Rising from the Ashes

Submitted by Tom Etzel, republished from My MasterPeace Moment competition

On a frigid Sunday morning in January 2014, Tom Etzel drove along Interstate 70 from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. He was eager to meet with Melanie Greenberg of Alliance for Peacebuilding, headquartered in Washington, and a partner of Tom’s 4 year-old organization, Global Peace Building Foundation (GPBF).

The story of the creation of GPBF is profound and touching. (See video below).

On September 11, 2001, Tom’s 25 year old niece, Katie McCloskey, was working on the 97th floor of the World Trade Center when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower. Aboard that plan was Tom’s high school friend, Ken Waldie.

In the months following the tragic loss of 2 beloved individuals, as well as thousands more, Tom channeled his grief into the goal of obtaining a clearer understanding of world affairs and to use that knowledge by becoming involved in efforts to build global peace. It would take Tom 7 years before he would understand how best to accomplish the dream of bringing people together for peacebuilding.

In 2008, after much prayer, conversation and introspection, Tom contacted the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University to look into their international programs. The tuition for a year-long course of study was a daunting $60,000. With the support of friends, family and others who shared his vision, $30,000 was raised. He graduated in 2010 with a Master of Arts degree in International Relations.

With a solid foundation of education, contacts and a clear vision for his mission, he established the non-profit organization, Global Peace Building Foundation, on, significantly, September 11, 2010. GPBF was really born out of Tom’s thesis while studying at the Fletcher School. His research led him to the conclusion that the best way to achieve sustainable peace is to restore relationships on a personal level.

GPBF is a people-to-people grassroots organization working with children and youth to build sustainable peace through personal relationships. GPBF operates under the Contact Theory, a central tenet of peace building based on the belief that negative attitudes, such as stereotypes and prejudice, can be reduced by promoting contact and familiarity between conflicting groups. Contact theory emphasizes the development of personal relationships on a more intimate level to break down stereotyping and prejudice. GPBF merges the Contact Theory into practice by applying three practical approaches: dialogue, sports and the arts. All three approaches are rooted in a substantive peace education curriculum.

As part of the people-to-people connection, so critical to GPBF, Tom has made many visits to its peace building partners, such as Seeds of Peace, PeacePlayers International, Dancing Classrooms, Alliance for Peace Building and Peace and Security Funders Group.

Tom’s friends, family, and supporters continue to be inspired by his ability to turn such a tragic experience into stories and opportunities of triumph and success. He seeks to build a global peace building community that supports the grassroots peace building organizations around the globe that will transform the lives of the world’s children and youth.

To learn more about Tom’s journey, please watch this video: GPBF- Supporting Grassroots Peacebuilding Efforts - The Beginning

Thomas B. Etzel: Biography

Tom is the Founder and President of the Global Peace Building Foundation (GPBF), a non-profit corporation supporting organizations that are engaged in cultivating global peace among primarily children and youth to promote unity, compassion, and understanding.

September 11, 2001 was the major catalyst in Tom’s commitment to peace building. Tom experienced a calling to channel his grieving energies in a positive way during the aftermath of the tragedy he and his family experienced.

His 25 year-old niece, Katie McCloskey was on the 97th floor of the World Trade Center when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower. Tom’s high school friend, Ken Waldie, was aboard that jetliner.

Enrolling in the mid-career Masters Degree program at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tom’s goals were to gain an in-depth global perspective and find a clearer vision of world affairs and efforts toward globally building peace.  Through this intense and rigorous program, Tom formed close bonds and connections with classmates from all over the world, allowing him to see ordinary situations and issues from different cultural perspectives. He remains close with his fellow graduates.

Upon completing his studies at the Fletcher School in July of 2010, Tom successfully established GPBF.  Bearing special significance, the effective date of incorporation for GPBF was September 11, 2010.

Tom holds the Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, cum laude, from Duquesne University.

Tom is a Certified Public Accountant and he has been the Principal of his own tax and investment advisory practice for the past 20 years. He currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his wife, Phyllis Etzel. Tom and Phyllis have three children, Kristen, Katie and Mark, and a son-in-law, Aaron.