"Start an anti-discrimination program in our school." "Think before you act." "Use dialogue to solve your conflicts." "Don't feel inferior or superior to other people." These were among more than 100 suggestions made by students at John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens during a SAYA!-sponsored peace and unity forum. This workshop, and others held just months after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, focused on what students could do-at school, in their personal lives, and in their community -to promote greater peace, respect, and appreciation of differences.

Helping young people of diverse backgrounds, and South Asian youth in particular, develop an inner-as well as outer spirit of peace-is a cornerstone of SAYA!'s efforts. In the aftermath of September 11th, SAYA! stepped up its peace building efforts with major support from the Rockefeller Foundation. Additional funding was provided by the Global Fund for Children and the New York Women's Foundation.

SAYA! believes that true peace and understanding isn't something that can be taught or read about in a book. It must be felt and experienced on a deeply personal level. Over the years, SAYA! staff has developed and refined factual approaches that engage youth in talking about their feelings, frustrations, aspirations, differences, and similarities. For example, those youth who gathered at John Bowne High School participated in role playing-asking one another what it feels like to be discriminated against-and
engaged in dialogue about how to become better listeners and peace-builders themselves.

For those youth involved in SAYA! programs, peace building is not a passive experience, but requires acting on one's beliefs and entering into a conscious dialogue with others. At SAYA!, youth are asked every day what they can do to promote greater peace and understanding. Over the years, those young people participating in SAYA! programs have used a variety of mediums-murals, videos, newsletters, and theatrical performances-to generate greater awareness among their peers, educators, parents, and the wider society of issues facing South Asian youth in particular and immigrant youth generally. In further acting on their beliefs, SAYA! youth have participated in peace marches, rallies, and citywide conferences, and spoken from the heart in media interviews.