The Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.
--Black Elk, Oglala Sioux
Last month, the ePhilanthropy Foundation named Peace x Peace the 2007 Best Community Building/Volunteerism and/or Activism Campaign as part of its 2007 International ePhilanthropy Awards.
You may have seen Peace x Peace in O, The Oprah Magazine several years back. Established in 2002, Peace x Peace's Global Network connects women's groups (Circles) across the globe to foster understanding and support actions that creates peace. For example, the Philosophy Cafe blog recently connected their Circle, in Saudia Arabia, with a Sister Circle in Oregon. In a post on the Tharwa Review, Patricia Smith Melton, the founder and chairperson of Peace X Peace, describes how Peace X Peace connects Palestinian and Israeli women:
Now Peace X Peace members throughout the region work hard to meet with each other (where and when it is legal) and with our Palestinian and Israeli liaisons in or near Jerusalem. They email each other, plan to visit refugee camps together, and some call each other "sister". While some women are not interested - some Palestinians particularly refuse to meet with Israelis - many Peace X Peace members are frustrated at their inability to be together easily, to be friends face to face.Though the Peace x Peace site, you can start a Circle, or connect an already existing Circle to a Sister Circle in the Global Network. You can also listen to audio interviews with inspiring women and peacemakers in their Voice x Voice section, call the Act Now! Peace Action line to talk to a real person (an amazing feat these days) who will help your Circle create an action plan, and read their blog, Week x Week.
Peace x Peace is presently looking for a Women's Global Roundtable Intern to contribute to the direct marketing of their Women’s Global Roundtable:
The Women's Global Roundtable is a new live teleconference program that brings to life the stories of women from around the world. Peace X Peace interviews a different woman from a different country weekly. After the interview, any audience member can ask her questions and explore directly with the featured speaker.Whether through Giving Circles or Sister Circles, in a world, at least in the US, where individualism and private property rule, perhaps we are learning, as Corey Pudhorodsky often says on his 501c3Cast, "If we keep working together, it will get better."
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Hi!
ReplyDeleteI work for Peace X Peace and I came across this recent blog post. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on how we CAN make a difference when we work together! This is exactly the way Peace X Peace has been growing and spreading into more than 60 countries! Thank you for all you do . . . and if you'd like to write more regularly for us, or do blog dropins about the values you promote here in the name of Peace X Peace, please let me know! molly@peacexpeace.org.
Thanks for the comment, Molly. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteHello, Britt. I'm a staff member at Peace X Peace, and I was thrilled to discover the mention on your blog just now. (No, there really aren't kabunches of us -- just about a dozen.) We do think you're wonderful! I hope you'll register with Peace X Peace and experience what happens when you get matched with a woman on the other side of the world. We'll have a new website on standing with the Iraq women up soon. Watch for it!
ReplyDeletePeace and joy,
Mary
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteI cross-posted the piece on BlogHer as well:
http://www.blogher.org/
connecting-sister-circles
-peace-x-peace-global-network
gmnThis is a wonderful comment and keep writing for us.
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Angel
Wide Circles
Peace x Peace's Global Network is world wide network running throughout the world. this blog is right blog to persons who are willing to work in Peace x Peace's Global Network. thank you.
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Brook
Wide Circles