HISTORY

Peace Games was born from the vision of Dr. Francelia Butler, who brought together the power of play with the power of peace. She created a daylong festival that provided the opportunity for children to share games, laughter, communication, friendship and conflict resolution – the building blocks for a peaceful future.

In 1992, Dr. Butler sought a long-term sponsor for her work. She chose Phillips Brooks House Association, Harvard University ’s center for social service, as the new home for Peace Games. Students at Harvard University ran peace Games until 1996 when it became an independent non-profit organization. In 2000, Peace Games opened its second office in Los Angeles.  After great bicoastal success, Peace Games became a national organization in 2005, doubling in size by partnering with schools in both New York City and Chicago.  Now in our fifteenth year, we celebrate having worked with over 35,000 elementary and middle school students, recruited and trained over 4,100 college and community volunteers, and worked with nearly 12,000 family members to encourage peacemaking at home.