One might ask what Burning Man Project and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) have in common. For those who know that either (or both) exist, you may be surprised to learn that Burning Man Project is a year-round global cultural endeavor, and that the United States has an Institute of Peace that is funded by Congress. Perhaps equally interesting is that Burning Man Project and the USIP have virtually the same founding date: The United States Congress authorized the United States Peace Act in October 1984, with the first office opening in 1986; Burning Man Founder Larry Harvey burned the first Man on Baker Beach in 1986.
It is not too far of a stretch to state that these twin impulses were engendered by the post-World War II generation, seeking — in their own way — a better world. Fast forward to 2016 when the USIP President, Nancy Lindborg, was anticipated as a…