This important addition to the archives’ collections on peace and citizen diplomacy reflects Dorothy Kilian’s work on US-Soviet relations and peacekeeping activities from 1977 to 1988. During this time, Ms Kilian was based in Pasadena, California, where she participated in peacekeeping efforts through her church and several local and national peace organizations. The scope of her work included youth peacekeeping education, women in peacekeeping, US-Soviet relations and citizen exchanges, Soviet religion and the relationship between faith and peace, SALT and nuclear arms proliferation, and national security, as well as human rights.
The collection contains handwritten and typed correspondence and notes, pamphlets, and information deriving from the peace and international relations conferences and workshops she attended (notes taken during those meetings are included). Some of the major organizations Ms Kilian interacted with were the All Saints Peace Committee, National Peace Foundation, Interfaith Center to Reverse Arms, and Catholic Peace Coalition.
This collection serves as an excellent complement to numerous collections on peace and citizen diplomacy, including the Betty Cole Papers, Ernest W. Lefever Papers, Barbara DeKovner-Mayer Papers, Servas International records, Center for Civil Society International records, Forum for U.S.-Soviet Dialogue records, and many others.
