On Tuesday, May 20th over one hundred and twenty people gathered at The World Bar at Trump World Tower in New York City to celebrate the launch of Tuesday’s Children’s newest program-Project Common Bond; a unique international initiative that brings together teens from across the globe who have lost an immediate family member through an act of terrorism. The inaugural program will take place this August at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania with the participation of Haverford College's Center for Peace and Global Citizenship.

While many familiar faces filled the room overlooking the United Nations building and garden, ninety percent of the evening’s attendees were new to Tuesday’s Children-representatives from the United Nations, Bryn Mawr and Haverford alumni, program sponsors, Human Rights activists, youth participants from Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the United States, as well as our program partners from Spain who traveled all this way to attend the evening’s festivities! With a short program and video presentation, everyone in attendance was provided with information on Project Common Bond, its goals, importance, and sustainability to help the future generations achieve peace and understanding among each other. When Parker Snowe, Executive Director of the Haverford College Center for Peace and Global Citizenship, was asked "Why would Haverford College be involved in Project Common Bond?” he responded with a story: “Some of you may know that Haverford was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers.  In addition to their testimonies on peace and simplicity, Quakers have a non-traditional form of worship based on silence.

During colonial times, a young man was walking through the woods outside Philadelphia on a Sunday morning.  He soon passed a small Quaker meeting house set in a clearing.  Looking in through a window, he saw a group of people sitting in silence.  Curious, he stepped inside and took a seat in the back row.  Five minutes went by and no one spoke.  Ten minutes passed and still not a word.  After 15 minutes of silence, the fellow, impatient, turned to the old man beside him and asked, 'Excuse me, sir, but can you tell me when the service begins?'

The old Quaker turned to him and said, 'Young man, the service begins when the Meeting ends.'

So we have come together today in this meeting to celebrate Project Common Bond.  But remembering the words of the Quaker gentleman, the real service begins when this meeting ends.  And this is why Haverford College is involved in this project." Project Common Bond is Tuesday’s Children’s next call to service-it is a call for this generation’s global youth to take matters into their own hands and to work for better understanding among each other and nations.

Tuesday’s Children depends on the generosity of its supporters to launch important initiatives such as Project Common Bond. If you are interested in contributing to Project Common Bond, please contact Hayley at hayley@tuesdayschildren.org or 212.319.3988.

Amir Dossel (UN), Hayley Kucich (Tuesday's Children staff), and

Carmine Calzonetti (President of Tuesday's Children)

Vincent Signorile (Sponsor), Joseph Knight, Ilka Gregory (Board Member),

Hilary Kruce (Sponsor)

Kathy Murphy (Project Common Bond Director), Sara Wingerath

(Director of Mentoring), Danielle Cooperhouse (Mentoring Department)

Dr. and Mrs. Richard Merkler (Haverford Alumna) and Parker Snowe

(Partner- Haverford College Center for Peace and Global Citizenship)

Dolores and Bob Miglis, Chrisanne Mortenson (Sponsor) and

Gary and Patty Kucich (Sponsor)