John Wallach

John Paul Wallach, (January 18, 1943 – July 10, 2002) born in New York City, was an American journalist, and author. He served as foreign editor and diplomatic correspondent for Hearst newspapers for nearly 30-years, traveling to more than 70 countries with five different Presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Wallach founded Seeds of Peace, an international summer camp that brings children together from all over the world who are dealing with war and conflict. After the September 11 attacks, Wallach hosted a five-day conference that brought visitors and representatives from all over the world to support the prevention of terrorism.

Wallach was the son of German Jews, Paul and Edith Wallach, who escaped Nazi Germany in 1941, after the government took possession of their family's clothing factory. Wallach died of lung cancer in New York City; he was survived by his wife, Janet, and two sons.

Career Wallach served as foreign editor and diplomatic correspondent for Hearst Newspapers, joining the Washington office in 1968; he served with the organization until 1995. During his career, Wallach traveled to more than 70 countries with five different Presidents, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

In 1972, Wallach was elected as president of the State Department Correspondents Association, representing over 400 correspondents in 30 countries. He was the first Visiting Affairs Correspondent for the BBC in 1980.

In 1995, Wallach retired from Hearst, in order to work full-time with Seeds of Peace. In 1999, a Seeds affiliate was opened in Jerusalem.

In 2002, Wallach died of lung cancer in New York City; he was survived by his wife, Janet, and two sons. 1985 Overseas Press Club Award for his series of radio programs based on his course on "foreign policy and the press." 1988 The Weintal Prize for Diplomatic Reporting (special citation). The award was presented by the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University. 1991 The Soviet Medal of Friendship, from USSR President Mikail Gorbachev . The award is the highest civilian award. 1994 Washingtonian of the Year, Washingtonian magazine. 1997 The Jordanian Legion of Honor Medal, on behalf of the late His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan. 1998 and 2000 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Peace Prize 2002 International First Freedom Award by the Council for America's First Freedom. 2005 Wallach was posthumously named as a Distinguished Alumni of Scarsdale High School.

Wallach was also the recipient of the Edwin Hood Award for his foreign policy reporting in breaking the Iran-Contra story, three other Overseas Press Club awards, the B'nai Brith for exposing the plight of Soviet dissidents, and the 1978 Raymond Clapper Award for outstanding journalism (Second Place), given by the White House Correspondents' Association. The new Palestinians: the emerging generation of leaders, co-author with wife, Janet Wallach, Prima Publishing, 1994. Arafat: in the eyes of the beholder, co-author with wife, Janet Wallach, Carol Publishing Group, 1997. The enemy has a face: the Seeds of Peace experience, co-author with son, Michael Wallach, United States Institute of Peace Press, 2000.