AUP History
	AUP's first major event took place in Lawrence , Kansas in 1983 at the Kansas Relays under the direction of Bob Swan. The Soviet track and field team and a contingent of U.S. track and field athletes conducted the first Peace Relay. As part of the closing ceremony, former U.S. and Soviet Olympians read a Proclamation of Peace at the site of the Elbe River monument in Kansas. The monument, along the Elbe River in Lawrence, celebrated the meeting of U. S. and Soviet troops as allies in 1945, which signaled the end of W.W.II. The historic event was televised in the United States, Soviet Union, Europe and China. In 1984, Athletes United for Peace became incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization and the national chapter was established in San Francisco by Phil Shinnick along with founding board members David Meggyesy, Laley O'Neal, Mike Mawby, and John Thomas. From that point, AUP embarked on it's long legacy of activities centered on preserving the Olympic Ideal and Charter, and promoting the concept of Sports Diplomacy. A big reason for much of the organization's early success was due to the organizing efforts of former NFL San Francisco 49ers quarterback Guy Benjamin. His vision and leadership enabled the organization to mobilize many commited athlete supporters to work at spreading the message of international goodwill around the globe.