After learning Costa Rica didn’t have an army, Rita Marie Johnson moved there from the US in 1993.  Now she serves as director of the Rasur Foundation in Costa Rica, which she founded in 1998, and Rasur Foundation International in the US, founded in 2009.  In 2002, she created BePeace, a practice that combines a scientifically tested method for “feeling peace” with a sure path for “speaking peace” that creates an authentic, compassionate connection. By 2005, BePeace won the Ashoka Changemakers Innovation Award, chosen from 79 projects in 32 countries. BePeace has been implemented in 18 schools in Costa Rica and is beginning to be offered in US schools.  Johnson initiated a Ministry for Peace bill that passed in August 2009. She was named as Costa Rica’s representative to the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments for Peace, resulting in Costa Rica hosting their 2009 Summit with over 200 people from 41 countries.  Johnson served the UN University for Peace from 1999-2002. Currently she teaches the BePeace Foundations Course there for graduate credit. This course is approved for US college credit and is offered by the National Peace Academy. Johnson has also introduced BePeace in Canada, Europe, Japan and Central America.