“A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” Jesus says in this Sunday’s gospel, emphasizing the depth of his care and concern for the faith of his followers. Peace can be achieved if world leaders are willing to dedicate themselves deeply to making it happen and young people are encouraged to get involved, said leaders attending the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates 2012 in Chicago this week.

Poverty, lack of education, and arms proliferation present daunting obstacles, speakers said, yet progress is possible if the commitment is there on the part of leaders and young people care enough to get involved. Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, ex-presidents Mikhail Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union and Lech Walesa of Poland, the Dalai Lama, and Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebad were among the Peace Prize winners attending during the three-day gathering of Peace Laureates and humanitarian organizations.

Carter said that, as the last global superpower, the U.S. has a responsibility to be a leader in peace efforts and set an example to the rest of the world. Instead, he said, the U.S. is "too inclined to go to war" and is contemplating going to war again, "perhaps in Iran."

It is the first time the Nobel Peace Prize summit has been held in North America. Former President Bill Clinton gave the keynote address Monday, during which he praised actor Sean Penn, who Wednesday received the 2012 Peace Summit Award for his work in Haiti. "Sean Penn, as I have always said, is not a drive-by celebrity in Haiti," Clinton said. "He is the only movie star I've ever known to move into a [muddy] tent for three months."

Sources: Articles by Tammy Webber for The Huffington Post and Dahleen Glanton for the Chicago Tribune