The following annual campaign for security, life and peace is in memory of Vivian Silver, a beloved and widely known Canadian-Israeli human rights activist who was murdered by Hamas terrorists on the 7th of October at Kibbutz Be’eri in Southern Israel. Please read and give generously if your heart is so moved.
“We’re not stopping without an agreement. We still mean that. Our commitment to future generations here faced an excruciating test on October 7 when our losses included one of our beloved co-founders, Vivian Silver.
Others we love have been killed in the aftermath or are still captive or are living as innocents trapped in hell. Despite the terrible shadow cast on our efforts, Women Wage Peace is not stopping.
We are working hand-in-hand with our Palestinian sisters, Women of the Sun, for lives that can be lived in peace, dignified by justice and equality.
Recently, the impact of our unwavering determination was confirmed with an official nomination, alongside Women of the Sun, for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
Both movements were also honored when Time Magazine chose its twelve Women of the Year for 2024, among them Dr. Yael Admi, another co-founder of Women Wage Peace, and Reem Hajajre, the founder of Women of the Sun.
The war that erupted after October 7th has deteriorated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an unprecedented low, but we are determined to seize this moment as an opportunity for change. The concept of managing the conflict has failed and it is time to act for a political solution.
Your unwavering support, your own determination to believe that peace is possible when women lead, has become more than much-needed fuel for our diverse activities.
It has been a source of strength as we shift from grieving to grasping – grasping this moment as one of profound change. We are seizing this opportunity by mounting an ambitious campaign that continues to widen our connection to more Israeli and Palestinian women as well as to moderate Arab nations and the international community.
Since October 7th, our initiatives have taken different directions; some are ongoing, some will be launched soon:
1. a daily presence of WWP members in Tel Aviv’s ‘Hostage Square’, alongside tormented family members of the hostages calling for the return of the hostages, which will enable a ceasefire;
2. delivery of humanitarian aid, and a return to negotiations towards a long-term diplomatic solution;
3. empowering Arab-Israeli women as peace-builders, recognizing their crucial role in building bridges between Jewish and Arab women in Israeli society and between Jewish Israeli women and Palestinian
women;
4. joining forces with Israeli groups to bring about a courageous, moderate, peace-seeking, egalitarian government;
5. planning a public campaign to convey the message that security can be achieved only through a diplomatic solution;
6. preparing to revive our bi-national in-person workshops, once checkpoints are re-opened;
7. expanding international endorsement of our Mothers’ Call, working for an end to mutual dehumanization and creating an infrastructure to support shared processes of reconciliation;
8. last but hardly least, launching a large and complex joint project with Women of the Sun, called Women Building Bridges, with a peace-building training program for environmental, religious, and traditional leaders from both sides, supplemented by joint Israeli-Palestinian study tours.
A few of the many actions aided by last year’s crowdfunding campaign include:
-organizing a bi-national training program for peace activism, with WOS supporting lawful protest against the proposed judicial overhaul, a major threat to peace and women’s participation in decision-making;
-hosting Reem, the leader of Women of the Sun, in gatherings with hundreds of Israelis to meet our partner movement and to restore hope;
-convening an all-day event with Women of the Sun on October 4 in Jerusalem and at the Dead Sea, with 1500 Israeli and Palestinian women marching together and calling for negotiations.
Join us as we continue to wage peace. Your contribution is your powerful affirmation that where women lead, peace and justice can more easily follow.
Our Annual Crowdfunding Campaign will be launched on March 18th and continue until March 27th.
Each donation is doubled!
Watch this short video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qRoGPz1JQk
Donate here NOW – https://causematch.com/wwp24-en
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