Laughter is the best medicine - unless you're the butt of the joke; everyone is born equal - unless you're born different. These were the realities acknowledged by the group invited to WindReach Recreational Village yesterday afternoon to hear the inspirational message of Peter Yarrow.

To facilitate the development of Bermuda as the first country to become a ridicule-free zone was the challenge thrown out to those same members of the community - businessmen and women, educators, politicians, civil servants and members of the philanthropic community of Bermuda.

Mr. Yarrow's visit, sponsored by BELCO, British American Insurance Co. Ltd and the Bermuda Leadership Forum, was intended to provide the opportunity for those invited to attend to network, share values and ideas; to make a commitment to encourage Bermuda's children to be peacemakers and to explore the opportunities and tools to make this dream a reality.

Two such tools were presented during the afternoon. One was WindReach itself - the facilities and the opportunities it provides to make inclusiveness an everyday reality. The other was the 'Don't Laugh at Me' programme, one element of Yarrow's larger Operation Respect, which is steadily gaining momentum in the United States.

Yarrow explained that through the medium of music one can reach people who can't or won't be touched by words. Music is a tool for creating community, but the musician challenged his audience to go further and create a bond beyond the music.

His motivation is and always has been the realisation that we must live in a different way; we must find a way to resolve our differences without violence. The tool to untie the knot of hatred is forgiveness, but it is difficult to change the hearts of adults. Far easier is it to evoke a spirit of idealism and caring in children before they learn shame- and fear-based behaviour; far easier to give them the tools to become tolerant.

Yarrow was described by Stuart Hayward as a man who lived his ideals, and true to form he did not just speak his message, but offered his audience the experience of his message as well. After a brief introduction by WindReach founder, Sandy Mitchell, and Executive Director, Jacqueline Horsfield, Yarrow's presentation opened with the P4 choir of Gilbert Institute singing the theme song of the 'Don't Laugh at Me' programme accompanied by Yarrow on guitar - a 'goosebump' moment if ever there was one. Yarrow reinforced his message with song, including 'Blowing in the Wind' and 'Puff the Magic Dragon', which, he pointed out, reminds us that despite the loss of innocence, a part of us still believes in dragons.

The afternoon, ably emceed by Leo Mills, concluded with a promise of things to come. Ms Horsfield and delMonte Davis of the Bermuda Leadership Forum assured those assembled that the afternoon was a springboard for further action.

Outreach will continue with a television special on 13 January 2003 sponsored in part by the Department of Education and a 16 page supplement that illustrates the tenets of a strong and supportive society.

Those wishing to learn more about the 'Don't Laugh at Me' programme can lick on www.dontlaugh.org, and those wanting to explore the opportunities at WindReach can contact Jacqueline Horsfield at 238.2469.