Creators of Peace

Around the world people are linking up through an innovative Creators of Peace program. This initiative invites women and men of all nationalities and backgrounds to discover their own peace-making potential. Initiator of the program was Anna Abdallah Msekwa, Minister of State in the Office of the Tanzanian Prime Minister and veteran of women’s organisations. She urged people to “start initiating peace in the world from where you are, in your heart, in your homes, workplaces and community”. “We all pretend to believe that someone, somewhere is the stumbling block (to peace)…Could that someone be myself?” She said that the individual is the key to peace.

The Peace Process:

• In ourselves- where personal transformation and healing liberate us from bitterness and selfishness to discover our own contribution as peace makers.
• In our homes- where forgiveness and honesty harmonise family relationships to create centres of peace for the community.
• In our communities-where respect and understanding of differences free us from prejudice and allow us to live creatively with others to resolve sources of conflict and injustice.
• In our world- where dealing with the root causes of conflict and working for reconciliation provide the impetus for creating a better world in partnership with all.

Objective of Creators of Peace Circles:

To create a space for women of different cultural backgrounds and faiths to explore together their own peace-creating ability to generate peace in their homes and in the wider community.

How Creators of Peace Circles are run:

A group of six to twelve women meet weekly or fortnightly in a private home or other space for six 2-hour sessions to:

• Share their stories with each other in an atmosphere of trust and respect.

• Work through a series of topics and exercises designed to help them become more aware of their peace-making potential.

Participants will need to be able to commit to:

• participating in the whole six sessions

• honest sharing and good listening within the group and

• contributing generally towards building an atmosphere of trust and respect

It is hoped that:

• Some ongoing friendships may be fostered and community peace building initiatives explored
• Every person has a part to play and something to contribute
• Every person can start the process of transformation in their own life
• Every person has a story to tell and a need to be heard
• Every person can be a compassionate listener to the Truth within, to the truths of others, to the needs of the wider community
• Listening to what others have experience and suffered changes our thinking. Maybe we can change things
• I can't be a prisoner of my past. I choose to forgive
• You can't make peace between right and wrong. You need to educate yourself on the issues
• Islam is not terrorist. I worry about my children's generation
• I've held anger and disappointment inside me for many years. I am confronting this and starting the healing process
• If you have suffered, you can help others and stand beside them
• Offering hospitality is a way of building peace

Please visit our global Creators of Peace website or send us an email