A floundering museum dedicated to the pursuit of peace is striving to grab President Barack Obama's $1.4 million cash award for winning this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

According to the Houston Chronicle, "volunteers and supporters of the Dayton International Peace Museum are writing letters to Obama in the hopes of swaying him to make a donation. Dayton Mayor Rhiune McLin says city leaders also will reach out to the president. The museum's founders are also urging state officials to make an appeal."

Obama has announced that he will make a presidential tour to Oslo, Norway, to accept the award in December, and he intends to donate the money to charity. Robert Gibbs, Whithe House press secretary, said this month that Obama has not yet selected who will receive the cash.

Museum officials claimed they would utilize the prize money to expand peacemaking and conflict resolution programs in elementary schools and among young first-time offenders and at-risk youths.

As reported by the Chronicle, "the beating death of a Chicago honor student last motnh attracted Obama's attention. The president sent Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to the city to meet with students, parents and administrators. Federal officials also promised support efforts to stop youth violence nationwide."

The concept for the Dayton museum originated at a bus station diner in 2003 when Christine Dull and Ralph Dull, her husband, longtime peace activists who reside in the Daton area were on their way home froma visit of the United Nations in New York City.

Christine Dull recalled, "all of a sudden, I said, 'it's high time Dayton had a peace museum.' She claimed the couple felt inspired by the realization that there were thousands of war museums and memorials throughout the globe, but very few peace museums.

In 2005, the Dayton museum opened in a stately 1877 Italianate mansion. The Dulls and a  few others used their own funds to launch it, along with a $10,000 grant from a local organization that promotes grass-roots groups that support social change. The museum is not affiliated with any church or religion; and its status is non-profit.

To read the entire article from the Houston Chronicle, link here:

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