ROOTS OF PEACE FOUNDER HEIDI KÜHN APPOINTED TO SMITHSONIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL

SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, May 30, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Roots of Peace announces the appointment of Founder and CEO Heidi Kühn to a Smithsonian advisory council in Washington, D.C. The Council, established by the Board of Regents, provides advice and support to the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in meeting its mission of encouraging the understanding, appreciation, and vitality of humanity’s diverse living cultural heritage.

Robert N. Johnson, a Council member, praised Ms. Kühn's appointment, saying, "True global Borderless Humanitarian Angel! Our Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Advisory Council is so proud that Heidi Kuhn (2019 Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal awardee) will join our team!"

Kühn's nomination for membership on the Advisory Council came before the Smithsonian Board of Regents on April 3, 2023, in Washington, D.C. The Board voted to appoint Kühn to the Council for a three-year term, effective June 1, 2023. "The Smithsonian is a prestigious institution, and this appointment will strengthen our presence in Washington, D.C.," Kühn said. "Those who voted may be powerful advocates for our work in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and beyond."

For over twenty years, Roots of Peace has worked in war-torn countries around the world, facilitating the removal of over one hundred thousand landmines and unexploded ordnances. They have also provided food security to local communities in countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, Guatemala, Iraq, Israel and Vietnam. Kühn's visionary leadership was recognized when she was included in the inaugural Forbes 50 Over 50 "Women Who Are Leading the Way in Impact" List in 2021.
"Roots of Peace has been a catalyst for industry-wide development in post-conflict countries," Kühn said. "I am excited to bring this experience to the Advisory Council and continue to plant the Roots of Peace on Earth."

"I am excited to bring my experience with Roots of Peace to the Advisory Council and continue to plant the Roots of Peace on Earth," Ms. Kühn concluded. Colleagues welcomed her appointment to the Advisory Council. "The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is a marvelous place, engaged in important activities that foster understanding, appreciation, and respect for the diverse community-based cultural expressions of humanity," said Grgich Hills Estate CEO and philanthropist Violet Grgich.


ABOUT ROOTS OF PEACE
For over twenty years, Roots of Peace has worked in war-torn countries worldwide to remove the remnants of war, landmines, and unexploded ordinances and restore the land to rebuild peaceful communities for generations. Their award-winning methodology is rooted in providing market-driven solutions tailored to rural communities in war-torn lands, which catalyzes industry-wide development.

ABOUT THE SMITHSONIAN CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage uses the power of culture to increase understanding, strengthen communities and reinforce our shared humanity through rigorous research, educational programming, and community engagement. Through the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, exhibitions, documentary films and videos, symposia, publications and educational materials, the center works to sustain traditional and expressive culture such as music, language, and craft in a wide variety of locations around the world. For general inquiries, email folklife@si.edu.

ABOUT HEIDI KÜHN
Heidi Kühn is the Founder and CEO of Roots of Peace, launching the organization in 1997 with a vision of turning Mines to Vines. Kühn received the University of California at Berkeley Alumni of the Year Award for Excellence in Achievement in 2002, the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations Peace & Security Award in 2005, the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2006, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2007. Kühn also won the 2019 Mahatma Gandhi Seva Medal and was honored as one of the International Women's Forum's "Ideas Remaking the World" honorees in 2020. In November 2022, Heidi was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the American University of Afghanistan at a dinner hosted by former First Ladies Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.

Adriana Aristizabal
iVoice Communications
+1 917-833-0103
adriana@ivoice.agency