Press Release
International Day of Peace, 21 September 2007
PeaceWomen Across the Globe Celebrate International Day of Peace by Organising Exhibitions and Peace Events
Violence has many grimaces, human security many faces. The United Nations declared the International Day of Peace as a day of global ceasefire and an invitation to honour a cessation of hostilities. PeaceWomen Across the Globe oppose violence. At today’s International Day of Peace , we invite all to inform themselves about women’s efforts for justice and a future worth living, and to support their peace projects.
PeaceWomen Across the Globe is a network of women experts for human security and justice. The women live and work in regions affected by violence, war and injustice. “We call on political bodies and decision-makers to consider women’s knowledge and experience, be that at the local, regional or international level”, says Ruth-Gaby Vermot, the Swiss President of PeaceWomen Across the Globe. Only thus can we achieve the slogan “Another world is possible”, which thousands of participants at the World Social Forum in Nairobi put forward. This is also our motivation, beyond this year’s International Day of Peace.
The exhibition 1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe is our platform for reflecting on peace locally. Our notion of peace recognizes that lasting peace is more than the prevention of war and abuse of power by political means, democratic institutions or the rule of law. That is, the efforts of states are not enough and may not be the most effective for the realization of peace. We believe that any genuine concern for peace must recognize the everyday life as the site of contestation for a deeper understanding of the work in the building of affective bonds and cooperative relations among people and between people and nature – work essential for the guarantee of lasting peace. For instance, in Baku, Azerbaijan, where peacewomen from different Central Asian countries are compiling a training programme about the culture of peace. Or in Braila, Romania, where peacewomen from Romania and its neighbouring countries have come together to discuss urgent topics on violence. Or in Corrientes, Argentina, where peacewomen are organising a conference in the house of human rights “Curuzú Cuatiá”. Or in Delhi, India, where grassroots women are organising a peace celebration, in order to support themselves mutually.
“In Mali and Niger we would be happy if today would bring about a cessation of hostilities. People could cross the borders and visit the exhibition”, says our coordinator in Mali, Fatoumata Maiga. “But today, like every day, exploding mines will continue to maim people.”
We are deeply concerned about the wars and armed conflicts raging in many places in the world, which continues to displace and ravage the lives of millions of people especially women and children. We appeal to the international community to do everything in its power to end Israeli occupation in Palestine, to call on the USA to withdraw from Iraq, to stop the outrages in Sudan. PeaceWomen Across the Globe demand urgently that imminent escalations be prevented with all means and that wars and territorial occupations cease.
In 2005, PeaceWomen Across the Globe succeeded the project 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize. Its goal is to make women, who for the benefit of peace often risk their own security, more visible, more appreciated and better protected. Their expert opinions must flow into all decision-making processes. For further information: http://www.1000peacewomen.org/.
Contact in Switzerland: Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, +41 (0)79 345 58 18
Maren Haartje and Agota Hasenfratz, PeaceWomen Across the Globe, +41 (0)31 312 02 40
International Day of Peace, 21 September 2007
PeaceWomen Across the Globe Celebrate International Day of Peace by Organising Exhibitions and Peace Events
Violence has many grimaces, human security many faces. The United Nations declared the International Day of Peace as a day of global ceasefire and an invitation to honour a cessation of hostilities. PeaceWomen Across the Globe oppose violence. At today’s International Day of Peace , we invite all to inform themselves about women’s efforts for justice and a future worth living, and to support their peace projects.
PeaceWomen Across the Globe is a network of women experts for human security and justice. The women live and work in regions affected by violence, war and injustice. “We call on political bodies and decision-makers to consider women’s knowledge and experience, be that at the local, regional or international level”, says Ruth-Gaby Vermot, the Swiss President of PeaceWomen Across the Globe. Only thus can we achieve the slogan “Another world is possible”, which thousands of participants at the World Social Forum in Nairobi put forward. This is also our motivation, beyond this year’s International Day of Peace.
The exhibition 1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe is our platform for reflecting on peace locally. Our notion of peace recognizes that lasting peace is more than the prevention of war and abuse of power by political means, democratic institutions or the rule of law. That is, the efforts of states are not enough and may not be the most effective for the realization of peace. We believe that any genuine concern for peace must recognize the everyday life as the site of contestation for a deeper understanding of the work in the building of affective bonds and cooperative relations among people and between people and nature – work essential for the guarantee of lasting peace. For instance, in Baku, Azerbaijan, where peacewomen from different Central Asian countries are compiling a training programme about the culture of peace. Or in Braila, Romania, where peacewomen from Romania and its neighbouring countries have come together to discuss urgent topics on violence. Or in Corrientes, Argentina, where peacewomen are organising a conference in the house of human rights “Curuzú Cuatiá”. Or in Delhi, India, where grassroots women are organising a peace celebration, in order to support themselves mutually.
“In Mali and Niger we would be happy if today would bring about a cessation of hostilities. People could cross the borders and visit the exhibition”, says our coordinator in Mali, Fatoumata Maiga. “But today, like every day, exploding mines will continue to maim people.”
We are deeply concerned about the wars and armed conflicts raging in many places in the world, which continues to displace and ravage the lives of millions of people especially women and children. We appeal to the international community to do everything in its power to end Israeli occupation in Palestine, to call on the USA to withdraw from Iraq, to stop the outrages in Sudan. PeaceWomen Across the Globe demand urgently that imminent escalations be prevented with all means and that wars and territorial occupations cease.
In 2005, PeaceWomen Across the Globe succeeded the project 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize. Its goal is to make women, who for the benefit of peace often risk their own security, more visible, more appreciated and better protected. Their expert opinions must flow into all decision-making processes. For further information: http://www.1000peacewomen.org/.
Contact in Switzerland: Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold, +41 (0)79 345 58 18
Maren Haartje and Agota Hasenfratz, PeaceWomen Across the Globe, +41 (0)31 312 02 40
