Digital Collections

PeaceQuest was a Kingston, Ontario based project initiated by the Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation office of the Sisters of Providence in 2013 in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI in 2018. PeaceQuest sought to commemorate World War One by organizing events that emphasized peace — a value they believed that Canadians cherished. 

PeaceQuest "recognized that wars are certainly important historical events" but "saw no glory in war." The organization stated that  "Wars are tragic failures in the conduct of human affairs. There are no winners."

The project’s goal was to engage Canadians in reflection, dialogue and action on the nature of peacemaking, the consequences of war, and creative ways to resolve conflict. 

The project was funded by the Sisters of Providence, members of the Canadian Religious Conference, the Community Foundation for Kingston and Area, Veterans Affairs Canada, and individual donors.

Over the course of its work, PeaceQuest developed a rich body of digital resources that recount the history and trajectory of the organization, videos showing program activities and lessons learned, information about donors and supporters across the country, and the War and Children curriculum (see below)

Upon completion of its work in 2018, PeaceQuest transferred these digital resources to the newly formed PeaceQuest Education and Leadership Institute. After several years, this organization transitioned to operating as an online Substack newsletter. 

Later, the digital assets were migrated to the website of the Providence Centre for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation and then to the Canadian Peace Museum.

Further reading:

• PeaceQuest – Our 5 Year Journey (2018)
• The PeaceQuest Story (video)
• What to remember on Remembrance Day (opinion piece by Lawrence Scanlan that mentioned PeaceQuest) 2014

War and Children was a joint venture by CAP [Children/Youth as Peacebuilders] and PeaceQuest