A symbol of peace from a legacy of war

Between the International Day of Peace (September 21) and Remembrance Day (November 11), five dollars from every Peace Dove Necklace sold will be used to help support victim assistance programs in Cambodia.
By transforming old bombshells into symbolic jewellery, artisans with Rajana Association in Cambodia are turning the ugly legacy of war into a peaceful future.
For more information, go to 10,000 Villages
To join the movement to ban landmines and cluster bombs, see Mines Action Canada

Buddha’s Savage Peace

"After 26 years and 70,000 casualties, Sri Lanka’s civil war has ended — for now. The key to easing the fears of the country’s historically beleaguered Buddhist majority while protecting its Hindu minority? Rediscovering the blend of faiths that laid the foundation for the ancient kingdom of Kandy." Read the article by Robert D. Kaplan in The Atlantic

Prayers for Peacemakers: Pray for families in Hebron

Pray for the families living near At-Tuwani in the South Hebron Hills who received demolition orders on their homes this week from the Israeli military authorities. Settlements and outposts in the region continue to expand in violation of international and Israeli law. May these offensive acts stop.

Prayers for Peacemakers: Pray for the persecuted Uyghurs

Pray for peace in the ongoing struggle of the Uyghurs, the native people of East Turkestan in China's Xinjiang province. In July, a reportedly peaceful protest by minority Uyghurs was answered by police violence which led to hundreds of deaths; what the government dismisses as an ethnic riot instigated from abroad is termed genocide by the Uyghurs. The number arrested varies depending on sources, but apparently is well over 4000. Reports of beatings in detention abound, and the trials are due to begin now. May human rights be restored to this persecuted group.

Sponsor a healing workshop for 15 women refugees in South Africa

Message from the Institute for Healing of Memories in South Africa.

We wish to acknowledge and thank all of you who have at one time or another supported the Institute for Healing of Memories financially. With your help we are able to reach out to needy communities and provide our services to those who cannot afford it.

We have elected to be part of an online fundraising initiative hosted by an organisation called GlobalGiving. GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that connects donors to the causes and countries they care about. Each donor selects the project(s) they want to support, makes a tax-deductible contribution, and gets regular progress updates - so they can see their impact.

To qualify for a permanent spot on the GlobalGiving website, we need to raise $4,000 from at least 50 donors during the challenge period of 18 August-18 September 2009. These funds will be used to host a healing workshop for 15 women refugees in South Africa. Donors can select from a range of amounts they wish to contribute which, when combined, will cover the cost of a workshop. The minimum donation is $10.

This project was specifically selected for the campaign as many South African communities continue to struggle with issues of xenophobia, discrimination, and hardship. Our research into the effects of healing workshops on refugees reveal that the more they share their story, the more they gain a new sense of how they can cope with these issues. Others mention that it is a privilege for them to move away from the challenging conditions of their daily lives and spend three days in a healing of memories workshop where we provide a safe place with deep listening.



We are inviting you to make a difference to the lives of women refugees by contributing to this worthy cause. If you should decide to contribute to the cause, simply click on this link to the website, then "Counseling for 15 women refugees in South Africa" and follow the on-screen prompts.

Share this news with your friends and family, so that they too can be part of our healing efforts.

To learn more about the Institute for Healing of Memories we refer you to our website: www.healingofmemories.co.za
With good wishes,
Michael Lapsley, SSM, Director

Peace Signs, August 2009

August 18, 2009                                                Number 66

In this month's issue:
Farewell from Leo • Leo Hartshorn
Thanks for the beat! • Susan Mark Landis
Funeral for the oldest warrior, who hated war • Susan Mark Landis
Otterville • Merrill R. Miller
Action alert: ACT for peace
In the rubble that is Gaza • Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach
A handshake across the oceans • Max Ediger
50 Ways to leave your lover, Mammon • Anton Flores
And after hearing the advice of the brothers... • Brother James Dowd
Who Is My Neighbor? • Tom Beutel
Prayer against the easy way
Readers respond to the July issue

Truth and Treason

Teesri Duniya Theatre presents the World Premiere of the new play by acclaimed political writer and Artistic Director Rahul Varma — Truth and Treason.

Truth and Treason is a contemporary story bringing war to a personal level, questioning acts of aggression. It is also about fundamentalism, consciousness and love.

In brief: At a checkpoint in Iraq, a 10-year-old girl is shot by an unidentified American soldier. While two officers quibble over her father’s alleged terrorist history, the girl dies in U.S. custody.

View the trailer:


Sept. 8 - 19, 2009 (evenings at 20:30, weekend matinees at 14:00)
Monument National, 1182 rue St-Laurent

Adults: $22, Seniors: $18, Students: $15, Groups (10 or more): $12
Special offer: 2 for 1 on Sept 10th.
Box office: 514-871-2224 or order online.

Panel discussions will also follow some performances (Sept. 11 evening, Sept 13 & 19 matinees)
"Bridges of Hope" vernissage on Friday, September 11th at 19:00, Café of the Monument National.

Video interviews, blogs, and more information at www.teesriduniya.com