Schools Build Peace Says Entrepreneur

Greg Mortenson believes that new schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan help build peace. The U.S. military agrees and has offered him financial support. He says "No Thanks."

Greg Mortenson has:

• Helped build 78 schools in remote parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan;
• Heads a foundation (Central Asia Institute) that runs 48 other schools in refugee camps in the region;
• Co-written a book--Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School At A Time (Penguin 2007)--which hit #1 on the New York Times book list (General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, has recommended Three Cups of Tea to his staff.);
• Been sought out by the U.S. military for advice on how to work with village elders and tribal leaders in Afghanistan and Iraq; and
• Received offers of financial assistance from the U.S. military which he has declined--saying it's more important that he maintain his independence.

Mr. Mortenson is a remarkable individual. He believes that:

• Ignorance breeds hatred and violence; and
• Education is the best way to limit fanaticism and Islamic extremism.

That's why he has led the effort to build schools that more than 28,000 children (mostly female) in Afghanistan and Iraq have attended. He is sowing seeds of hope.

He believes that education for females is particularly important. On his website you'll find this statement (an Aha!):

"Mortenson advocates girls’ education as the top priority to promote economic development, peace and prosperity, and says,'you can drop bombs, hand out condoms, build roads, or put in electricity, but until the girls are educated a society won’t change.'"

Yet after 9/11 he received hate mail from Americans angry with him for educating Muslim children. He was once kidnapped for eight days by the Taliban.

You really should get to Know Greg Mortenson. Visit his website at http://www.threecupsoftea.com/.

Quick Vue: Take a look at this video. Eli Fosl, a very articulate eighth grader here in the U.S., interviews Mr. Mortenson in excellent fashion--about five minutes in length.

Sources for this entry included The Wall Street Journal, article by Yochi J. Dreazen.

Happy New Year!!!