The Pittsburgh Peace Institute (PPI) was a private non-profit organization founded in 1984 in order to respond to the unavoidable increase in violence on a local, national, and international level. The institute was dedicated to providing community based education on the uses of nonviolence with an emphasis on programming for children and youth. In order to combat adolescent violence and promote diversity, the institute developed two successful anti-violence programs for schools: Making Choices, developed for middle school students, and Dealing with Prejudice, for high school students. The institute also offered a number of courses and workshops for adults that ranged from life skills, international issues, social justice and violence prevention. Additionally, the institute published The Peace Educator and The Subject is Nonviolence newsletters, as well as the books: Hammer of Justice: Molly Rush and Plowshares Eight; Simpleton Story: A Fairy Tale for the Nuclear Age; and Making Choices: A Program for Youth, which was used in conjunction with the Making Choices program in schools. The PPI was originally located between the neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside on Wightman Ave., before moving in 1990 to the East Liberty Presbyterian Church. After almost 15 years of working with the community, the organization dissolved in 1997.
From the description of Pittsburgh Peace Institute records, 1984-1997. (University of Pittsburgh). WorldCat record id: 701719609
