▁equality ▁prev ails ▁and ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁women ▁and ▁girls ▁are ▁ful filled . ▁Cross ro ads ▁International ▁bel ieves ▁in ▁active ▁citizens hip , ▁equ ity ▁and ▁divers ity , ▁solid ar ity ▁between ▁the ▁North ▁and ▁South , ▁innov ation ▁and ▁learning , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁trans par ency ▁and ▁account ability . ▁ ▁History ▁Cross ro ads ▁International , ▁originally ▁established ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁Operation ▁Cross ro ads ▁Africa , ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁pre acher ▁James ▁H erman ▁Robinson , ▁who ▁promoted ▁his ▁vision ▁of ▁One ▁World . ▁He ▁believed ▁that ▁people ▁are ▁fund ament ally ▁more ▁similar ▁than ▁dis similar , ▁and ▁that ▁by ▁living ▁and ▁working ▁together ▁we ▁can ▁create ▁a ▁cross ro ads ▁of ▁cult ures ▁and ▁personal ▁experience ▁that ▁ultimately ▁supports ▁positive ▁individual ▁and ▁social ▁change . ▁In ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁the ▁civil ▁rights ▁movement ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Robinson ' s ▁innov ative ▁and ▁inclus ive ▁ideas ▁of ▁encourag ing ▁collaboration ▁between ▁black ▁and ▁white ▁Canad ians , ▁Americans ▁and ▁Afr icans ▁in ▁development ▁projects ▁drew ▁many ▁volunte ers . ▁That ▁is ▁how ▁Peter ▁Par ris ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Cross ro ader ▁to ▁head ▁over se as ▁when ▁he ▁volunte ered ▁in ▁Niger ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁mand ates ▁quickly ▁multip lied . ▁Ten ▁volunte ers ▁went ▁abroad ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁ 2 5 7 ▁volunte ers