(October 23, 2014)

World House community partner CRI celebrates 20th anniversary with address by former President Jimmy Carter

SHREVEPORT, LA — Community Renewal International (CRI), one of Centenary College's community partners, is celebrating its 20th anniversary on Thursday, October 30 at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Auditorium. Former President Jimmy Carter is the keynote speaker for the event, and the Centenary College Choir is one of several community groups providing entertainment.

In fall 2013, CRI entered into an innovative partnership with Centenary's World House for Peace. The World House for Peace is one of the three World Houses at Centenary, common residences with a common purpose where students can explore a world need through service and leadership.

"The World House for Peace at Centenary College of Louisiana is thrilled to have partnered with Community Renewal International for the past two years," said Residence Life Coordinator Justin Kirkes. "Serving in local neighborhoods, learning about peaceful communities, and implementing CRI's We Care Team with our students has served to promote caring and loving relationships campus-wide, and we are continually striving to care for others and to help make our community a better place for everyone."

In September, the World House for Peace received recognition as the National Association of College and University Residence Halls' Community Service Program of the Month for the implementation of the We Care Team. An offshoot of a community-wide initiative by CRI, the World House for Peace's We Care Team sponsored four events on campus to promote thoughtfulness and a caring environment. The program is also up for a national award.

"As we have personally witnessed positive changes in our own community through programming inspired by CRI, the World House for Peace is excited to join our greater Shreveport community to celebrate this meaningful organization," said Kirkes. "Through CRI's incredible generosity, 200 Centenary students, faculty, and staff will have the opportunity to enjoy the event. We are looking forward to meeting new neighbors and learning from former President Jimmy Carter what it takes to build peaceful communities."

The World House for Peace works to prevent and resolve conflicts in non-violent ways through efforts such as community development, mediation, increasing intercultural understanding, decreasing violence in media and technology, promoting global security through deterrence, promoting global security through disarmament, preventing violent crime, establishing and strengthening civil society and democracy, and using technology to develop and sustain mutually beneficial relationships.

In 2011, the Centenary faculty developed and approved an inquiry and action framework organized around three complex, global challenges of the 21st century; meaningful life, expanding circles, and sustainable life. Each world house—Social Justice, Environmental Sustainability, and Peace, responds to a global challenge by giving students the opportunity to explore issues through service and leadership experiences. World Houses are part of Centenary Leadership, a nationally acclaimed student development model that helps every student develop leadership skills in tandem with their academic experiences in the classroom.