WOMEN'S MIDDLE EAST PEACE INITIATIVE DECLARATION FOR PEACE
The WFWPI campaign to collect one million signatures for the Women's Middle East Peace Initiative's Declaration for Peace, is gaining momentum, having recently completed a fifty-day period of focus, from May 1 - June 20, 2005. WFWP members and friends from around the world worked hard to advance this campaign.
WFWPI's Declaration for Peace was written by a select group of WFWP leaders in the US in the winter of 2004. The Declaration was formerly introduced in Los Angeles during a program entitled, "Women as Peacemakers: Building Bridges of Peace in the Middle East". The Declaration was then carried "around the world in 28 days" by Norma Foster, National Advisor to WFWP, USA, and Ambassador for Peace, when she traveled to Switzerland for the Eighth Women's Conference on Peace in the Middle East, as well as to Israel for the Women of Peace program, attended by 526 women from 41 nations, in the spring of 2004. The campaign to collect one million signatures worldwide was launched in Vienna, Austria, during the Fifth Annual WFWPI Leaders Workshop.
As of June 20, 371,000 signatures were collected worldwide, with efforts ongoing in Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania and South America. Participating nations include: Argentina, Albania, Australia, Austria, Canada, England, France, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, and Uruguay.
In the United States, more than 63,000 signatures have been collected toward a pledge of 100,000. This declaration has touched individuals as well as organizations. Thousands of American women were pleased to join women from around the world in support of peace in the Middle East as well as in support of a greater voice for women in the peace process.
In the US, campaign strategies range from door-to-door grass roots efforts; support from entire churches and religious organizations; as well as support from within the not-for-profit community. The Pacific Los Angeles Chapter of the United Nations Association endorsed the campaign in the form of a resolution passed by the Board of Directors. WFWP, USA members and leaders have worked tirelessly to collect signatures around the country. University campuses, public transportation, supermarkets, street fairs and festivals, businesses, churches and prayer breakfasts, friends and neighbors, the internet and mailings, have all provided opportunities and venues for advancing the campaign.
One example of this is Dora Fuhrer, a 94-year old woman living in Denver, Colorado, who took the signature campaign to heart and went around approaching women in her church and neighbors from her area, collecting signatures, despite the fact that she has difficulty walking. When she proudly handed in those signatures she collected, she took some extra sheets to collect more, saying she wasn't done yet.
WFWP, USA set a goal to collect 5,000 signatures in each of her twenty-two regions. As of June 20, four regions completed this goal: New York, North Carolina, Northern California and Southern California. Southern California has collected more than 20,000 signatures and Northern California has collected more than 10,000 signatures. On Saturday, June 26, during the "Now is God's Time" Rally at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, more than 3,500 signatures were collected by WFWP leaders of the New York regional chapter.
This campaign aims to turn the minds and hearts of women throughout the world to focus their support on the Middle East. This campaign highlights the need for women to be more involved in all levels of the peace making process throughout the world. This declaration encourages women to use their God-given nature to advance peace in the Middle East and throughout the world.