Fostering Peace Through Open Dialogue
To counter the roots of violence and the crisis of attention among the next generation, we lead seminars on timeless ideas and classical literature in the U.S. and abroad. We are a registered nonprofit educational initiative, shaped by the St. John's College seminar tradition — 'the most contrarian college in America' (NYT) — and inspired by the UWC movement's vision of education for peace.
A Different Way to Learn
Traditional education centers on one voice — the teacher's. Students listen, take notes, and search for the "right" answer.
Our approach is different. In a Socratic seminar, every voice matters. We think together, question deeply, and discover meaning through dialogue.
Modern Classroom
One speaks. Many listen. Questions have one right answer.
Socratic Seminar
Everyone speaks. Everyone listens. Questions open new ways of thinking.
A glimpse into the atmosphere of our seminars
This short film was created with our Eastern European students to capture the spirit of our project. It follows the same Socratic format we use in every class — speaking one by one, asking questions, and listening deeply, but this time, the conversation is about the project itself.
Why "Svet"
✨ Our name comes from the Slavic word for "light" (a root shared among Slavic languages) — a symbol Leo Tolstoy often used to describe the quiet inner work that makes peace possible. As he writes in War and Peace:
"He saw above him the high, eternal sky—unclear, yet infinitely deep and alive with light [svet]."
Leo Tolstoy's vision reminds us that true peace begins in the human heart.
🌱 "Svet" is an invitation: to seek clarity, to listen honestly, and to let dialogue illuminate what divides us. We chose this name because our seminars aim to kindle that same light in young people.
The Proof Behind the Method
Spark empathy and creativity
Reading and discussing Great Books helps us step into another's perspective and imagine new possibilities. Research evidence.
Build critical thinking
Socratic Dialogue train us to question assumptions, weigh evidence, and reason more clearly. Research evidence.
Transform conflicts into understanding
Through shared inquiry, disagreements become opportunities to connect rather than divide. Research evidence.
Strengthen focus and attention
Sustained reading and open dialogue develop the ability to concentrate deeply in a distracted world. Research evidence.
You can explore a more detailed overview of how our method is supported by research here.
Courses & Partnerships
"As far as I know, this is the first time that students, in a very formal way — explicitly — want to use the St. John's College seminar mode as the way to solve a very big project, which is the psychology, history and toxicity of history that leads to conflict."
🏆 Projects for Peace 2024
Selected as recipients of the prestigious $10,000 Projects for Peace grant through Middlebury College's Kathryn W. Davis Collaborative. Our "Svet Summer Seminar Program" successfully brought together students from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus for collaborative literary discussion during a time of conflict. Read the full interview.
💙 Every Donation Is Doubled
We are grateful for the support of an anonymous donor who is matching every single contribution made to Svet. This matching effort doubles the impact of each gift and helps us sustain our current programs while moving closer to funding our first full operating year beginning June 2026. If you'd like to take part in the matching effort, you can support us here → Donate (matched 1:1)
Winter 2025
Short Stories Seminar for Teens (NYC, in person)
This 8-week seminar invites New York City high school students to read one short story per week (Chekhov, O'Connor, and others) and explore it together in an open, thoughtful atmosphere.
Winter 2025
"Music and Meaning" Seminar (Española YMCA Teen Center, New Mexico)
In collaboration with the Institute for Classical Dialogue, this 12-week seminar uses music and short video clips as a natural doorway into dialogue for teens in Española, New Mexico, who rarely enjoy reading but respond strongly to sound, rhythm, and emotion. Each meeting begins with a song or clip and leads into a guided conversation that helps students listen deeply and express themselves with confidence.
Spring 2025
Readings in Russian Short Stories and Poetry
Through some of the most vivid voices of Russian literature, we explored how questions of beauty, morality, and human destiny are expressed in short form.
- Anton Chekhov — Gusev, The House with the Mezzanine
- Yuri Mamleev — The Building Manager Before Death
- Andrei Platonov — Immortality
- Joseph Brodsky — Notes of a Fern
Fall–Winter 2024
History and Evolution of the Soviet Project
A close reading of excerpts from early Soviet and anti-Soviet thinkers exploring the formation, ideals, and contradictions of the Soviet experiment.
Summer 2024
Eastern European Literature
An intensive exploration of pivotal works that shaped Eastern European consciousness and political thought.
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — The Gulag Archipelago (Nobel Prize 1970)
- Svetlana Alexievich — Secondhand Time (Nobel Prize 2015)
- Nikolai Ostrovsky — How the Steel Was Tempered
How Your Donation Helps Us Build Peace
Sustain current seminars
Running a 3-month in-person course costs about $400 (excluding staff time). Your support covers space, books, materials, and student engagement.
Keep our programs free
Your contribution helps us offer free seminars to students in the U.S. and abroad — reaching over 150 learners yearly.
Become a monthly supporter
Monthly gifts help us plan ahead, keep seminars free year-round, and make Svet's program schedule stable for students. Even $10/month creates dependable support for each new discussion cycle.
Fund the year ahead
We are raising $65,000 to sustain Svet from now through our first full operating year (June 2026–May 2027), supporting staff time and materials for 15 seminar cycles. This includes support for our current programming (Jan–May 2026) and our full 2026–27 operating year.
Unlock larger institutional support
Demonstrated community backing helps us qualify for foundation grants and long-term partnerships.
Want to understand where these numbers come from?
Yearly Priorities (Fall 2025 → Fall 2026)
Over the next year, we are focusing on five core priorities that will help Svet Peace Project grow sustainably and deepen its impact.
🙌 Donor Outreach
Initiate outreach efforts to cultivate new donors.
📝 Grant Applications
Submit applications for multiple grant opportunities.
📊 Evaluation Tools
Develop tools for program evaluation and feedback.
🚀 Scale Programming
Expand programming based on developing partnerships.
🔍 Annual Review
Conduct a comprehensive annual review of activities.
Where We Work
We bring our seminars to students everywhere:
In U.S. public, private, and homeschool settings
In international programs, especially the Post-Soviet region
Online, open to learners worldwide
Project Founders
Our founding partnership emerged from a shared academic vision during our university studies. We recognized the profound need for accessible alternative educational pathways that leverage literary analysis as a foundation for critical thinking and intellectual development.
Kanstantsin Tsiarokhin
Kanstantsin grew up between Minsk, Belarus and Kyiv, Ukraine, where he absorbed the post-Soviet region's rich cultural complexity and political tensions. His path in education began early in Minsk, where he founded conversational English courses that brought together students from different backgrounds — an experience that shaped his commitment to accessible and dialogical learning. After relocating to Berlin in 2022, he achieved fluency in German and immersed himself in European intellectual traditions before completing his undergraduate studies at St. John's College. Now based in New York City, Kanstantsin teaches at a public school and continues to pursue his passion for philosophy and pedagogy through the Svet Peace Project, where he brings together his cross-cultural experience and deep belief in the transformative power of dialogue.
Amir Bergen
Amir is an entrepreneur and a senior student at St. John's College. Born in Russia, he began his education at an Orthodox Classical Gymnasium, which sparked his lifelong interest in tradition, dialogue, and the life of ideas. His background spans Eastern Europe, with roots and family ties across several countries in the region. Before coming to St. John's, Amir studied at UWC Dilijan in Armenia, where he encountered a truly global approach to learning — one grounded in reflection and shared inquiry. Outside of academia, he founded and developed one of Russia's largest vintage clothing stores, which grew into a thriving community around creativity and sustainable fashion. At St. John's, he continues to explore how education can cultivate independence of thought and meaningful understanding rather than rote knowledge.
Board of Directors
We are officially registered in the State of New Mexico as Svet Peace Education Initiative Inc., a nonprofit organization. Alongside co-founder Kanstantsin Tsiarokhin, our Board of Directors brings together deep expertise in education, leadership, and peacebuilding:
Charles Bergman
Charlie is an educator and former international consultant with decades of leadership experience in both business and schools. He began his career with IBM, helping establish IBM China, before turning to education as a program director and head of school in California and Oregon. At St. John's College in Santa Fe, he revitalized the Office of Personal and Professional Development, expanding opportunities for student growth. He holds a B.A. from Amherst College, an M.S. in mathematics from University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. in East Asian Studies from Stanford University.
Victor Kazanjian
Victor is a global peacebuilder, leadership coach, and educator dedicated to transforming conflict through dialogue and compassion. He formerly served as Executive Director of the United Religions Initiative, guiding interfaith peacebuilding efforts across more than 100 countries. His earlier work as Dean of Intercultural Education at Wellesley College and Fellow in Peacebuilding at UWC-USA reflects his lifelong commitment to spiritual and social transformation.
Kathleen Longwaters
Kathleen is a Tutor (professor) at St. John's College and a scholar of literature, philosophy, and South Asian cultures. Before her academic career, she worked in genetics research and helped establish a cytogenetics laboratory in Germany. A Fulbright-Nehru recipient and multi-fellowship awardee, she has conducted research in India and Norway, where she also gave talks on ancient South Asian medicine and poetry readings in English and Urdu. Her work bridges Western and South Asian traditions, fostering cross-cultural understanding through classical texts and reflective dialogue.
Contact
Email: info@svetpeace.org
Phone: (505) 310-0190
Instagram: @svetpeaceorg