Technology and Science Partner to Promote World Peace

Boston, MA, October 09, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Friends Forever, a 501(c)(3) global non-partisan advocacy and awareness organization dedicated to peace, today announced Hassan Ahmed, senior advisor, Charles River Ventures and Sarah McAuley, senior marketing communications manager for EnerNOC, a leading provider of clean and intelligent energy solutions, will host this year’s Friends Forever Life Raft participants at the Museum of Science, Boston on October 27, 2009.

Friends Forever Life Raft program is aimed at organizing young people, particularly in violence-stricken countries like Ireland and Israel, to address the challenges that threaten their communities and to work together for peace. Forty teens from these two countries will spend two weeks in the United States to kick off their year long program and complete rigorous leadership, conflict resolution and tolerance workshops, along with community service and interactions with local companies for insight into America’s melting pot.

The Museum of Science, Boston (MOS) was selected as the site to spark curiosity among Life Raft participants to explore how science and technology fit into our daily lives and to encourage these youth leaders to think about science and technology can be leveraged to bridge the communication challenges in their homes to promote peace and tolerance. Further, the MOS will showcase how individuals with passion and perseverance can overcome obstacles to accomplish feats previously deemed impossible.

As the former chairman and CEO of one of Massachusetts’ most successful technology start-ups, Ahmed has demonstrated the power that individuals with various backgrounds have when they come together to work on a common goal. Sarah McAuley, an influential media professional in the Boston area, spearheads the communications team for EnerNOC, a cornerstone of Boston’s burgeoning cleantech economy.

“The MOS is the perfect place to instill in youth leaders the power of curiosity, innovation, and a dedication to a mission that’s bigger than any one person,” said McAuley. “I’m honored to be hosting these outstanding young people, who are dedicating themselves to changing the world in which they live, and I’m grateful that organizations like Friends Forever are helping them arm them with the tools they’ll need to be successful in their mission.”

Reception details:
When: October, 27, 2009
Where: Museum of Science, Boston
Time: 12:00 PM ET

This year’s program is funded by the generous support of Friends Forever members and with kind contributions from local organizations including the Portsmouth, NH and Danvers, MA Rotary Clubs; domestic and international YMCA; Camp Kieve; Fields of Vision; The University of New Hampshire; Boston Museum of Science; Gill Fishman Associates; Liberty Information Technology; SLAB Media, Hancock Associates, National Grid and ICE Worldwide.

About Friends Forever
Friends Forever is a 501(c)(3) global non-partisan advocacy and awareness organization dedicated to peace, particularly in Ireland and Israel. Friend Forever’s members work in their local communities domestically and internationally to raise awareness and help build programming that will support these young Irish and Israeli leaders as they team to address the challenges that face their communities. The organization works closely with local experts, regional leaders and educational institutions to promote healthy communication within disparate fractions and to end violence.

Since 1986, Friends Forever has built hundreds of lasting friendships across the cultural, religious, and political divides of Northern Ireland and Israel. The organization brings together multi-faith teens to live, laugh, learn, and volunteer together in host communities in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. These youth leaders, upon completing Friends Forever's unique two-week "Life Raft" experience, return home to perpetuate tolerance in their own communities. For information please visit, www.friendsforeverusa.org

About the Museum of Science, Boston
The Museum takes a hands-on approach to science, engineering and technology, attracting about 1.5 million visitors a year via its programs and 700 interactive exhibits. Founded in 1830, the Museum was first to embrace all the sciences under one roof. Highlights include the Thomson Theater of Electricity, Charles Hayden Planetarium, Mugar Omni Theater, Gordon Current Science & Technology Center, 3-D Digital Cinema and Butterfly Garden. The Museum is the first science and technology center to be approved as a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Reaching 25,000 teens a year worldwide via the Intel Computer Clubhouse®, the Museum also leads a multi-museum, $20 million National Science Foundation-funded nanotechnology education initiative. The Museum's "Science Is an Activity" exhibit plan has been awarded many NSF grants and influenced science centers worldwide. Its National Center for Technological Literacy® aims to enhance knowledge of engineering and technology for people of all ages and inspire the next generation of engineers, inventors, and scientists. The Museum is ranked #3 by Parents Magazine in its list of the country's "Ten Best Science Centers." For more information visit mos.org.

Media Contacts:
Friends Forever
Stephen Martineau
Email: smartineau@friendsforeverusa.org Phone: + 1 603.433.7607
Boston Museum of Science
Sofiya Cabalquinto
Email: scabalquinto@mos.org
Phone: +1 617-589-0251

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