Creators of Peace Global Connections newsletter

JANUARY 2013 EDITION

Creators of Peace “Global Connections” A Newsletter for reporting the voluntary efforts of

women creating peace across the world’s divides

An international program of

Dear Creators of Peace friends and colleagues, How exciting to get a newsletter which will create a strong and active link within the worldwide Creators of Peace network !

This will enable us to follow the activities of Creators of Peace Circles around the globe and encourage us to share our precious experiences. From Geneva where we meet many committed women’s NGO’s, I trust that the newsletter will be a vehicle to reinforce the links of friendship, to get inspiration from each others’ efforts and initiatives, and to stimulate new ideas or partnerships among the Initiatives of Change (IofC) and Creators of Peace (CoP) network, and other women's groups dedicated to the search and the creation of Peace.

I hope it will contribute to pass on the special spark lit up by inner listening and silence, to busy women burdened with so many pressing needs and world concerns.

This comes with sincere wishes for a long and fruitful existence of this Newsletter, and a prosperous New Year for all Creators of Peace.

Dr Christiane Garin Al-Azhari, President

The Creators of Peace ‘Strategic Plan’ is launched - by Christina De Angelis At the Creators of Peace AGM Meeting in Caux 2012, the first Creators of Peace Strategic Plan was launched. The Strategic Plan was the vision of Christina DeAngelis to have a clear plan and direction for the next five years.

Following the AGM, a group of committed Creators or Peace women met in Caux over two days to develop a plan of action and to see how these directions are currently being implemented.

The Strategic Plan will also be used to obtain support of donors, sponsors and partners.

Strategic Direction 1: Expand CoP Circles: We are committed to support participants as they seek to practically implement their commitment to peace.

Strategic Direction 2: Explore new programmes and partnerships We are aware many of the women involved in Creators of Peace live in communities experiencing or recently recovering from violent conflicts.

We seek to empower them further by exploring opportunities to develop new programs and trainings to respond to specific needs and linking them with other peace building practitioners.

Strategic Direction 3: Build and consolidate our team We are committed to further building and supporting our team around the world. This team is made up of coordinators, facilitators, staff and all those who have experienced a Creators of Peace Circle.

Strategic direction 4: Develop our resources We seek to develop resources and obtain the necessary funding required for our work to be effective and sustainable.

Over the next five years, as we prepare for the 25th anniversary of Creators of Peace in 2016, we are committed to pursue the folTo obtain copies of The Strategic Plan email Christina De Angelis: lowing strategic directions identified as crucial to the effectivechristina.deangelis@googlemail.com ness and sustainability of our work

Regular Feature Article: “On reflection of my CoP Journey” Trish McDonald-Harrison Secretary Creators of Peace International Committee & International Coordinator “I felt a sense of relief when I finally understood Inner Listening. I cried uncontrollably. At last I’d found a way to do something significant in the world. I didn’t have to wait till I came up with a great plan and resources to make it work! I could begin now. I just needed to spend a bit of time each day listening to the deepest part of me - and to God… the steps would evolve.”

in Africa, women sharing their sense of loss at having their culture and laws disrespected and being dispossessed of their land.

For the first time I understood, at heart level, what my people inflicted on Aboriginal people in Australia. I can’t bear to think of it for more than a few seconds at a time.

It is so cruel and heartless ..and, I have walked on the other side of the street to avoid Aboriginal people, though I knew this treatment was wrong. I now have AborigiI was conscious of seeing my own prejudice. I nal friends and they have forgiven me. had a sense that “my kind” - Anglo-Christian, were more right or reliable. That sense was How did I connect with Creators of Peace? eroded. I was humbled by the strength of A chance meeting with a woman who told character and generosity of spirit of people of me how Creators of Peace gives a woman a many cultures and beliefs. I knew they were way to first get herself “in order” and then my teachers...and friends. help her family and community. That struck A great “dawning” for me came after hearing, a chord. I wanted that.

WHAT is a Creators of Peace Facilitator

by Jean Brown      

A CoP Facilitator is a practitioner not a theorist A CoP Facilitator is a guide not a teacher A CoP Facilitator is a midwife not a doctor A CoP Facilitator is engaged not aloof A CoP Facilitator is a learner not an expert A CoP Facilitator is human not a paragon of peace!

Creators of Peace “Global Connections” Newsletter - January 2013 edition

REPORTS OF CREATORS OF PEACE CIRCLES AROUND THE GLOBE

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Women finding their voices in Lebanon by Jean Brown and Kate Monkhouse Marie Chaftari, the two women who Looking across the Bekaa Valley to founded it, have built friendships the Syrian border, the context for across the divides of faith and culthe women meeting in the Creators ture amongst their friends. Lebanon of Peace Circle recently held in is avoiding major outbreaks of unLebanon could not have been more rest, whilst watching with concern relevant. Memories of their own the troubles in the north of the violent history still inform their relacountry around Tripoli and the detionships and attitudes. One Syrian Marie Chaftari Jean Brown facilitating ‘”Listening skills” Lina Hamadi teriorating situation in Syria. participant risked the journey across the border from Damascus. She was nervous to come, unsure of the reception tumn as well as a series of small Peace Circles Many people are anxious about renewed conflicts and keeping the peace is a key from Lebanese colleagues who had experi- started up in Damascus. theme for national debate. Stress and tenenced the Syrian occupation of their country during the civil war. She was welcomed with Reporting back from the week between the sion over many years has had a big impact open arms, affection and understanding – Circle experiences, several women talked of on daily life, family and health. Themes of from those who could offer empathy for her the inner peace that had remained with them; forgiveness, inner peace and qualities of a one spoke of a new awareness of her reaction- peace creator are as relevant for the home country descending into chaos. ary nature and how to pause and listen; an- and workplace, as they are for the public Creators of Peace coordinators, Jean Brown other reported that her family commented how sphere and politics. and Kate Monkhouse, were invited by Linal- different she looked and the daughter of anParticipants met at ‘ Days taki, a women’s movement, to Lebanon to other said ‘Mum, even your voice has changed!’ of Hope’ a centre for chilintroduce Peace Circles. Fourteen women, This had added significance as we looked at the power of women finding their voices for peace in dren with learning needs Muslim, Christian and Druze, took part over Lebanon. near Zahlé to the east of one weekend and eleven returned the second Beirut. weekend to receive facilitation training in order to set-up and run new Circles in future. Linaltaki, which means “let’s meet”, brings << Close friendships were made.

Two more Peace Circles are already being Muslim and Christian women together and Marie Chaftari farewells Iman Al runs summer camps for school children from planned, with another envisaged for the auGhafari from Damascus. different backgrounds. Lina Hamadi and

Creators of Peace Circles will continue in Damascus because it lifts our broken souls and hearts.”

by Iman Al Ghafari I live now in Damascus, my first home, after living in Canada for 6.5 years where I learned about IofC and Creators of Peace, and learned that we all have the same hope and same pain.

After experiencing Creators of Peace in Lebanon that wiped fear and doubt from my heart and dwelt hope and friendship instead. I started Peace Circles in Damascus, gathering 3 women living in my building and 2 others living in the same neighborhood, for 7 weeks. The group is still connecting. They don't want to stop meeting because it's a time for them to be themselves, open up to each other and be listened to without being judged. Interestingly, they share different opinions about what's going on in my country but respect and understanding has prevailed in the Peace Circle meetings.

“Our pains of wars, violence and hatred that have been happening in both countries, and our hopes and prayers for Peace and Love, have united us ...something politics could not “

pated in the Peace Circle in Lebanon. Now I feel I have a family there in Lebanon who care about me and pray for me and my country, and with God's will we will always be like family.

To share the blessings of the good intentions and wills with our people I suggested to support an orphanage near our area where we visited the children once, brought them gifts and encouraged them. 2 girls of 19 years run games and activities there. It is a chance for one of them who can't go to school to participate in the society and make a difference in others lives.

It was very different learning about peace when I was surrounded by peace. Now I am living surrounded by real conflict participating in a Creators of Peace Circle while experiencing war, anger and seeing blood around.

Now I ask God to help me practice what I believe in, to share what I learned, to change my heart to the better and use me to help others. I don’t know if we will wake up the next day alive or dead, but I do know that if I wake up I want to tell my people that we need to build peace.

Iman says, “There is no other way but listening with consciousness, compassion and values. I hear myself many times saying “we HAVE TO LISTEN to one another, we HAVE TO find a way to communicate before we lose more and more people.”

“Thank you Jean Brown and IofC for being with me during the sessions so I have a hand We have a lot of ideas to bring joy to these to hold when I stumble and get frustrated.” kids who have lost the chance to be taken care of by parents and families. I am sure the A joint initiative that has been taken up as light of the good work and peace will replace a result of Peace Circles in Damascus is: the clouds in Syria sky. Peace Circles have Some Lebanese and Syrian ladies will been a connection between some translate the Creators of Peace Circles neighbours who had a cold relationship, manual from English into Arabic. melting the wall of mis-understanding and That’s what happened to me when I partici- mis-judgement.

Creators of Peace “Global Connections” Newsletter - January 2013 edition

REPORTS OF CREATORS OF PEACE CIRCLES AROUND THE GLOBE

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Four Peace Circles ran in Burundi, Africa (translated by Kate Monkhouse) I have just come back from 4 Creators of Peace Circles, strongly exciting and very enriching, because they ran for a full week each in Burundi. Three or four were made up of women and men. One experience self -evidently for the Burundians who did not understand at all that such a “treasure” could be exclusively consecrated for women. “We have known the worst together, we have no taboos special to one gender here. We will come out of it together and all have a share” My two sisters from neighbouring Rwanda Marthe Dusabirema et Mathilde Kayitesi contributed to this success.

Martha co-facilitated the first circle with me where women leaders from Bujum-

CoP talks in Zimbabwe SA We’re planning two CoPeace Circles in February and September 2013 and a Facilitator’s Training in May 2013.

I’m also involved with our Provincial Hospital as a Board member. The Board has identified training needs for all Grades of staff 700 in all Our IofC team will be involved in a training program that will run 6 months, at this kind of training we get the opportunity to give talks on CoPeace Circles. The response has been very encouraging.

By Faina Katito

bura participated, while Mathilde dedicated the third circle to young people from Bujumbura Town and Rural Bujumbura. My sisters in Burundi were great and gave themselves generously.

Mylène and Martha were both able to share in taking part in and co-facilitating the four Peace Circles.

There is no doubt that these four circles will be followed by others, nearly all those that took part found that all Burundians should live and benefit from this experience, and that the Peace Circles will be indispensable for the Burundian people to enter serenely into the next process of “Truth and Reconciliation”.

By Daphrose Ntarataze

“We have known the worst together—we will come out of it together…”

The UGANDA CoP team are “on a quest” by Dorothy Tingu The Uganda CoP team comprises women from different ethnic groups and cultural background and they’re on a quest of peace building one person at a time through informal round table talks, prayer meetings, visits to schools, churches, and prisons.

We’ve set a goal to reach out to hurting communities via Peace Circles in the Hoima District, Lira, and Northern and Western Uganda.

In January 2012 a PC was held in one of the suburbs in Kampala attracting women of all The major reason for this focus is that a lot of ages and walks of life. Students from YMCA resentment and anger are building in Uganda participated and were encouraged to practice today as more and more people feel the pinch being peace makers in their communities. of economic inequality, rising costs of living and social evils such as blatant corruption and Refer to http://www.iofc.org/creators-ofescalating terror threats. peace the website for further information

The IRDP partners with CoP in Rawanda, Africa: by Mathilde Kayitesi The first Creators of Peace Circle was held in Kigal in November cle and Facilitator’s 2012 in partnership with the Institute of Research and Dialogue for training in 2012. IRDP Peace (IRDP). helped to launch the The Circle was part of IRDP’s program for enhancing the capacity of CoP circle that had women in peace initiatives, Ababibyi b’amahoro (translated as Creabeen planned for a tors of Peace), targeting women leaders in their own community. long time with DidaNine women engaged in initiatives within their communities such cienne Mukahabeshias churches, women’s associations, counselors for victims of sexual mana and other faciliviolence during the genocide, youth workers and so on. They tators. shared their experiences, often traumatic and also their willingness During the Circle, parto create change. ticipants became aware of the importance of personal transformation and how the exchange of experiences between women from different At the suggestion of Mathilde Kayitesi, after a visit from the Presi- countries can be very enriching dent of CoP, Dr Christiane Garin, the IRDP started a partnership with Creators of Peace by allowing its deputy Director Mukankubito They have expressed their desire to continue together and to reach Immaculee to attend the Caux conference in 2012. When she got out to other women leaders. back she introduced the Creators of Peace Circles into the Ababibyi They aim to write up their experiences of Creators of Peace Circles b’Amahoro program. and to have a CoP Facilitator Training in order to reach more women This first PC was facilitated by Mathilde Kayitesi and Marthe This first Creators of Peace circle will not be the last – but the beginDusabirema who had participated in the Caux Conference CoP Cir- ning of a journey.

Creators of Peace “Global Connections” Newsletter - January 2013 edition

REPORTS OF CREATORS OF PEACE CIRCLES AROUND THE GLOBE

Drawing strength from each other in Cameroon, Africa

by Portia Mosia and Jackie Euvrard In between the Peace Circle and training time for facilitators, we had a number of days to get to know the participants further which proved to be valuable time.

A guidance counsellor expressed that she had not shared her story with anyone else before.

She was asked what had inspired her to share? She said, “I wanted to find inner peace. I had bottled things up to bury my worry. I am at peace with myself now, restoring my self esteem and building confidence I never had before”.

The women looked at how they could put what they had learnt into practice besides taking personal steps in change, they showed serious concern for issues in their town and beyond and for the answers needed.

Women attending the All Africa conference in May 2012 in Cameroon showed keen interest in using CoP Circles in their areas.

This led to a return visit by Portia Mosia and Jackie Euvrard in November 2012 to conduct CoP Circles and train facilitators in English in the town of Buea. It was the first of two CoP Circles to be conducted, a second one will take place in French in We offered moral support to do a short presentation to the Christian Women's group Yaounde in February 2013. in the Presbyterian Church where a few of the An accountant, insurance broker, students p a r t i c i p a n t s Participants practicing and from Douala, and students and university attend; The Sacred Art of Listening p r e s e n t e d lecturers were part of the nine who care attended. Responses from participants at health issues to girls at first were more of an intellectual and academic nature.

As they allowed a bilingual High themselves to open up, the group came School in Buea. alive and shared honestly and deeply, Three groups especially about the breakdown of were formed to communication in family and relationships. look more in One participant said, “Exchanging depth into concerns of the way widows are experiences helped me to draw strength treated and abused; resource management from other's lives and build on mine.” and the dire water crisis and a proposal for the local municipal council on how to reach A uni lecturer expressed joyously “Life can out to others. One idea was to use Radio, Talk never be the same, I now look forward to Show, Awareness Seminars. better days” now that she was able to There’s great enthusiasm amongst the release burdens and emotion she had been participants to use CoP Circles in their carrying for many years. communities, as they had a deep desire for Through role play and different exercises others to experience what they had participants were able to put their lives into personally discovered. perspective motivating them to want to achieve more with their lives.

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A Healing Circle in Gold Coast, Queensland

By Lesley Bryant & Ella Luxton When Lesley did her facilitation training in Sydney, there were no other trained facilitators back in her hometown Brisbane, Queensland, so Ella Luxton and Lyn Twin who are IofC’ers agreed to help her co-facilitate a Peace Circle ….“we followed the Facilitator’s Manual verbatim!“

Then a further 10 women came together for a Peace Circle on the Gold Coast and Ella reports, It was a most wonderful Peace Circle. We were honored to have been part of everyone's story and rejoiced in the healing that took place.

Seeing how our Iraqi lady interacted with our Jewish participant was heart-warming to say the least; it is giving us all hope for a better world. Full praise for the creator of this concept that aids so strongly for forgiveness, understanding of where the other comes from, and guides us to a complete, gentle way of healing old wounds.

"Let us not dismiss the possible effect of one drop of peacemaking, however far away it may be from a conflict situation” - Jean Brown

A Creators of Peace Circle with an Indigenous Focus

by Glennis Johnston - Spiritual Director, Armagh Community , Melbourne Victoria Australia On 17th November 8 indigenous women aged from 15 to 40 years from Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, came to Armagh for a week-long cross cultural course in leadership. Some had never been in a large city before.

The program was designed to empower women to live effectively as creative change makers and nurturers of community. The Creators of Peace Circle was the focus of daily discussions, co-facilitated by Glennis Johnston (a white Aussie) and Chloe Jiang (Chinese), Other participants included a Korean woman and a young English mother. The program also included public speaking, and visits to places of interest for indigenous people.

Living in community together for a whole week offered us all an amazing glimpse into a very different culture. Sitting at the table over meals, with the women speaking Warumungu, we saw a very close kinship system at work. “Although many of the women have stories of being touched by multiple social problems, we were also witness to the strength of extended family ties and the perseverance of women in the face of hardship.”

Because many of the women had limited literacy, we recognised we needed to be flexible and so adapted the CoP Circle material to simplify it as necessary. The story of Margaret Tucker (an Indigenous IofC veteran) became an inspiration throughout the week, culminating in a visit to the Margaret Tucker Hostel and hearing from its indigenous founder, Walda Blow, what leadership means to her.

The non-indigenous participants expressed the importance of seeing into the world of Central Australian indigenous culture, and had learned a great deal about developing relationship with people culturally different. We all had a most enriching encounter.

Creators of Peace “Global Connections” Newsletter - January 2013 edition

REPORTS OF CREATORS OF PEACE CIRCLES AROUND THE GLOBE

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A first in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada by Melanie Klein & Shaneeza Nazseer The first CoP Circle in the Greater Toronto Area was held in November 2012. Led by facilitators Janyce Konkin (Calgary) and Shaneeza Nazseer (Toronto), the diverse group of women created supportive bonds of friendship over the span of a weekend.

Attendees allowed themselves to be vulnerable with new friends ent story from which empathy, by sharing turning points in their compassion and understanding lives. Every woman had a differ- emerged.

We went away with practical tools to enable us to be more effective peace builders.

We plan future CoP Circles in the Toronto region early 2013, followed soon after by facilitation training to expand this transformative program across Ontario and beyond.

To gather information and resources and keep track of all that’s happening across Can-

ada, the Programs Committee and the Council have put in place the volunteer role of a CoP Coordinator and Anne Hartnell has taken on the role for one year.

See the “Creators of Peace Circles Canada” promotional video on the Canadian website http://www.ca.iofc.org/ programs/intercultural

A practical introduction to CoP in Cote d’Ivoire Ivory Coast by Olga & Estelle (Kate

“True peace is not just the absence of conflict but the addressing of all the needs of human security: from hospitality to food provision; from friendship to shelter; from recognized identity to stable jobs. Women are ideally placed to engage with these needs from the grass roots in the market place, office, home and boardroom.”

by Pari Sanyu

Monkhouse translation) It’s with great joy we report that Estelle and Olga introduced Creators of Peace in Abidjan to nearly 80 women and some supporting men. The overall theme was “Women, where are you? Get up and fight!”. The event took place at the “Women’s Week” in their community from 29th May to 1st June. As part of the programme, an evening addressed the theme “Women Creators of Peace” in a practical and imaginative way. The event covered a presentation on CoP, an overview of the ten gathering points and practical experience of “What is peace anyway?” “Circles of Concern” and “What destroys and creates peace?” Interest and participation was strong and sincere amongst all, leading to 8 groups of 10 women. Our aim for a practical Introduction to CoP was achieved so we are now in the middle of preparing another session in the near future.

There are already some candidates to be facilitators.

Building trust through a Creators of Peace Circle can take many forms.

In this picture, during a Peace Circle run in Lebanon in a special needs children's centre last June, you can see that Jean Brown is having a ball with Maliha el Sadr and Lina Hamade!'

Forgiveness in play in the Solomon Islands: by Rachel Abi Following training given by Liz Weeks *Understanding the importance of inner listening & Helen Mills to women from across and quiet time; *Gained a new approach to life; Solomon Islands earlier this year, 16 *Began to see clearly how to start bringing a women attended the first CoP Circle, solution as a creator of peace; *Realisation of in Niukoloula village, East Guadalcafailure to create peace in the family. nal, in Solomon Islands, home of the Some Commitments that were made: *Will late Peace Creator, Susan Kukiti. start a new beginning in our own families; Newly trained facilitator Rachel Abi, *Gained confidence to share what we learnt in reports on some significant outcomes the PC; *Will try to have quiet time daily; shared in our Circle: *Peace is not *Ready to apologise and forgive our enemies; only without conflicts; *Peace creates *Women’s reunion once a week; *Ready to fora new spirit of understanding; *Peace give our inner being; *Call to community. starts within and comes from the heart; *True forgiveness starts Acknowledgements: Thanks to Winds of Change (IofC) for support from the heart; *Good listening can be transforming and life of human resources to assist in facilitating the CoP Circles. Priscilla changing; *It’s relieving to share your personal life story; and I facilitated with co-facilitators Veronica Gebe and Petty Kukiti.

CoP Circle in Greencoat Place, London UK by Kate Monkhouse Ten women gathered at Greencoat Place over a weekend in July to experience their first peace circle. For some it fulfilled a longstanding desire to take part, for others it was a new idea and invitation. We came from different backgrounds - Turkey, India, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Russia, UK - all Londoners either working, studying, looking after family or volunteering. With just two days together, we connected quickly over coffees grabbed on the way from the tube, cupcakes made to raise money for a charity trip, and our discussions

about what makes for peace. With a wealth of experience to share, we were able to offer perspectives to each other's situations whilst listening to each others' stories with respect and appreciation. We met again later in the summer to talk about what we had learnt and to agree actions that we would each pursue in applying the Creators of Peace approach at personal, community and project levels.

To see what else is happening in the UK, see us on http://www.ij.iofc.org/creators-of-peace Creators of Peace “Global Connections” Newsletter - January 2013 edition

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”A fitting celebration of a huge year of growth in Sydney”, Australia looked at the impact CoP Circles are having world-wide. Everyone participated in mini workshops exploring the CoP gathering points: “What creates peace”, “What destroys it”, and “The qualities of a peace maker’.

formed and members meet monthly via Skype to plan events and generally brainstorm new ideas to expand the scope of CoP work in Sydney.

Six CoP Circles we held in the northern, eastern and western suburbs of Sydney; and two “Introduction to CoP” sessions were held in the east; a Facilitator’s (weekend residential) Refresher Course facilitated by Jean Brown was held in the beautiful Brahma Kumaris Wilton Spiritual Centre. Eight enthusiastic Photo by Shoshana Faire graduates of CoP Circles recently completed Nearly half of those a weekend Facilitation Training session.

Zohra Aly wrote: “It was unanimously that attended were new to Creators of Peace. agreed that the 2012 Annual Reunion and They listened to personal experiences of past Recently Sydney Facilitators had a social Celebration was ‘the best ever’.” An invita- participants and gained insights into how their catch up to ‘Welcome in 2013’ to reflect on our progress in 2012; and, not resting on our tion in six languages was sent out to women lives had changed for the better as a result. all around Sydney inviting them to It was a fitting celebration of a year of huge laurels, to reflect on where we could do bet“contribute to creating a culture of peace”. growth and development of CoP in Sydney. ter and brainstorm new directions for 2013.

An incredibly diverse turnout of more than Following a Strategic Planning meeting held in We all left feeling greatly inspired and ex100 women enjoyed the day’s program June, a Sydney Coordinating Action Team was cited about our plans to expand our work for Creators of Peace . which centred on the purpose of CoP, and

DONATIONS ARE NEEDED

CoP global network plans to date:  NORWAY: CoP Circle January 2013

 CANADA: January 2013 CoP Canadian film to be screened at Missions Film Festival  ZIMBABWE: Two CoP Circles planned for February and September 2013 and Facilitation Training in May 2013  SOUTH SUDAN: CoP Circles planned by Jean Brown as part of an IofC initiative to support peace & reconciliation in Sudan  KENYA: Creators of Peace Regional Gathering May 2013  SYDNEY, NSW: Five CoP Circles are planned to take place in the north, west and south eastern suburbs in the first 6 months of 2013  GOLD COAST, Qld: CoP Circle in February 2013.  CAMEROON: CoP Circle in French in Yaounde in February 2013.  SYDNEY, NSW: Facilitation Training to be held in Sydney March 2013 NEED A CO-FACILITATOR TO DO A CoP CIRCLE WITH YOU IN YOUR AREA? NEED FACILITATION TRAINING? Contact: JEAN BROWN: jean.brown@iofc.org or CHRISTINA DE ANGELIS: christina.deangelis@googlemail.com

Congratulations Ann & Kimanthi It’s understandable that Ann Njeri’s wedding plans for her marriage to Kimanthi in November 2012 took precedence over her role as Editor of the CoP International Newsletter.

THANK YOU ANN for being our Editor for the past 2 years.

The Executive Committee and Coordinators that are currently serving Creators of Peace

Executive Committee President: Christiane Garin Al-Azhari (appointed President 2009-12 and International Co-ordinator 2008-13) Treasurer: Monica McIntosh (2008 – 13) Secretary: Trish McDonald-Harrison (2009–13) International Association Liaison: Jean Brown (2008-13) International Coordinators: Christina De Angelis (2008 – 13) Didacienne Mukahabeshimana (2008 -13) Amina Dikedi-Ajakaiye (2008 -13) Tehmina Siganoria (2008 -13) Vijayalakshmi Subrahmanyan (2009 -14) Joanne Nabbanja (2009 – 14) Ann Njeri Ndiangui (2009 – 14) Kate Monkhouse (2011 – 16) Regional Coordinators East Africa: Dorothy Tingu West Africa: Rita Dikedi (per Jean Brown) North Africa: Suad Omer El Mubarak (per Jean Brown) Southern and Central Africa: Jackie Euvard/Angie Katito UK and Western Europe: Su Riddell South America: Helena Salazar (Von Armin) North America: Kathy Aquilina Country Coordinators Malaysia: Regina Morris

Creators of Peace is a voluntary not-for-profit program that depends entirely on the belief and commitment of our dedicated CoP volunteers.

However we need funds to:  Respond to requests from regions of post conflict for CoP Circles, and Facilitation Training.  Help subsidize our volunteer Facilitators to travel across the world introducing CoP Circles and/or Facilitation Training  Enable some staffing to provide essential services to develop our worldwide network.  Have capacity to reimburse expenses laid out by volunteers for printing, photocopying, catering supplies, etc .

TO DONATE: Talk to a local CoP Coordinator OR, Creators of Peace has an account with The UBS Bank in Geneva, Switzerland.

Bank account details are: UBS Current A/c No. 0279 205561.60E IBAN : CH050027927920556160E BIC : UBSWCHZH80A

ATTENTION FACILITATORS! STAY CONNECTED!!!

BE PART OF THE CREATORS OF PEACE GLOBAL NETWORK SHARE YOUR CoP CIRCLE REPORTS, PHOTOS, STORIES, AND FUTURE PLANS IN THIS NEWSLETTER SUBMIT (no more than 200 words) FOR THE NEXT EDITION NOT LATER THAN ARPIL 2013 to: threepillars@ozemail.com.au

Editor and Producer: Tanya Fox, Sydney Australia threepillars@ozemail.com.au Co-Editor: Christina DeAngelis, Sydney Australia christina.deangelis@googlemail.com

Creators of Peace “Global Connections” Newsletter - January 2013 edition