Laura Hassler is the founder and director of Musicians Without Borders, an international organization that uses music to promote peace and social change. Hassler started the organization in 1999 in response to the war in Kosovo. She is a musician and peace activist who grew up during the American Civil Rights Movement. Hassler has spoken about the power of music to heal, connect, and create empathy in the face of conflict and war.
Thich Nhat Hanh and Alfred Hassler (Laura's father) shared a profound partnership in the pursuit of peace and social justice, particularly during the Vietnam War. Alfred Hassler was a prominent American peace activist and a leader in the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), an interfaith organization dedicated to nonviolence. Their collaboration significantly advanced the global peace movement and brought attention to the suffering in Vietnam. Alfred Hassler passed away in 1991 and we had the privilege of sitting down with his daughter, Laura Hassler, who shared many stories, anecdotes and wisdom from her father’s legacy, which has influenced her own peace activism work.
This workshop is a part of our Deer Park Monastery's Monthly Engaged Buddhism Series featuring Lay Dharma Teachers, OI Members and other Guests in the Plum Village Tradition. This series is for mindfulness practitioners around the world who want to learn more about engaged practice and how to build service-based mindfulness communities.
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