Non-profit organizations focused on youth engagement and global education have experienced tremendous growth throughout the 21st century. These organizations combine creative learning with social values, where art and culture help people understand one another and communicate effectively. Hands-on programs and cross-border collaboration have formed the core of peace education discussions, with schools, organizations, and international partners coming together. In this regard, organizations that incorporate visual arts, literature, and hands-on programs have introduced new approaches to global education, aiming to create awareness and understanding among youth. Susan DiCicco Smith, also known by her professional name Sue DiCicco, has introduced new approaches through her organization, where she combines arts advocacy and global education outreach programs.
Sue DiCicco, through her organization Armed with the Arts, has introduced new approaches through hands-on programs, aiming to foster cultural understanding among youth worldwide. In early 2013, Sue DiCicco founded Armed with the Arts, a non-profit organization focused on providing children the opportunity for creative self-expression, while also promoting cultural understanding between nations. Armed with the Arts advocates for accessible arts programs where children can share ideas through drawings, paper folding, and storytelling, among other creative outlets for self-expression. In the same year, the organization introduced The Peace Crane Project, a hands-on initiative to promote peace between nations, particularly following the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. The project was designed to provide a structured approach to promoting peace, understanding, and empathy among the world’s youth.
The project, which began in 2013, has seen over 150 countries participate, with schools, organizations, and individual students joining the initiative every year. In addition, the project has introduced new approaches through Say It With a Crane, which offers students the opportunity for creative self-expression through dialogue, and Cranes for Sadako, a digital memorial program that honors Sadako Sasaki through hands-on programs and creative self-expression.
Independent media coverage has documented the Peace Crane Project’s reach and educational approach. The Christian Science Monitor reported on May 2, 2014, that DiCicco’s initiative engages children in making and sharing peace cranes as a form of global dialogue. Asia Society has featured the project within broader discussions of cultural programming and arts education in New York. The Elders highlighted the initiative as a model for youth engagement in global peace efforts, citing its integration of visual literacy and ethical reflection. Cultural News has described the Peace Crane Project as an example of an arts-based international educational program, situating it within global efforts to teach peace and empathy through participatory methods.
DiCicco’s research and authorship of The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki exemplify her commitment to accuracy and educational use. Published by Tuttle on October 13, 2020, the book was co-written with Masahiro Sasaki, Sadako’s older brother, and seeks to set the record straight about distortions and simplifications in the classroom treatment of her story. Based on historical sources and family testimony, this is the first English-language tool for teachers to offer students a truthful version of the events at the heart of the Hiroshima atomic bombing and the life of Sadako Sasaki. It is DiCicco’s emphasis on dependable historical information that allowed the work’s acceptance in schools.
The group’s work results in projects that ultimately achieve national visibility through visual identity. In 2025, the United States Postal Service announced that an origami crane folded by DiCicco would be featured on the 2026 International Peace Forever stamp. Commemorative stamps issued by the USPS find their way into millions of homes and are themselves illustrations of cultural and historical importance that Americans can universally identify with. The choice of a crane illustrates how far education and symbolic meaning, as represented in DiCicco’s work, can carry across media and institutional vehicles.Â
Armed with the Arts also includes initiatives designed to integrate art into formal and informal educational contexts. Through structured curricula and outreach events, children are encouraged to produce visual representations of peace, friendship, and cultural awareness. The organization’s materials and programming are designed to support teacher-led classroom activity as well as extracurricular projects, reflecting a model that bridges nonprofit programming, visual arts, and youth engagement. By incorporating elements of storytelling, visual literacy, and collaborative exchange, the programs aim to instill skills associated with creativity, reflection, and intercultural understanding.
DiCicco’s background in animation, publishing, and commercial art informs her nonprofit practice, providing professional experience in illustration, narrative development, and visual design. Her early career included employment at Walt Disney Animation Studios, followed by work under DiCicco Digital Arts and DiCicco Studios, producing both licensed and original content. This multidisciplinary foundation enables the translation of professional visual communication skills into educational contexts, where clarity of imagery and narrative are central to programmatic success. This nonprofit work brings together Sue DiCicco’s technical expertise with a commitment to promoting civic engagement and education.Â
The Peace Crane Project is a deliberate attempt to combine creativity with quantified educational outcomes. By tracking crane exchanges, collecting participant feedback, and creating virtual memorial activities, the group can monitor engagement levels and promote contemplation. Press coverage and organizational listings serve as evidence of international engagement with the project, which is presented as a compelling example of arts-based peace education. By combining hands-on creation with education on history and cultural studies, the Peace Crane Project brings Sue DiCicco’s work into the modern age of experiential education and cultural studies.
In all, Susan DiCicco Smith’s career as an arts advocate and non-profit founder is a meeting place between arts creation and international education. From the establishment of Armed with the Arts in 2013 and the Peace Crane Project’s growth, through the co-authoring of The Complete Story of Sadako Sasaki in 2020 and the design for the USPS 2026 International Peace Forever stamp, Sue DiCicco has engaged young people, cultural education, and international arts creation.
