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Circles for Peace

Thursday, April 27, 2006

'Every person has a story to tell and a need to be heard'

'Every person has a story to tell and a need to be heard' is one of the guiding principles of a series of Women's Peace Circles which have been taking place in Australia, Malaysia, the US and Lebanon under the umbrella of IofC.

The circles grew out of the Creators of Peace women's network whose conference in Uganda last year was reported in For A Change (Vol 18 no 4). They bring together six to 12 women from different cultural backgrounds and faiths to explore their ability to create peace. As they work through a series of topics, participants are encouraged to share something of their personal stories in an atmosphere of trust and respect.

Peace circles have taken place in Adelaide, Melbourne and, most recently, Sydney, where women from Lebanon, Kenya, Iraq, Rwanda, Burundi, India, Holland and Australia took part. Comments from participants included:

'I can't be a prisoner of my past. I choose to forgive.'

'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.'

'Offering hospitality is a way of building peace.'

Eight more peace circles are starting up in Sydney this year-including one for men.

Jane Mills