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Issue a statement, press release or letter to the media, and
to the editor of your favourite newspaper or magazine to mark May 24,
International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament. Call for support for
civil society initiatives in the Middle East, not military action.
-
Organise a special interfaith worship service for women
peacemakers; take a collection and send it to a women's peace group in the
Middle East.
-
Download the action pack of the International Women's Peace
Service http://www.womenspeacepalestine.org/wall_packet.htm
to stop the wall currently being built between Israel and Palestine. If you
are a teacher or a professor, assign one of the background articles to your
class. Modify the letter to the editor for your local newspapers. Start a
campaign to get your city council or trade union to adopt the resolution
provided. Use the testimonials in your poetry, theatre performances and
vigils. Boycott and divest in any companies that benefit from the building
of the wall.
-
Encourage your religious leaders to speak out in support of
peace. Organise a workshop on women and peace issues at a seminary,
rabbinical school, madrasa or other places where religious leaders are
taught. Encourage their libraries to carry books and magazines on women and
peace. Organise a peace walk between local churches, synagogues and mosques.
-
Organise a celebration for peace on May 24; invite speakers
from groups such as the Muslim Peace Fellowship, or from the local mosque.
-
Support dialogue between Jewish and Muslim communities in
your area. Encourage joint peace initiatives that challenge violence in your
local community and throughout the world.
-
Issue a press release rating your legislators on their
efforts for women peace and justice.
-
Hold a fundraiser to jointly benefit a local peace group and
a peace group in the Middle East.
-
Support the United Nations "Decade for a Culture of
Peace and Non-violence for the Children of our World" (2001-2010).
Contact IFOR for more information.
-
Make a special effort to reach girls: talk with Girl
Scouts/Guides or other girl's groups about how war and peace affect girls.
Share an action with them like writing a letter to a government official or
to women and girls in one of the groups listed in this pack. Sponsor an
essay contest for girls to express their ideas about creating peace.
-
Encourage groups to include ending violence in their agendas
and events, and to increase their support for women in that part of the
world working for peace.
-
Inform your networks (your women's organisation, place of
worship, school, labour union, or work place) about May 24 and possible
solidarity actions for women peace activists.
-
Hold a gathering to write legislators on topics like ratifying
the nuclear test ban treaty, or the transfer of military funds to meet human
needs; or whatever is necessary for your community.
-
Encourage your school and community libraries to display on
May 24 books by and about women peacemakers (for example, set aside a table
near the entrance), violence against women or about women as decision
makers.
-
Organise a public panel, demonstrations or film showing on
May 24 to highlight women's work for peace. Invite women decision makers,
and women leaders from different ethnic and religious groups in your
community to speak about women's role in stopping violence.
-
Invite local women's organisations together to speak on how
women can contribute towards a culture of peace.
-
Plan a photo exhibit or music festival with local artists
that highlight the work of grassroots women activists.
-
Invite women from all sides of a conflict in your community
to come together on May 24 in order to explore ways to reduce tensions
within the community or neighbourhood.
-
Create a website about what women are doing for peace and
justice in your community, or link your existing site to ones listed in this
pack.
-
Create awareness in your community by holding marches and
demonstrations for peace which call for public commitment to end violence.
Carry posters, banners, etc. which contain clear messages and demands for
the local government.
-
Invite members of your community to write and submit poems
which reflect how violence against women during conflict has affected their
lives as well as the lives of close friends and relatives. Ask your local
newspaper to publish some of these poems and their authors. Hold a silent
candlelight vigil at the end of the readings in memory of all the women and
girls who have lost their lives to war.
-
Work with the local or state media to acquire programming
space where women peace activists can be highlighted.
-
Sponsor an essay contest which focuses on the positive steps
that governments have taken to ensure women's decision making in security
issues. Include recommendations for how your city, state or national
government can further promote a culture of peace.
-
Hold a festival with other groups or women business owners
in your town to celebrate women and a culture of peace. Include music, dance
and theatre performances as well as information booths to create awareness
of women's role in creating peace.
-
Contact your local radio or television station and see if
they would be willing to donate time for a public service announcement on an
issue related to women and peace and disarmament. For more information about
how to plan a radio campaign contact the World Association of Community
Radio Broadcasters tach@amarc.org.ec
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Organise a discussion group on ways to support women working
for peace in conflict situations
-
Translate and reprint the articles from this pack (please
credit the pack and don't forget to send us a copy) To educate others about
the issues.
-
Ask stores, libraries, city government buildings, local
radio stations etc. to declare themselves as violence free spaces on May 24.
Activities for this space might include: giving women an opportunity to talk
about solutions to tensions within the community, or about international
security, which they might not normally have the opportunity to do.
-
Ride public transportation on May 24 and distribute
information to women about local peace groups. Include telephone numbers for
peace organisations and organisations that work to empower women and girls.
-
Coordinate a city-wide essay contest for middle and high
school students with a special focus on the work of women and girls for
peace.
-
Contact community organisations and ask them to feature a
grassroots woman peacemaker in their newsletters
-
Learn more about the work of International Fellowship of
Reconciliation and International Peace Bureau.
Public figures and politicians are making Siemens an offer they
can't refuse. They want to buy the Hanau Plutonium Factory for 50 million and
one Euro before it is sold to China. China is offering only 50 million.
"We've no idea what China wants to do with the plant. I'm not putting money
on their guarantees" says writer Eric Loest.
I attended the second day of the ARPANSA (Australian Radiation
Protection & Nuclear Safety Agency) Forum and thought you might be
interested in my comments...
I attended the six-day World Social Forum in Mumbai (Bombay)
India from the 16-21 January 2004 with financial support from the Australian
Peace Committee, other peace groups and the Australian Democrats.
The Australian Peace Committee also organised for me...
A. whereas the 2000...
