Susan Carew-Holmes is an inspired individual who has spent many years working tirelessly in her effort towards building awareness of a global culture of world peace. Her vast plethora of international experience means that she is not only a passionate advocate for peace, but also an expert facilitator in delivering peace and nonviolence education, as well as creating positive peace through innovate programs and actions. Her aims are to actively explore the re-humanising effects of humour and positivity in realising human potential for a peaceful and sustainable world.
Susan Carew-Holmes is the founder and visionary of WorldPeacefull. Clowning as a peace building approach and peace education has a transformative approach to World Peace. Her life experience demonstrates the power of one individual when peace is chosen as The Way of life. As they say ‘you teach what you are here to learn’.
Susan studied Gandhi and visited his ashram in Gujurat and lives his vision: “to be the change you wish to see in the World”.
A quick summary:
Susan has had a broad experience having worked in 400 companies across a wide range of industries. She is a trained economist and has worked as a professional market analyst and entrepreneurial mentor.
In 1998, Susan suddenly dreamed she was teaching peace, her life completely changed. The dream was so powerful it led her on a journey to educate herself in Peace Studies to do whatever it takes to learn about peace within herself and then see it in the world.
In 2000-2001, Susan discovered the clown when she was inspired by Patricia Cameron Hill and Shayne Yates. This nurse and doctor team spoke of humour and healing and opened the door to clowning in hospitals. Susan spent a year clowning in The Canberra hospital. Learning to be a clown was the first step in learning about BEING peace and that Laughter is the best medicine. Clowns offer unconditional love to the public and are a model of peace through humour and harmony. They seek to bring joy into situations and to help people see the humorous side of life. It is an excellent way to reconnect people and to stimulate endorphins. Moreover, clowns create atmospheres of peace and acceptance. She has been clowning intermittently in hospitals until Covid-19 shutdown contact.
In 2002, Susan completed Peace Studies at La Trobe University. Her teacher was Dr Tom Weber a foremost Gandhian scholar. This course covered States, Nations and Security, Environmental Issues, South Asia and specifically Mahatma Gandhi’s principled nonviolence approach under tyrannical conditions.
2002: Susan was invited to Russia with Dr. Patch Adams the famous clown doctor. It was in Russia that she learned of the peace building through the power of clowning. The clown was experienced as the archetype of peace and generated trust, acceptance, love and friendship. The character, the jester of fool in particular, symbolises the ability to step outside the comfort zone and utilise the inner values that are metaphorically wrapped up in the bundle the fool carries into life. As the fool steps out into life another step materialises. The fool trusts the path of life and understands the purpose of life is joy. The real wealth or value of life is found to be within ourselves as values, peaceful intentions and behaviour.
2003-2004: Susan realised that effective peace can only occur through education. Susan produced the REAL HOPE peace, nonviolence and anti-bullying program and a wide range of programs designed to empower and instil peaceful behaviours in children. It is the first of its kind in the world. She has taught in a wide range of schools in Australia and across the world. The programs have been successful with Principals, teachers and children.
2004-2006: Susan sought to promote peace through the media as a radio presenter whereby she met and interviewed a wide range of peacemakers and community members, hence exploring the topic from a range of angles. In addition, Susan has been invited by universities, Rotary clubs/district conferences, community groups, peace groups and others to publicly speak about her REAL HOPE peace program. Moreover, she has been interviewed by radio, print media and television stations about her unique work and real hopes for peace in the world.
2007: Susan realised peace was not limited to schools and the streets she sought to extend peace into workplaces and created Funny business (Later Workplace Bullying Training Unit). The vision was to create workplaces that are harmonious, conflict resolving and balanced with a focus on wellbeing.
2008: Her education was further developed when she won a scholarship from a worldwide candidacy to study at Chulalongkorn University on the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program in Bangkok, Thailand. This both broadened and deepened her view that positive peace is essential for global transformation.
2010: Susan felt inspired to spread the message of peace by travelling the World. She travelling to 19 countries solo across Asia, India, Egypt, Europe, UK, Ireland, USA, Central and South America, New Zealand and returned to Australia. This experience revealed that clowning is a universal language. This experience was shared by inviting locals to clown out on the street. Susan spoke to many diverse people about their perceptions of peace in their lives and the world.
2011: On her return to Australia she decided to travel Australia to offer peace education by donation or free. Both journeys were to ensure she practiced inner peace and fearlessness. The philosophy of peace is until you find peace within you cannot create peace outside yourself. This equally applies to sustainability. Our desire for materialism stems from unmet needs and a grasping for fulfilment outside of ourselves, rather than realising we are complete within. Gandhi was accurate in his vision ‘to be the change you wish to see in the World’.
2012: Susan was invited to India by Humanitarian clowns. She travelled around India with 16 clowns from a range of countries. The clowns explored interaction with a diverse range of people from orphanages, HIV clinics, with leprosy, deaf, disabled and abandoned. The purpose of clowning is to spread peace by bringing hope, joy, love and a sense of unity to others thereby joining the human family. The space of joy is a place where we break down barriers and strangers become friends. Friendship is advocated by Patch Adams as his number one purpose and was the vision of Paul Harris’s (Rotary’s founder) message which is the foundation of Rotary.
In 2014, Susan was invited by the Rotary Club of Kyneton to travel to Nepal to teach Cultures of Peace to teachers and clown in remote schools. Susan aka Peacefull clowned in Kathmandu on public transport. In many places she visited it was the first time clowns had been seen and it was greeted with great joy and shared humanity.
In 2015, Susan was invited by Judy and John Stafford from the Rotary Club of Naracoorte to undertaken peace building in South Australia. She taught peace education, clowning around, visited nursing homes and peace building with Hazara refugees and leaders/community in a spirit of fun and humour.
In 2016, Susan started SPEAK UP 4 Oneness Media (US Blog Talk Radio) affiliated with Awake 2 Oneness radio in the USA. This was a pilot program. This work built on her years on community radio speaking about peace.
In 2016-18 she is working on early childhood education and peace in young children as a foundation.
Susan worked in a childcare centre in NSW in 2021 observing child behaviour, educators and parental needs.
2020-2023, Susan researched the global pandemic and the pharmaceutical industry.
2023, Susan worked on living simply so others can simply live. Experimenting with zero energy use.
2024, Susan re-started her call to action Happiness! Australia.
Susan believes when we all take responsibility for the world as it is today, then decide to make a new decision that a better world is possible, it will surely happen. Working with children has taught Susan that children just need the tools, as they have the ability to create a world worth living for.
You are welcome to visit the other site Worldpeacefull to explore the peace story https://www.worldpeacefull.com/public-speaking/
Susan has authored e-books with a further 7 books in process Click https://www.worldpeacefull.com/author/ https://www.worldpeacefull.com/author/