A Compassionate and More Responsible Humanity

While working with Images & Voices of Hope over the last decade, I have come to appreciate the depth of commitment and dedication of many people in media. In serving as this month's guest editor my aim was to highlight the stories of those whose work inspires a more compassionate and responsible humanity. My aim was to tell the story of those who are serving as agents of world benefit.

The first person who came to mind was Peter Turnley. Last fall I was asked to coordinate the design of the space for the annual Images & Voices of Hope Summit. We were looking for someone who had photographs of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. One of the IVOH management team members pointed me in the direction of Peter Turnley. I picked up the phone and called him thinking that I was calling him in New York. I began chatting with him and soon came to realize that he was sitting in a hotel room in Paris preparing for a major event that was to happen the next day. For those of you who may not know, Peter is on of the preeminent photojournalists in the world today. His photographs have graced the cover of Newsweek 43 times as well as many other leading publications. During the last three decades he has covered nearly every major news event of international significance.

Peter responded with grace, generosity and a sincere interest in what we planned to do at the Summit. I shared with him that we would like 3-4 of his photographs from Haiti and he said no that won't work. My heart dropped. Then he said I want to send you at least 8 photographs so that you can create the whole of the story. As some of you may remember, Peter sent the most incredible photographs that moved the hearts of all who witnessed the exhibition. As we ended the conversation Peter asked if I could call him back before I went to bed because he wanted to get up early in Paris and he was afraid he would oversleep. I was so touched by his authenticity and humility. Peter has stayed in touch with me since that time. Recently he sent his essay and photographs on what happened in Egypt. Again I was deeply moved by the way he captured the story and felt that this story by Peter was one that needed to be shared with all of the IVOH network.

The other stories featured this month also tell the stories of people whose work is making a difference in the world. Author Gene Sharp is Senior Scholar at the Albert Einstein Institution and founded the Institution in 1983. He in known as the foremost expert on non-violent revolution. He embraced the principles of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Dalai Lama. His book, From Dictatorship to Democracy is considered to be the manual that inspired Egypt's revolution. A recent report said that the Egyptians, with more than one million people demonstrating, did what Gandhi said: they cast off fear, chanting, ‘peaceful, peaceful, peaceful.' I understand that Gene lives here in Boston. I would like to learn more about him. I think I'm going to pick up the phone and ask him if I can take him to lunch!