We are Guestbook Project

Our mission is to promote peacebuilding through storytelling. We believe that exchanging stories is at the heart of conflict resolution. The key to mutual understanding and reconciliation between opposed people and peoples is communication, which is sometimes overlooked, but it still is a valid approach that provides a necessary supplement to the standard models of law, economics and politics. Narrative exchange calls for imagination, empathy and invention in emerging generations. If stories divide people, they can also be a powerful force of unity and mutual understanding.

Guestbook Project encourages, rewards and publicizes the most innovative narrative models for advancing peace and reconciliation.

Richard Kearney


Co-Director

Professor of philosophy and author of many books on themes of narrative imagination, hospitality, and healing.

Sheila Gallagher


Co-Director

Professor of studio art and multimedia artist whose work explores themes of interreligious imagination.

Matthew Clemente


Co-Director

Research Fellow in the Center for Psychological Humanities and Ethics at Boston College

Richard Kearney introduces Guestbook Project

Our Team

Melissa Fitzpatrick


Director of Pedagogy

Assistant Professor of Management, College of Business Administration, Loyola Marymount University

Urwa Hameed


Assistant Director of Communications

Student at Boston College Law School; Founder & President of Free Immigration Services, Inc.; and author of Steering Towards Change

Peter Klapes


Executive Manager

M.A., Philosophy, Boston College, '22

Jared Highlen


Director of Media

Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy with research interests in hermeneutics, phenomenology, and political philosophy.

Slide We believe that stories of peace transform the storytellers and their listeners alike. Elise Zoli, Chair

Board of Directors

Elise Zoli, Chair
Petra Belkovic
Aidan Browne
Jean Duff
David Goodman

Mark Goodman
Joe Lambert
Esther Mombo
Siddhartha
Sue Schardt

Advisory Board

Anne Bernard Kearney
Diana Boros
Matthew Clemente
Paul Freaney
Gregory Fried
Schalk Gerber
Urwa Hameed
Jared Highlen
Fanny Howe
Sarah Kearney
Sarit Larry
Jeronimo Ayesta Lopez

Nithin Monteiro
Jim Morley
Brian O’Donovan
Michaila Peters
John Peto
Robert Savage
Yolande Steenkamp
Kevin Sweet
James Taylor
Brian Treanor
Austin Williams

International Partners

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Want to Get Involved?

From video initiatives to performances and seminars, Guestbook has many ways you can get involved.