I am also a radio and cable TV producer, and IÕve taught
courses at JFK University in California.
Women's Initiatives
I have a long-standing passion for supporting women to realize their full potential, and to ensure that womenÕs rights are honored everywhere. IÕve directed projects that provide skills, education and income generation for women, and have participated in several international conferences on women, including the United Nations Conference on Women in Nairobi, Kenya, and the Russian Women's Committee Conference in St. Petersburg, Russia. IÕve produced policy studies for the Canadian government on employment strategies for women, and have been an advocate for womenÕs rights. I am a speaker, trainer and coach for women.
IÕm
co-producer of the cable TV show called Women With Vision - 16 half hour shows highlighting
women who have brought their vision into action. IÕve also written articles
about women's issues, and work to bring the feminine into the workplace and
into society. I recently published a chapter called The Feminine Front Line in
the book Healing the Heart of the World.
Foundation for Spiritual Democracy
IÕm the
Education and Outreach Director for the Foundation for Spiritual Democracy, an
organization working with others to create a global Great Law of Peace. The
Great Law of Peace is the Constitution of the Iroquois Confederacy, one of the
oldest continuously operating democracies in the world, which profoundly
influenced the founding fathers of America and was a model for the United Nations. The FoundationÕs
mission is to return to the spiritual principles that inspired the founding of
this country and, of supreme importance, integrate the wisdom of the Great Law
that honors and incorporates the crucial role of women in maintaining an
ongoing, true democracy for all peoples. The Foundation educates and empowers
women to reclaim our responsibility as leaders. www.spiritualdemocracy.org.
Education
I have a B.A. degree in Cultural Anthropology and a Masters degree in Sociology with an emphasis in intercultural communication from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. I also studied for one year at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and lived as an exchange student for one year in Germany. IÕve received two fellowships, one from the European Union and one from the German Government.
