Astronomy for Peace

Today my thoughts lay with friends and family in worn torn countries where on the 5th day of IYA 2009 some parts of the world have to suffer the atrocities of war. Being a second generation refugee I have had plenty of first hand experience living with the aftermath of the psychological effects it has on families, even after many years since the incident. The subject of astronomy and peace is a delicate one but it has been the focus of the schools programme that I run in the UK for the past couple of years. Citizenship, our place in the world, moral responsibility, all of these aspects are part of the curriculum. So today made me think a little bit about how important this in, especially with the current political crisis in some countries.