The Euphrates Institute

Purpose and Vision:

“The Euphrates Institute is committed to improving relations with the Middle East by engaging the moderate middle and marginalizing the extremists, in an era when our security, energy, and religions depend upon it.

Our vision is to ensure 20 percent of the population in the U.S. are Informed, about Middle East issues; Inspired by trends of change and models of hope; and Transformed–personally equipped with the tools to be peacebuilders.  Through IIT—Informing, Inspiring, Transforming–we aim to create a tipping point whereby a groundswell for long-term understanding between the U.S. and the region is fostered.

The 20 percent goal is aligned to Everett Rogers’s research at Stanford, indicating that social change occurs only when a critical mass of people in that society are behind it. For a social change to be “embedded,” 5 % of people must be behind it. The movement or idea becomes unstoppable when 20 % of the populace is behind it.  Anecdotally we’ve seen this to be true in the collective American shift behind every milestone of progress, from voting rights for women to civil rights legislation, attitudes toward the treatment of mental illness, and more. When Americans change their minds, government follows.”

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What we do.

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Dwayne VanHoose
We are athletes that believe in the power of Peace. We also enjoy pushing ourselves to the limit. We race ridiculously long distances in kayaks and on Stand up Paddle Boards and, as an example, our shortest race this year is 50 miles.
Paddle4Peace was founded by a group of athletes who live the phrase “relentless forward motion,” a concept born from adventure
racing which illustrates that hard-to-reach goals are achievable by persistently striving towards your objective. In 2012 alone, we will
collectively paddle more than 1,000 miles in races around the globe to benefit children and groups that actively work to foster peace in all its forms.
Shane Perrin

We are all about challenging ourselves to go places and do things that may seem impossible. We participate in some of the toughest races in the world, and take these challenges on with an unflagging sense of peace. Facing a 340-mile non-stop solo race like the Missouri 340 (http://rivermiles.com/mr340) takes courage, commitment, endurance, and no small amount of grace.

By setting this example of athleticism and perseverance, thePaddle4Peace group is taking the skills we have learned on the water and working to pass them along to children everywhere. The Paddle4Peace Kids Program is designed to help kids garner a sense of self-worth and confidence. We want to get kids outdoors and on to the water where we can help them learn the tools necessary to rise to any challenge, while living with a sense of inner peace.

Mike Tremann
In addition to supporting children, Paddle4Peace helps raise money for organizations that are working to better humankind, in the name of peace. In 2012, we are excited to partner with The Euphrates Institute, an organization that approaches peace from a different angle with their vision to end the ‘clash of civilizations’ in our lifetime. www.euphratesinstitute.org
You can follow our adventures on paddle4peace.com, Facebook, and Twitter(@Paddle4Peace).
Thank you so much for supporting our cause. On the right hand side of this page is a link to buy a stainless steel BPA free water bottle in support of us.
Please enjoy the water in your bottle, and enjoy your bottle on the water!
Of course there is always the “Donate” button too!
Paddle4Peace: we dream it, we dare to try it, and we paddle in the name of a better world!