Capturing Peace on Film

Sarah Murray was one of the many generous photographers who volunteered their time and talent at the Vancouver Peace Summit, capturing precious moments throughout the three-day event. (click on the images below to see some of her photos)

In the year following the Summit, Sarah has decided to take on a new challenge. Through the Global Volunteer Network and the World Wealth Foundation’s “Be The Change Program”, Sarah hopes to become a change agent in communities across the globe.  Through this initiative, Sarah will be able to take some of the guiding principles shared by the Dalai Lama and many other of the Summit’s architects of change and put them into practice.

Here is Sarah’s story as well as a clip from her “Be The Change Program” application video. Good luck, Sarah!

Through my international volunteer work and local documentary work, one event after another, I became part of the team of photographers for the 2009 Vancouver Peace Summit. The experience photographing such a powerful event and being in the presence of the Dalai Lama and the leading thinkers of our time was inspirational, emotional and educational.

The dialogues covered a landscape of topics including personal peace and educating the heart will lead the way to making the world a more peaceful place gave me hope and a reminder to continue my work as a photographer creating awareness and uniting human kind with my imagery for the greater good as well as continuing to give to those in need. Don’t expect change, be the change. The message at the Summit was clear that by using creativity and compassion, developing personal peace and educating the heart will make our world a better place.

My connection to and empathy for humanity and the environment prompted me to begin volunteering overseas with GVN. My first volunteer placement was an Orphanage Program in DaNang, Vietnam in 2007. It changed my life, which lead me to another program with GVN in Kolkata, India in 2008. After my volunteer work I went to Sanarth, India to do a 7-day teaching with the Dalai Lama.

The video and application is part of Global Volunteer Network and the World Wealth Foundation, whom have come together to provide individuals scholarships to attend “Be The Change Program” and a volunteer placement through GVN. The 'Be the Change' Program is an intensive course to train individuals how to become change agents in communities around the world. The reason for my application is to learn about becoming more involved as a global citizen while participating in creating positive changes in other people lives as well as in my own life.