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Peace Is Here explores the deep architecture of a life unweaponed with a light-hearted touch and a scholar’s heart. Join Avis Kalfsbeek, writer of feisty fiction, for a daily curriculum of peace. We explore historic treaties, nature’s quiet wisdom, and the creative art-vision required for #TheGreatDisarmament. From deep-dive series on peace heroes to fiction stories and personal riffs, we look beneath the surface to see the peace that is already here.
Episodes
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Wednesday Dec 17, 2025
Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Anthony Trollope – Christmas at Thompson Hall plus The Next Peacelands
This episode features a short reading from Anthony Trollope’s 1876 holiday comedy Christmas at Thompson Hall—a story full of winter travel mishaps, sharp observation, and the small dramas that arise when families try to reach home in the busiest season of the year. Kitty reads just enough to reveal Trollope’s signature blend of social insight and quiet humor.
Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons.
For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or share how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay
- Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- Anthony Trollope – Christmas at Thompson Hall on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58558
Tuesday Dec 16, 2025
Tuesday Dec 16, 2025
Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: Arthur Conan Doyle – The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle plus The Next Peacelands
This episode features a brief seasonal reading from Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1892 mystery The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, one of the few Sherlock Holmes stories set at Christmastime. Kitty offers a short excerpt that highlights Doyle’s distinctive blend of sharp observation, social awareness, and moral inquiry beneath the mechanics of a crime story.
Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the cultural commons through grounded reporting and thoughtful storytelling.
For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or share “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay
- Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- Arthur Conan Doyle – The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/48320
Monday Dec 15, 2025
Monday Dec 15, 2025
Kitty Reads Holiday Lit for Peace: L. Frank Baum – A Kidnapped Santa Claus plus The Next Peacelands
This episode features a short, spirited reading from L. Frank Baum’s 1904 holiday tale A Kidnapped Santa Claus, in which Baum explores what happens when the world’s bringer of joy is interrupted by creatures who cannot tolerate generosity. Kitty offers only a brief portion—just enough to reveal how Baum used fantasy to examine moral courage, communal responsibility, and the fragile work of keeping goodwill alive in a troubled world.
Kitty O’Compost continues warming up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero), the forthcoming Peace Is Here series investigating peace, AI, and the cultural commons through grounded reporting and thoughtful storytelling.
For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or share how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- Music: “The Red Kite” by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW
Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay
- Peace Is Here upcoming series: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- L. Frank Baum – A Kidnapped Santa Claus on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/520
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol plus The Next Peacelands
In today’s holiday edition, Kitty O’Compost reads a short, seasonally grounded passage from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol—his mid-career meditation on generosity, personal transformation, and the moral imagination required to change one’s life. Kitty offers only a brief excerpt, enough to settle listeners into the thoughtful clarity Dickens brought to questions of compassion and social responsibility.
These December readings are part of Kitty’s warm-up for The Peace Experiments: Experiment Zero, the new Peace Is Here series launching on New Year’s Day.
The episode closes with a special holiday version of The Next Peacelands. Instead of the usual real-time list of warzones and weapons suppliers, this month’s practice offers the names of spiritual and humanitarian organizations working quietly and steadily for peace around the world—an invitation to join your intention with theirs during this reflective season.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- The Next Peacelands source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Database [as updated on Wikipedia.
- Music: "The Red Kite" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow
Intro Music: PulseBox on Pixabay
- Peace is Here podcast series Coming Soon!: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/19337
Saturday Dec 13, 2025
Saturday Dec 13, 2025
Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Leo Tolstoy – Letter to a Hindu plus The Next Peacelands
This episode includes a short reading from “Tolstoy’s Letter to a Hindu,” a late-life reflection on nonviolence, conscience, and the moral strength of ordinary people. Kitty offers only a brief portion, giving listeners a steady moment inside Tolstoy’s clear-hearted thinking.
Kitty O'Compost warms up for The Peace Experiments, the upcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the commons.
For this special holiday edition of The Next Peacelands, Avis Kalfsbeek changes her focus from the factual grounding of warzones and arms suppliers to highlight the spiritual organizations and networks actively building peace around the world.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- Music: "The Red Kite" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow
- Peace is Here podcast series Coming Soon!: The Peace Experiments
- Leo Tolstoy Letter to a Hindu on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7176/7176-h/7176-h.htm
Friday Dec 12, 2025
Friday Dec 12, 2025
Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Edgar Allan Poe – The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall plus The Next Peacelands
This episode features a short reading from Edgar Allan Poe’s playful tale “The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall,” a story that steps away from his darker moods and into a world of odd inventions and improbable journeys. Kitty offers just a brief excerpt, giving listeners a light, curious moment inside Poe’s imaginative side.
Kitty O'Compost warms up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero) , the upcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the commons.
The episode closes with The Next Peacelands, where Avis Kalfsbeek reads a real-time list of global warzones and major arms suppliers—an honest grounding in the world as it is, and an invitation to practice peace with intention.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- The Next Peacelands source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Database [as updated on Wikipedia.
- Music: "The Red Kite" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow
- Peace is Here podcast series Coming Soon!: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- Edgar Allan Poe – The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2147/2147-h/2147-h.htm
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Thursday Dec 11, 2025
Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Plato – Book XI “The Law of Treasure Trove” plus The Next Peacelands
This episode features a brief excerpt from Plato’s Laws, Book XI, where he reflects on the habits and challenges of retail trade and daily commerce. Kitty reads only a short portion, offering listeners a moment inside Plato’s practical, grounded side—less cosmic than the Republic, more tied to the rhythms of ordinary life.
Kitty O'Compost warms up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero) , the upcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the commons.
The episode closes with The Next Peacelands, where Avis Kalfsbeek reads a real-time list of global warzones and major arms suppliers—an honest grounding in the world as it is, and an invitation to practice peace with intention.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- The Next Peacelands source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Database [as updated on Wikipedia.
- Music: "The Red Kite" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow
- Peace is Here podcast series Coming Soon!: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- Plato – Book XI on Guttenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1750/1750-h/1750-h.htm
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Wednesday Dec 10, 2025
Kitty Reads Lit for Peace: Thomas Carlyle – Sartor Resartus plus The Next Peacelands
This episode features a brief reading from Thomas Carlyle’s Sartor Resartus, a playful and philosophical work that blends commentary, imagination, and the search for meaning. Kitty offers only a small portion, giving listeners a gentle, thoughtful moment inside Carlyle’s unusual world.
Kitty O'Compost warms up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero) , the upcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the commons.
The episode closes with The Next Peacelands, where Avis Kalfsbeek reads a real-time list of global warzones and major arms suppliers—an honest grounding in the world as it is, and an invitation to practice peace with intention.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- The Next Peacelands source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Database [as updated on Wikipedia.
- Music: "The Red Kite" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow
- Peace is Here Podcast Series Coming Soon!: The Peace Experiments
- Carlyle – Sartor Resartus on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1051/pg1051-images.html
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Tuesday Dec 09, 2025
Daniel Defoe – The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe plus The Next Peacelands
This episode includes a brief excerpt from Daniel Defoe’s The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, offering a small step into the early moments of the novel’s world. Kitty reads just enough to catch Defoe’s plainspoken tone and the quiet sense of possibility that opens the story.
Kitty O'Compost warms up for The Peace Experiments (Season Zero) , the upcoming Peace Is Here series exploring peace, AI, and the commons.
The episode closes with The Next Peacelands, where Avis Kalfsbeek reads a real-time list of global warzones and major arms suppliers—an honest grounding in the world as it is, and an invitation to practice peace with intention.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Contact Avis to say hello or let her know how to say “Peace is Here” in your language: Contact Me Here
- The Next Peacelands source: Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute’s Arms Transfers Database [as updated on Wikipedia.
- Music: "The Red Kite" by Javier "Peke" Rodriguez
Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW?si=uszJs37sTFyPbXK4AeQvow
- Peace is Here podcast series Coming Soon!: The Peace Experiments (Season Zero)
- Daniel Defoe – The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe on Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/521
Monday Dec 08, 2025
Monday Dec 08, 2025
In this episode, Avis Kalfsbeek shares the origin story of Kitty O’Compost, the warm-witted, plain-spoken reporter who has become a recurring voice on the Peace Is Here podcast. Avis explains how Kitty emerged as a character within this broader peace-studies project, and why a touch of satire can sometimes reveal truths that are harder to reach through straightforward commentary. Over the past couple of weeks, Kitty has been reading literature for peace on the podcast, and today’s episode explores why she belongs in this ongoing experiment in cultural storytelling and disarmament.
Avis also turns to The Next Peacelands, describing how this developing thread connects to the long-term mission of imagining peaceful futures, strengthening the cultural commons, and examining the technologies and habits that shape our ability to build a more livable world. The episode places Kitty, The Next Peacelands, and the larger Peace Is Here project within a shared commitment to inquiry, imagination, and the slow peace work of cultural and planetary repair.
- Get the books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
- Follow the podcast to get notified: Coming New Year’s Day! The Next Peacelands (Season Zero)
- Music: Nick Panek on Pixabay NickPanek620