I believe passionately in the power of people.

I witnessed a lot of violence, and I found myself asking the question: Do you ever use violence to try to bring about political change?

I go to places and I see all these people working on peace education and on a culture of nonviolence and non-killing. You look at all these different movements going on: the environment movement, the interfaith movement, the human rights movement, the youth movement, and the arts movement.

I was born into a Catholic family. I grew up in West Belfast. Faith was very important to us eight children and my mother and father. It was grounded in the Christian tradition of social involvement.

I have always been inspired by the American peace movement because it is operating in a very hard and militarist environment.

Our common humanity is more important than all the things that divide us.

There is no political will for peace in the Israeli government. They're not serious about political peace because they're still building settlements and demolishing Palestinian homes. That is a great tragedy.