Thich Nhat Hanh and Alfred Hassler shared a profound partnership in the pursuit of peace and social justice, particularly during the Vietnam War. Alfred Hassler was a prominent American peace activist and a leader in the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), an interfaith organization dedicated to nonviolence. Their collaboration significantly advanced the global peace movement and brought attention to the suffering in Vietnam.
Alfred Hassler passed away 33 years ago in 1991 and we had the privilege of sitting down with his daughter, Laura Hassler, who shared many stories, anecdotes and wisdom from her father’s legacy, which has influenced her own peace activism work.
Laura Hassler is the founder and director of Musicians Without Borders, an international organization that uses music to promote peace and social change. Hassler started the organization in 1999 in response to the war in Kosovo. She is a musician and peace activist who grew up during the American Civil Rights Movement. Hassler has spoken about the power of music to heal, connect, and create empathy in the face of conflict and war.
Watch the interview here:
During Laura’s visit to Deer Park Monastery, Sister Trung Chinh, the Sister Abbess, invited her to tour Thay’s dwelling in the nunnery.
Thich Nhat Hanh & Alfred Hassler
Thich Nhat Hanh, as a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, and peace activist, sought to bring international attention to the suffering caused by the Vietnam War. Hassler, a seasoned activist in the U.S., provided the platform and resources to amplify Thich Nhat Hanh’s voice globally.
Together, they helped mobilize Western audiences, particularly in the United States, to understand the devastation in Vietnam and to advocate for nonviolent solutions to the conflict.
Hassler played a pivotal role in publishing Thich Nhat Hanh’s influential book Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire (1967). This book shed light on the war’s human toll and presented a Buddhist perspective on peace and reconciliation, galvanizing the anti-war movement.
One of their most notable joint projects was the creation of The Miracle of Reconciliation (1965), a comic book aimed at educating young people about the power of nonviolence. Hassler and Thich Nhat Hanh collaborated to tell the story of Thich Quang Duc, the Vietnamese monk who self-immolated in protest of the war. The comic was distributed widely, offering a poignant and accessible entry point to understanding the Buddhist commitment to peace.
Hassler and the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) helped raise funds and awareness to support Thich Nhat Hanh’s grassroots humanitarian organization, the School of Youth for Social Service (SYSS). SYSS trained young people in Vietnam to rebuild villages, provide medical care, and support displaced communities during the war.
Hassler was instrumental in arranging Thich Nhat Hanh’s visits to the United States in the 1960s, during which Thich Nhat Hanh met key figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and addressed the U.S. Congress. These efforts strengthened international calls for an end to the Vietnam War and for the recognition of nonviolent approaches to conflict resolution.
Their partnership bridged cultural and spiritual divides, showing how interfaith and intercultural cooperation could work toward a shared vision of peace.
Together, they modeled a way of merging Buddhist philosophy with Western activism, inspiring future movements for nonviolence and mindfulness in action.
Thich Nhat Hanh and Alfred Hassler’s work continues to resonate, reminding us that peace begins with understanding, compassion, and a willingness to collaborate across boundaries.