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Prayers for Peacemakers: Pray for the people of Chile and Haiti

On his tour of the quake-damaged area of Concepcion and the nearby port city of Talcahuano last week UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon observed: "Your people were generous enough to rush to Haiti when it was hit. Now it is the moment for the international community to stand with the Chilean people. I can feel all this, for your loss, for your struggle.” As we continue to support Haiti in our prayers and relief efforts, may we also embrace the suffering in Chile.

[Cross-posted from the Montreal Gazette's University City blog]

Dr. Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts on behalf of human rights, especially those of women and children, in her native Iran, will be in Montreal Wednesday as a guest of the Concordia Student Union.

Last fall, Ebadi, a lawyer and former judge who is the first Muslim woman to receive the Peace prize, said her Nobel medal had been confiscated on the orders of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, which also froze her bank accounts, claiming it was owed $410,000 in taxes on the $1.3 million prize money.

Ebadi, who has strong ties to this city – her daughters studied international law and engineering at McGill – will speak on "Women, Peace and Iran" as part of the CSU's week-long celebration of women, beginning with International Women's Day on Monday.

The event takes place Wednesday, March 10 at 5 p.m. in Room H-110 of the Henry F. Hall building, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.

Images: International Women's Day

MCC's International Women's Day slideshow:

In honor of International Women’s Day, on March 8, we lift our voices in thanks for the courageous women around the world who work, sometimes against great odds, to improve their livelihood and communities, support their families and open doors to a brighter future.

Prayers for Peacemakers: Pray for the shopkeepers of Hebron

Pray for the shopkeepers of the Old City of Hebron. Shuhada Street, their main commercial thoroughfare, has been closed to Palestinian traffic for years by Israeli order. A few shops remain open as a sign of resistance.

Prayers for Peacemakers: Pray for Afghanistan

Pray for Afghanistan as the population faces changes to the country's election law. These include the removal of the three foreigners appointed by the United Nations to the five-member Electoral Complaints Commission designed to look into voting fraud. The changes would also limit the number of women in the Afghan parliament.

Prayers for Peacemakers: Civilian Deaths in Iraq

Iraq Body Count reports that violent civilian deaths in Iraq have fallen from 200/week in 2008 to 100/week in 2009. Pray that this violence declines and a just and stable peace emerges.