Kelly Werner, Ph.D. delivers the Peace on Purpose globally for the United Nations. The United Nations Foundation has worked over the past three years to develop an innovative program that addresses the unique mental and physical challenges United Nations staffers face. The program’s grounding in research and focus on the unique needs of UN staff blends 17 tools to help participants reconnect with their purpose and why they joined the UN. Our hope is the tools we provide in the training will help the UN’s humanitarian and development staff improve their support to communities worldwide, as well as care for themselves in these stressful environments. It is designed to build resilience and confront the issues UN workers report feeling – ­burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress-related physical, mental, and relational effects.

Lululemon will commit $1 million USD over the next three years (2020-2023) to Peace on Purpose to expand the program and work to integrate the tools into the fabric of the UN. Peace on Purpose has piloted the program with several UN agencies in headquarters and in places like Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Sudan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Zimbabwe.Through the pilot trainings and workshops, we have reached more than 650 staff and we look forward to more impactful trainings in the next few years. With lululemon’s continued funding commitment and thought partnership, Peace on Purpose will aim to train 3,000 more UN development and humanitarian workers in-person over the next three years, build a hub of digital resources, and develop condensed trainings and curriculum translations to reach an additional 30,000 UN staff.