Legion of Peace

Introduction

Wonder Woman. Black Panther. The Avengers. Comic books and hit movies thrill us with stories of superheroes who save the day. We’re fascinated by these heroes’ special powers: their miraculous ability to fly, swim vast oceans, and conquer evil as effortlessly as we might eat our breakfast cereal. They fire our imaginations precisely because they are so fantastical, their feats unachievable by us mere mortals.

These stories also highlight an idea we can all relate to: There is greatness to be found in our midst, hidden in plain sight, if we only take time to look for it. Each one of us has unique gifts that can make a hero-sized difference in the world if we are just bold enough to attempt it. We don’t have to be superheroes to do something heroic, and we don’t need special powers to make somebody feel special. All of us have the ability to be brave, bold, and generous in the face of obstacles and challenges. And we all have the ability to work toward peace and well-being in our local community and in the wider world. The key is simply to recognize our own gifts, and then to use those gifts to help others.

When we grasp the power of our own talents and ideas, we begin to see new ways to use those gifts. We begin to see a world of boundless possibility, a world in which people are inspired to ask not just “What can I get?” but also “What can I contribute?” We begin to envision and create a world that reflects the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the 1964 Nobel Peace laureate: “Everybody can be great because everyone can serve.”

In Legion of Peace: 20 Paths to Super Happiness, we profile twenty individuals who have lived lives of purpose by serving others. They have found ways both ordinary and extraordinary to use their gifts to help their communities. While none of these individuals embarked upon their careers of service in order to win awards, all of them are recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize, which was established in 1901 by the will of the Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel (1833–1896). In accordance with Nobel’s will, the prize is given each year to “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”¹

Winning a Nobel Peace Prize is clearly a special honor, but each laureate would be the first to remind us that they are only human.² They don’t wear capes or leap tall buildings in a single bound. They simply observe the world around them, think about how they can make a positive difference, and then act upon their ideas. Their service can appear ordinary, from loaning money, to marching for a cause, to planting a tree. But over time, these everyday acts gather momentum and impact more and more people in meaningful ways. By committing to a life of service, each laureate has demonstrated not only a great capacity to care but also a resilient spirit that cannot be defeated.

The twenty individuals whom we profile in these pages constitute a diverse, vibrant group representing a range of ethnicities, nationalities, genders, ages, and occupations. Since there have been more than 130 Nobel Peace laureates since the award’s inception, selecting only twenty was no easy task.³ The book you hold in your hands represents only a small section of the many Nobel Peace Prize stories out there waiting to be explored. Our hope is that these stories will whet your appetite to delve deeper and learn more.

In this collection, we demonstrate the ways in which the laureates’ seemingly ordinary actions transformed their lives and communities. We share the ways in which even those who may have been misguided in their youth were able to course-correct, committing to lives dedicated to peace and progress for our planet. For each laureate, we spell out one “superpower” that they exemplify—one basic insight or principle that helped and guided them along their life of service. And we emphasize how all people, even those from vastly different backgrounds, can band together to form a team, or a legion, of and for peace.

We had such fun profiling these individuals that we even helped turn some of their life stories into songs. You can find this music on the album Legion of Peace: Songs Inspired by Nobel Laureates, by Lori Henriques Quintet featuring Joey Alexander with Muhammad Yunus. Lori is a Grammy-nominated children’s artist and Joey is a three-time Grammy-nominated piano phenom. Lori wrote the lyrics to each song on the album, conveying the central truths by which each laureate has lived his or her life. We included the lyrics to each of the eight songs in the corresponding profiles throughout the book. For example, in chapter twenty, which is about Malala Yousafzai, you’ll find the lyrics to Lori’s song “Brave as a Girl.” We recorded these songs with virtuoso musicians who infused their performances with colorful harmonies, thrilling rhythms, and soaring solos. We opted to work with jazz artists whose improvisational gifts ensured that they would make each song their own. This underscored the real takeaway of the project: We can adapt and incorporate lessons from each laureate’s life into our own.

The great peacemakers portrayed in this book are simply people with a deep awareness of their neighbors near and far, people who saw injustice and pain in the world around them and decided to act. Without knowing how their efforts would play out, these people rolled up their sleeves and got to work addressing the challenges that faced them. They started where they were, and so can we.

We hope that Legion of Peace inspires you to emulate these laureates by starting where you are. Everyone can be heroic simply by deciding to take action, using whatever resources may be found at hand, and working to make a difference. This is the overarching message of this collection: We all have the ability to create positive change in the world around us. All we have to do is try.

May Legion of Peace inspire you to look inside yourself at your own superpowers—those simple gifts that belong only to you and that, when carefully directed, can change the world. By bringing positive change to your community, you will find satisfaction in your life and bring happiness to the world around you. And if we all work together, encouraging one another to strive for peace in our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and nations, then together, we will create a true Legion of Peace.