Peace Certification™
Please note:
Some local businesses or organizations
will sponsor Peace Certification
for schools & other groups.
Sponsors receive a certificate for their support.
Individuals & Families
$300 / 1st year
(discount on renewal)
1 individual or a family of up to about 5 people.
- Mentorship by Foundation Directors
- Personalized Journey Through Mattie's Three Choices for Peace™
Upgrade to Celebration
Includes a Celebration Chat with Mama Peace! (only $100)
Program details
- Mentored exploration and deep-dive into a selected peace theme or characteristic.
- A designated member or our Foundation Core Team offers guidance as each participant moves through the process of reflecting on, responding to, and reaching out with their chosen peace characteristic or theme.
- Your Foundation mentor provides guidance in understanding the Peace Certification journey, in selecting your focus theme or peace characteristic, and in suggesting relevant materials (e.g., quotes, poems, or books by Mattie) to help you move through the “seek – make – bring” peace journey.
- Participants engage in a self-directed journey through Mattie’s Three Choices for Peace©
- Seek Peace – reflecting on the chosen theme or characteristic with conversation, journaling, and personal meditation.
- Make Peace – responding to the message with personal or small group activities that move the message from “attitude to action” in meaningful ways.
- Bring Peace – reaching out to at least one other individual, group, organization, or community with a peace plan or project that and sharing your journey – so that the others may also be inspired by the selected peace theme or characteristic.
- The Peace Certification journey timeline can be as brief as a month or two or as up to a year (participants choose their own pace).
- Once the Peace Certification journey is complete, your Foundation mentor provides your certificate, and is available to join you in a “commencement” conversation.
- Note: a Celebrate Level option is available for individuals who would like Mama Peace to join in the “commencement” celebration.
- Once certified, participants have access to other members of our Peace Certified Network.
- Peace Certification is valid for three years.
- Participants “current” in certification are invited to their choice of one of our quarterly online “chats” for Peace Club members (see chat options in Club section above).
- Renewal of Peace Certification is offered at a discount price. Participants receive the same mentorship and can choose to continue exploring the same peace theme, or select a new theme to explore.
Small Groups
$500 / 1st year
(discount on renewal)
Up to about 25 people – great for classrooms and book clubs.
- Mentorship by Foundation Directors
- Personalized Journey Through Mattie's Three Choices for Peace™
Upgrade to Celebration
Includes a Celebration Chat with Mama Peace! (only $100)
Program details
- Mentored exploration and deep-dive into a selected peace theme or characteristic.
- A designated member or our Foundation Core Team offers group guidance to up to 3 key lead members of the group. Those leaders guide other members of the group as they move through the process of reflecting on, responding to, and reaching out with their chosen peace characteristic or theme.
- Your Foundation mentor provides guidance in understanding the Peace Certification journey, in selecting your focus theme or peace characteristic, and in suggesting relevant materials (e.g., quotes, poems, or books by Mattie) to help you move through the “seek – make – bring” peace journey.
- Your group engages in a self-directed journey through Mattie’s Three Choices for Peace©
- Seek Peace – reflecting on the chosen theme or characteristic with conversation, journaling, and personal meditation.
- Make Peace – responding to the message with personal or small group activities that move the message from “attitude to action” in meaningful ways.
- Bring Peace – reaching out to at least one other individual, group, organization, or community with a peace plan or project that and sharing your journey – so that the others may also be inspired by the selected peace theme or characteristic.
- The Peace Certification journey timeline can be as brief as a month or two or as up to a year (the group chooses their own pace).
- Once the Peace Certification journey is complete, your Foundation mentor provides your certificate (copies can be shared with the group), and is available to join you in a “commencement” conversation.
Note: a Celebrate Level option is available for individuals who would like Mama Peace to join in the “commencement” celebration.
- Once certified the key group leaders have access to other members of our Peace Certified Network.
- Peace Certification is valid for three years.
- Participants “current” in certification are invited to TWO of our quarterly online “chats” for Peace Club members (see chat options in Club section above).
- Renewal of Peace Certification is offered at a discount price. Groups receive the same mentorship benefits and can choose to continue exploring the same peace theme, or select a new theme to explore.
Large Groups
$1500 / 1st year
(discount on renewal)
More than 25 people – such as schools, buisnesses, and cities.
- Mentorship by Foundation Directors
- Personalized Journey Through Mattie's Three Choices for Peace™
Upgrade to Celebration
Includes a Celebration Chat with Mama Peace! (only $100)
Program details
- Mentored exploration and deep-dive into a selected peace theme or characteristic.
- A designated member or our Foundation Core Team offers group guidance to up to 7 key lead members of the school, business, or community. Those leaders guide other members of the group as they move through the process of reflecting on, responding to, and reaching out with their chosen peace characteristic or theme.
- Your Foundation mentor provides guidance in understanding the Peace Certification journey, in selecting your focus theme or peace characteristic, and in suggesting relevant materials (e.g., quotes, poems, or books by Mattie) to help you move through the “seek – make – bring” peace journey.
- Your group engages in a self-directed journey through Mattie’s Three Choices for Peace©
- Seek Peace – reflecting on the chosen theme or characteristic with conversation, journaling, and personal meditation.
- Make Peace – responding to the message with personal or small group activities that move the message from “attitude to action” in meaningful ways.
- Bring Peace – reaching out to at least one other individual, group, organization, or community with a peace plan or project that and sharing your journey – so that the others may also be inspired by the selected peace theme or characteristic.
- The Peace Certification journey timeline can be as brief as a month or two or as up to a year (the group chooses their own pace).
- Once the Peace Certification journey is complete, your Foundation mentor provides your certificate (copies can be shared with the group), and is available to join you in a “commencement” conversation.
- Note: a Celebrate Level option is available for individuals who would like Mama Peace to join in the “commencement” celebration.
- Once certified, the key group leaders have access to other members of our Peace Certified Network.
- Peace Certification is valid for three years.
- Participants “current” in certification are invited to ANY or ALL of our quarterly online “chats” for Peace Club members (see chat options in Club section above).
- Renewal of Peace Certification is offered at a discount price. Groups receive the same mentorship benefits and can choose to continue exploring the same peace theme, or select a new theme to explore.
About Peace Certification™
Peace Certification by the Mattie Stepanek Peace Foundation is a personalized and mentored journey through Mattie’s “Three Choices for Peace™.” This program is for anyone – individuals, small groups, large communities – who wants to “seek, make, and bring” peace within and with others.
Why does Peace Certification™ matter?
Peace Certification makes a statement about your choices as an educator, an elected leader, a community leader, a family member, a staff member, a healthcare or childcare provider, a member of the clergy, a business organization — as any person or group who wants to be an agent of lasting and good change for our world.
Once Certified, participants are members of our Peace Certification Network – with opportunities to connect with other like-missioned folks.
There are three components to Peace Certification™
They are rooted in Mattie’s “Three Choices for Peace” concept:
REFLECT:
You choose to become a Peace Seeker.
We share materials with you that support you
in exploring and reflecting on a
specific “Mattie message” or peace theme.
RESPOND:
You choose to become a Peace Maker.
We support you in shaping your Peace Plan
(a Lesson, Activity, Attitude, and/or Action)
as a response to the message you are exploring.
REACH OUT:
You choose to become a Peace Bringer.
Together, we show others your commitment
to peace through our Peace Certification page
with highlights of your peace journey.
Message from Mama Peace:
Peace is a journey – not a destination.
Exploring and embracing peace should be more than a project or lesson plan or event.
Since 2011, our Peace Certification program has supported hundreds and hundreds of youth and adults in mentored peace journeys — as individuals or groups choose to seek, make, and bring peace.
My son, Mattie, believed that,
“Peace is possible, if we choose to
make peace something that matters
for all people in all spaces of the world.”
He also understood that while ending wars and decreasing bullying and violence is essential, true peace begins within each of us when we can be “okay” with who and how we are as a person.
Peace can be nurtured in homes and schools and businesses, and it can be shaped through our experiences in the places we work and play and pray.
Like Mattie, I believe and celebrate that peace is possible, and I recognize that peace involves education.
It requires reflection, and commitment, and kindness, and patience. Most of all, peace involves choices — personal choices and choices made with and for others.
For peace to last beyond a moment or program or event, it needs to become a way of thinking, and speaking, and doing, and being.
Peace is rooted in what we say and do, but it grows through who we are as individuals, and as people living together in one world.
Peace Certification – part of our Pathways2Peace™ Program — offers individuals and groups and communities of people the opportunity to learn more about specific elements of Mattie’s messages of hope and peace.
It also provides you with suggested materials and activities that help you begin a peace journey and develop a personal connection to Mattie’s message.
And, you will be matched with a Foundation Mentor who will support you in your journey – from choosing your peace theme, to practicing hands on activities, to celebrating peace and publicizing your endeavor and activities on our Foundation website.
An atmosphere of peace and kindness in homes and classrooms and workspaces and the community matters.
Peace Certified individuals and groups role model and educate children, teens, and adults in the important matter of personal choices that impact oneself, one’s neighbors, and one’s world.
Participating in our Peace Certification Program is a way to encourage peace as a deliberate and chosen way of thinking and speaking and acting.
It can also help youth and adults understand how bullying interrupts peace. Bullying is not just a youth issue; it is a reality that affects people of all ages.
Peace is for all people.
And, peace is possible, if we choose to learn more about attitudes and habits that nurture peace, and if we choose to tend to the realities that foster peace, such as balancing the basic needs of all people.
I encourage you to make a commitment, participate in this program, and make peace your choice.
Peace matters, and so do you.
Dr. Jeni Stepanek
(“Mattie’s mom” & “Mama Peace”).
