Seeds Of Hope

International Peace Leadership Academy

2022

partnership began

15+

countries

300

students reached

301

Rotarians involved

< All Initiatives

What is the Academy?

Located on the scenic Corrymeela Community campus in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, Seeds of Hope: International Peace Leadership Academy is a groundbreaking international collaboration. Founded through a partnership between the renowned Corrymeela Community, universities, peace organizations, and Rotary Clubs worldwide, Seeds of Hope is committed to nurturing the next generation of peacebuilders and community leaders.

An Academy Like No Other

Seeds of Hope offers a year-long immersive course for young adults aged 18 to 27. Grounded in Rotary International’s principles of Positive Peace, the Academy goes beyond traditional education. Students not only study concepts of peace and reconciliation but also put them into action—honing essential skills in public communication, organizational management, leadership, and advocacy.

Graduates emerge as empowered changemakers, ready to strengthen their communities with new knowledge, deeper empathy, and enduring support from a global network of mentors and peers.

Our Students

Students are nominated by their local communities across Ireland and the UK, often recognized for their efforts in addressing cultural division and social inequality. These remarkable young people are already sowing seeds of change—Seeds of Hope simply equips them to flourish further.

Graduates remain engaged in service, using their enhanced leadership skills to drive real progress at home and abroad, with continued mentorship and encouragement from Academy faculty and Rotary partners.

Summer Learning Journey

In addition to the year-long Academy, Seeds of Hope also offers a Summer Learning Journey—an intensive 1- to 2-week session open to students of all ages and backgrounds.

Supported by universities and Rotary Clubs, the Summer Learning Journey creates a vibrant, international learning community. In 2024, the session welcomed 79 participants ranging in age from 18 to 27, representing 15 countries. Notably, 19 International Peace Scholars from five U.S. universities took part, contributing their voices and visions to this growing global dialogue on peace.