About Us
Mission
To nurture, inspire and empower the community of Sedona to thrive and flourish while fostering a culture of peace through uplifting, engaging, and transformative community programs.
Vision
We envision a culture of peace as one that respects our shared humanity. It ignites a social connection that forms new and inspired traditions and ideas that uphold the highest values of the human heart.
Values
We celebrate the highest values of the human heart: courage, respect, compassion, connection, empathy, harmony, inner peace, and love.
In 2012, the Sedona International City of Peace proudly became the 35th of now more than 300 International Cities of Peace worldwide. We strive to foster a culture of peace by engaging our community, expanding connections with others, and elevating consciousness.
We host events that are designed to raise awareness about issues in our community. We have focused on several issues that impact our community and its culture of peace such as stereotyping, hunger, mental health, bullying, sex trafficking, and other deep cultural wounds experienced from war, racism, and indigenous segregation. All of our events and activities conclude with suggested actions for individuals and groups to take in effort to help cultivate a greater culture of peace.
We have partnered with many organizations including, but not limited to, the Sedona International Film Festival, Rotary Club of Sedona, Yavapai/Apache Cultural Center, Verde Valley Mental Health Coalition, Human Trafficking Coalition, Healing Memories for Veterans and their families, Eclpst Marketing Agency, Sedona Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Community Foundation, Yavapai Food Council, Sedona Area Homeless Alliance, Verde Valley School, Red Rock High School, West Sedona Middle School and the Charter Schools, the Mandela Fellows Civic Leadership Program, Sedona Public Library, Interdependence Natural Foods, various art galleries, and many local businesses to fulfill our goals.
Our Goals
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Board of Directors
Chair
Margaret Joy Weaver
A 25-year resident of Sedona Arizona, Margaret has founded and served on many Sedona Boards: Sedona International Film Festival (10 years), Sedona Culture Collaborative, Mental Health Coalition and Founder – now Board Chair of Sedona International City of Peace. Her commitment to the transformation and awakening of humanity has led her being a life-longer seeker – participating and leading to tens of thousands of people. She is a mother to a young woman from India who came to Sedona during her junior year and graduated with honors from Verde Valley School and is now at NAU.
Treasurer
Susan Hagen
Susan owns Your Business Accountant and Consulting LLC a virtual accounting and business consulting firm that services the Verde Valley. She has served as the Treasurer of Sedona International City of Peace since 2019. Susan has been proactive in many of Sedona International City of Peace projects and Operations including Grant acquisitions, Human Library and Meditation Monday.
Board Member
Enocha “Ranjita" Ryan
Twenty Five years ago, Enocha established a private healing Retreat Called Your Heart’s Home Sanctuary located in Oak Creek Canyon.
She recently expanded her healing art skills in the area of Conscious Death and Dying. She is now a certified Death Doula, Home Funeral Guide/Educator and Green Burial advocate. Her greatest privilege is to steward a precious piece of Mother Earth, guide people to wake up to who they really are and live a joyful life of service.
Her mission has always been to live Heaven on Mother Earth-HOME.
Board Member
Rabbi Alicia Magal
A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, with a Masters in Teaching from Wesleyan University, Rabbi Magal spent seven years in Israel working at the Israel Broadcasting Authority national television station and as a licensed tour guide. Rabbi Magal has served as spiritual leader of the Jewish Community and the Verde Valley since 2006. Her mission is to bring a sense of “joyful juicy Judaism” to her congregation, and strives to make Torah study relevant to people’s lives. Now the most senior clergy in Sedona, she is very active in the local interfaith community, co-founder of the local Mitzvah (Good Deed) Day, and was a participant in the Sedona Interfaith Thanksgiving service that was held for many years. She previously served for 6 years on the Advisory Board of the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona. She is excited to be part of the Sedona International City of Peace planning team.
Board Member
Josh Gray
Josh Gray is a professional creative technologist, photographer, videographer and web designer here in Sedona. He is the co-founder of the Eclpst digital agency and organizer for our Photos for Peace program. As a former executive with a top 100 social network and Interactive Advertising Bureau mobile and social media standards board member, Josh has run successful social media marketing campaigns for noteworthy clients such as Sony, Kohls, Pixar, Sony BMG, Disney and many more. With skills sharpened from helping to build a social network with 60 million visitors a month to running a bustling Sedona-based marketing agency, Josh brings his considerable experience to bear in his work with us.
Accomplishments
- International Day of Peace
- Sedona Human Library
- Meditation Mondays
- Dissolve the Divide
- Courageous Conversations
- Photos for Peace
- Dances for Peace
- Films for Peace
- Peace Conscious Films
- Panel Discussions
- Peace by Piece
- Human Rights Ordinance
- Teaching Symposium for Mandela
- Fellows Young International
- Imagine Magazine
- Mitzvah Day
- Peace Week Seminars
- World Peace Dance
- Peace Circles
- Peace Trail
- Stand For Peace
- John McCain Cherry Pie
- Feast for Peace
- City Council Participation