wfn.org | Peace to the City Campaign

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)]

Reply-to: owner-umethnews@ecunet.org (United Methodist News list)
"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (296
notes).

Note 294 by UMNS on Sept. 2, 1997 at 16:20 Eastern (2662 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Linda Bloom                             482(10-71B){294}
          New York (212) 870-3803                    Sept. 2, 1997

Seven cities start new 
WCC campaign against violence

               by United Methodist News Service

     Groups in seven cities will work to create a global network
for peace in a new campaign sponsored by the World Council of
Churches' (WCC) Program to Overcome Violence.
     Jan Love, a United Methodist from Columbia, S.C. and WCC
Central Committee member, was among those launching the campaign
Aug. 31 during a three-hour ceremony in Johannesburg, South
Africa. The preacher was Bishop Mvume Dandala, presiding bishop of
the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.
     "Our whole intention is to really reinforce the message that
peace is practical and peace is possible," Love told United
Methodist News Service.
     For years, people of various faith groups have worked
locally, she added, "to create reconciliation, mediation,
negotiation, resolution of disputes ... to find peace with justice
in their own place."
     The new campaign shines a spotlight "on a handful of places
where we know these kinds of efforts are happening," Love
explained.
     Peace to the City focuses on the city itself as a microcosm
of both destructive forces and creative initiatives needed to
overcome violence. Imaginative efforts to build bridges and
reconcile communities drawn into conflict by violence will be
stressed.
     Coordinators in each of the cities will focus efforts there
on a particular facet of violence: political violence in Durban,
South Africa; sectarian violence in Belfast, Northern Ireland;
ethnic violence in Colombo, Sri Lanka; youth violence and violence
against women in Boston; street violence in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil; ethnic violence and the defense of indigenous rights in
Suva, Fiji; and urban violence in Kingston, Jamaica.
     Outside of those cities, others engaged in peace-building --
churches, religious groups, peace and justice organizations,
individuals -- are encouraged to participate in the network as
well.
     To facilitate participation, the WCC's Internet web site will
link the projects and offer news, information, chat groups and
opportunities for further networking. The address is
http://www.wcc-coe.org/pov. A video and book about each city's
experiences also will be produced in time for the WCC's 1998
Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe.
                              #  #  #
     

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------