Kind Words

Dr. Jane Goodall

“There are an estimated sixty million landmines in over sixty countries, [the] aftermath of civil wars. They maim or kill farmers and children. They also cause terrible harm to animals, domestic livestock and wildlife alike. . . . Thank you, Heidi Kuhn, for writing Breaking Ground, [which] discusses this mostly forgotten aspect.”

—Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute, and UN Messenger of Peace

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

“Guided by the leadership of Heidi Kühn, Roots of Peace has saved lives, transformed communities, and advanced peace around the globe. Long after the bombs have been silenced and the peace treaties have been signed, the deadly threat of landmines remains. We must maintain our drumbeat of activism and action until every child and parent can live free from the senseless devastation caused by landmines. Thank you Heidi Kühn, for your work healing war-torn communities by turning these fields into productive farmland to grow and sell crops on the global market. Your steadfast dedication to securing peace and ensuring economic empowerment for so many is critical and greatly appreciated.”

—Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives

Judy Collins

“In Heidi Kühn’s new book, Breaking Ground, the power of humanity and good over evil is clear as a bell. This is Heidi’s extraordinary journey of planting grapevines where there were once landmines, and hope where there was once despair. Heidi is a woman who has put her life on the line for peace, justice, and renewal—echoes of the work that was done by Princess Diana as well as thousands of others in the fight against terror toward children and other living things in the struggle to eliminate landmines around the world. Heidi is my hero and will be yours when you read her new amazing book.”

—Judy Collins, Singer, Songwriter, and Activist

Ambassador George Moose

“As her memoir documents, Heidi’s own walks through minefields were the beginning of a much longer journey, one inspired by her determination to transform a history of fear and tragedy into a story of hope and triumph. Her determined pursuit of her vision of turning mines into vines has spared thousands of real people from death and disfiguration, while giving them new livelihoods and new hope. Breaking Ground is a testament to Heidi’s faith and raw courage and to her persistence in the face of seemingly impossible odds. It is an affirmation of the human capacity to do good in the world, one that could not be more welcome or more timely.”

—Ambassador George Moose, Vice Chair, U.S. Institute of Peace

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan

“[Heidi Kühn has] turned mines into vines by replacing the seeds of destruction with the seeds of life . . . and [she has] shown the world that, even with modest beginnings, a partnership backed up by persistence can make a real difference.”

—The Late Kofi Annan, Former United Nations Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon

“More than a dozen United Nations entities play a role in mine-action programs around the world. But much of the actual work is carried out by courageous and stalwart nongovernmental organizations like Roots of Peace. Together, in recent years, we have cleared tens of millions of square meters of land, destroyed hundreds of thousands of mines, . . . and educated millions of people about mine issues. Behind these numbers are moving stories of limbs spared, lives saved, and anguish avoided. . . . Mine action does more than avert suffering; it lays the foundation for development and peace. Roads once unusable fill with traffic; land once laid to waste sprouts with hospitals and homes, schools, and crops. This is tangible, meaningful progress. I commend Roots of Peace for its leadership in international efforts to replace the detritus of war with the fruits of peace.”

—Ban Ki-Moon Former United Nations Secretary-General

Gillian Sorensen

“Heidi Kühn embodies the notion that one person can make a difference, can change lives, and [can] save lives. . . . Roots of Peace has helped clear land, fund training for deminers in that dangerous work, and discover what plants—grapes, pepper, nuts, other fruits— can thrive in that soil. She has built partnerships here and abroad, made countless trips to the front lines, raised millions to underwrite the cause, helped wounded survivors, and saved countless others. Breaking Ground tells this compelling and moving story. Heidi Kühn is an inspiration to us all.”

—Gillian Sorensen, Former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations

Cheryl Jennings

“I have walked through minefields with Heidi Kühn in Afghanistan, Vietnam, and the Middle East. I covered the stories of the nonprofit she founded for more than fifteen years as a news anchor. . . . Heidi Kühn is an extraordinary visionary who is following her dream to stop landmine violence around the world. Her courage is undeniable [and her] commitment is unstoppable, as Roots of Peace replaces landmines with grapevines or pepper vines or fruit trees in war-ravaged nations. . . . I was a witness to highly successful efforts in Afghanistan and Vietnam, where sustainable agricultural production is working to bring economic prosperity. Please read this book. It may inspire you to believe in your own dreams of making positive changes in our world.”

—Cheryl Jennings, Emmy Award–Winning Journalist

Pat Mitchell

“From her days as a producer reporting for CNN in the Soviet Union to surviving cancer and ultimately pioneering a new path to remove landmines and heal the wounds of war, Heidi Kühn has taken a dangerous path towards peace . . . quite literally replacing the dangers of landmines with roots for vines. In her new book Breaking Ground, she inspires us to do our part, to get engaged, and [to] support innovative solutions that plant the seeds for future prosperity and peace.”

—Pat Mitchell, First woman CEO of PBS, Current Chair of The Sundance Institute, and Author of Becoming a Dangerous Woman: Embracing Risk to Change the World

Major General Barbara J. Faulkenberry

“Prepare to be amazed and inspired! Heidi Kühn weaves a tale of motherhood, empathy, and empowerment. Her belief is powerful— belief in God, belief in the goodness of communities everywhere, and absolute belief that she could make a global difference.”

—Major General Barbara J. Faulkenberry, US Air Force

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich

“Heidi’s passion for advancing peace through the elimination of landmines has been evident since I first met her in 1997. As a survivor of war, I know firsthand its awful results and have supported her vision to turn mines to vines, starting in my homeland of Croatia. Her story will inform and move you.”

—Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, Founder and CEO of Grgich Hills Estate, Napa Valley, California

Daniel Yuval

“I was injured by a landline in Israel when I was eleven years old. Immediately after my injury I was determined to take action. I didn’t want anybody else to suffer like I did. Fortunately, I was approached by the amazing people of Roots of Peace. Together, we [drafted] a historic humanitarian law to remove all landmines in Israel. . . . That’s when I met Heidi. She inspired me never to give up. . . . You will love her book Breaking Ground, as it is a true story of seeking peaceful solutions in our one world!”

—Daniel Yuval, Landmine survivor, Israel

Tali Yuval

“It was horrifying to see my husband, Guy, carry my son, who was missing a leg, as bloodshed shattered our lives. Almost immediately, Heidi Kühn connected with us and helped us to rehabilitate as a family. Working with my son, Daniel, [Roots of Peace] helped to bring forth the historic [Minefield Clearance Act] in March 2011. As a mother, I hope that Breaking Ground will be translated into many languages, as landmines know no borders!”

—Tali Yuval, Mother

General John F. Campbell

Mother of landmine survivor Daniel Yuval, Israel “Breaking Ground is an elegant and insightful look into [Heidi Kühn’s] story and vision of making a difference in war-torn lands—a truly remarkable approach of removing, restoring, and rebuilding that has and will continue to make a huge impact on future generations to come, not only in Afghanistan but all over the world. Heidi’s passion and dedication to this mission [are] truly inspirational; it is a powerful and deeply personal story that the world needs to hear. . . . We talk about changing the hearts and minds to win the fight—her actions have changed not only the hearts and minds but the outlook for a better life for so many.”

—General John F. Campbell, US Army

Mayor John F. Dunbar

“Heidi Kühn is a force. The energy, dedication, and purity of mission she expresses in her personal life is matched only by her focus to eradicate landmines across the globe. Her book, Breaking Ground, documents the challenges she has experienced in her own life and how she has transformed her own hardships into inspirational teachings that children and adults can understand and use to improve their own lives. How Heidi touches people around the world is spiritual, practical, and symbolic, as she leads the effort to rid the world of landmines and literally plants seeds for a future that will be safer and more prosperous for generations.”

—John F. Dunbar, Mayor of Yountville, California

Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn

“[Heidi Kühn] is driven by a compassionate humanitarian impulse to rid the world of . . . threats to innocent civilians and especially children. [She] has been living this theme through her Roots of Peace organization in those parts of the world still beset with these long-lasting killers.”

—Kenneth M. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize Foundation and former US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia

Claes Nobel

“[Heidi Kühn’s] work of uniting people across the world by eliminating landmines and replacing them with food, spices, and flowers is fantastic— an achievement that deserves to be supported and recognized.”

—Claes Nobel, President, United Earth