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International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) held the Final Award Ceremony of the 5th International Loving-Peace Art Competition in November. The participants drew of their dreams of peace, moving the hearts of many. IWPG also focused on active women’s peace education, civil society networking, campaigns in support of the DPCW (Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War) and new member recruitment.
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IWPG holds the Final Award Ceremony of the 5th International Loving-Peace Art Competition
-10,025 children and youth from 117 cities in 61 countries
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*The Grand Prize-winning piece “Peace builds the world” ? Kanoknuch Klahan (Thailand, Sripruetta School, High School division)
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On Nov 18, IWPG hosted the Final Award Ceremony of the 5th Loving-Peace International Art competition through Zoom.
This event is part of IWPG’s initiative to spread a culture of peace around the world by planting the mindset of peace in the hearts of children and youth so that everyone can come together to realize world peace and cessation of war. This year, 10,025 children from 117 cities in 61 countries participated. Compared to last year, 9 new countries joined this year’s competition.
IWPG collaborated with national arts/artist associations to evaluate the drawings and finally selected 43 pieces including 1 Grand Prize; 1 Gold Prize, 1 Silver Prize, and 1 Bronze Prize for each of the 3 divisions (9 in total), 5 Awards of Recognition for each division (15 in total), and Participation Awards.
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The Head Judge of the finals, Mr. Kani Alavi, President of East Side Gallery, said, “Through this international convention, we must spread the news of peace to people around the world. I believe that if this peaceful cooperation continues, the time for peace will finally come.”
Kanoknuch Klahan (Thailand, Sripruetta School, High School division), who had the honor of winning the Grand Prize, said, “With this picture, I want to communicate the unity of the people of each country in the world. May everyone on this planet help to make peace grow.”
The Gold Prize went to Jennifer Sharon (Indonesia, Elementary division), Yu Jeong Jun (Republic of Korea, Middle School division), and Clarissa Yoselin (Indonesia, High School division).
The Silver Prize went to Jinx Liaqat (Pakistan, Elementary division), Natalia Jay Xin Hu (Malaysia, Middle School division), and Hussam Salah (Palestine, High School division). The Bronze Prize was awarded to Mikaela Allyna Sukma Saputro (Indonesia, Elementary division), Priyanka Chopra (Indonesia, Middle School division), Hyun Soo Lee (Republic of Korea, High School division).
The Award of Recognition went to Alcee Dahnya Zia M. Yarra (Philippines), Sherly Aniket More (India), Yu Gyeong Choi (Republic of Korea), Natthanan Chongkitwitsawakan (Thailand), Navanietaa A/P Jeevan (Malaysia), Mouhamad Yousef (Palestine), Chananya ThongThoi (Thailand), Maheen Gulzar (Pakistan), Purevdorj Itgelen (Mongolia), Shaikh Saima Md. Uusuf (India), Dania Aiesha Bt Zuhairee Ariffin (Malaysia), Khalzaa Enkhsaran (Mongolia), Daniel Suarez (U.S.A), Jawaher Abdalllah Al Ghoul (Lebanon), and Katerina Vrskova (Czech Republic).
Kaylie Lee Kennedy and 8 other drawing were also selected to receive the Participation Award.
The Grand Prize awardee will receive a scholarship of 1 million KRW, while awardees of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Prize will receive 300,000 KRW, 200,000 KRW, and 100,000 KRW respectively. The Award of Recognition awardees will receive a certificate, and all the awarded pieces will be featured in the art brochure.
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In her congratulatory remarks, IWPG Chairwoman Hyun Sook Yoon said, “I looked at everyone’s drawings very closely, the world of peace that each child dreams of. I hope everyone remembers this spirit of peace and strives to become leaders that bring peace to the world.”
IWPG plans to host the 6th International Loving-Peace Art Competition again next year.
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| Peace Lecturer Training Education(PLTE)
–Peace Realized through Female Peace Lecturers
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Global Region 10 Joint PLTE Graduation
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On Nov, the 5th Global Region 10 PLTE Graduation Ceremony was held online. 110 people including 42 graduates from South Korea, Japan, India, Turkey, UAE and Kazakhstan, IWPG members and staff attended the ceremony.
Baek Ri Cho, Regional Director of Global 10 Region said, “ You are the beginning of world peace. To leave a world of peace for your children as an inheritance, I ask each one of you to become a wonderful peace lecturer in your country.”
In addition, three graduates from India, Turkey and Kazakhstan were appointed as IWPG Peace Committee Representatives and they pledged to lead activities to offer peace education to women and children in their respective regions.
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Yangon Branch in Myanmar (Branch manager: Crystal Po Gyaw) hosted the 5th PLTE Graduation Ceremony online on 11 Dec. A total of fifteen members graduated from the PLTE with good results.
Lecturer Thandar Aung, IT Project Director of Myanmar Computer Professional Association, said, “Not only understanding peace, but we also have to create a concrete vision of peace. As a lecturer, I feel a sense of responsibility and also pressure, but it is a truly precious experience to see students change and grow in the process of understanding peace”.
The Graduate representative, Nang Ai Horm Kham, Advisor of Shan Women Development Network, said, “Like the logo of IWPG, women should be able to embrace everyone with motherhood like the earth and have the power to give peace. Peace is created from each one of us as women with the inner strength. All the lessons we learned through PLTE will be applied to our daily lives continuously”.
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Peace lecturer Lilian Benedict Msaki, Representative of Arusha Peace Committee and regional representative of Health Africa gave the 6th PLTE lecture online on Nov 5. The 6th lecture was about the damage and pain caused by the war and its influences on women. To end the war and make an era of peace, there have been countless peace movements, which have been nothing but just ethical appeals, and the war never has ended. It was a chance to realize that peace must be achieved practically by a binding law and legal system.
One of the students, Faraja Mwandembo said, “I was devastated by the atrocity and pain of war, and I realized the importance of peace activities. It was a chance for me to be encouraged to take part in peace activities of IWPG to make a difference in world peace”.
Dr. Sirila Francis said, “To resolve the war, I will promote peace education and a culture of peace to our children and people all around the world”.
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Ulaanbaatar Branch, Mongolia
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Ulaanbaatar Branch in Mongolia (Branch Manager: Tumurkhuyag Enkhtaivan) held PLTE at the cultural center of Bulgan Province. Attended by a total of 33 participants, it was evaluated as a highly important education to resolve one of the most urgent issues in modern society. Attendants promised to act as women peace lecturers in their communities carrying the mindset of peace.
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Global 4 Region is running PLTE twice a week, training five students as women peace lecturers in Buea, Cameroon. Nkanwhi Patience Angu, spiritual leader of Tabitha Women Ebenezer Baptist Church Soppo Buea, gave a lecture at Ebenezer Baptist Church Great Soppo-Buea.
Ndze Kristie-Brown Wirsiy said, “Through this education, I learned the mindset of peace and am no longer quick to react with anger. I learned to smile at everything, cherish my life and have belief in myself”.
Mercy Famwe Yettah espe Tati Fuanka said, “PLTE is a well-made education. It teaches us that peace begins from myself and that to make a peaceful community without conflicts, we need PLTE”. Tavnjong Delise Venyen-Ni said, “ If this knowledge spreads around the world and all these lessons are put in action, I believe the world can become a place of happiness without war. Through PLTE, I could learn how to make peace and I will do my best to support it”. Also, Nsom Blaine Tang and Daurice Jabya Gimandze expressed their gratitude for being able to receive the PLTE.
Moreover, Etaka Eyong Elsie, Monitoring and Evaluation officer of Goodwill Ambassadors of Hope, is providing PLTE at Presbyterian Church Simbock Mendong to seven participants, and Aminatou Moussa, President of Action pour le Developpment de la Jeune Femme, is taking PLTE online to follow up after the MOA signed with IWPG in Nov.
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The 3-month PLTE course conducted in Prague, Czech Republic was completed successfully. The education was aimed at Ukrainian women to deliver lessons on the significance and role of peace as well as on endeavors to realize peace. There were 17 graduates in total.
Nina Sisakova, one of the graduates said, “PLTE was a valuable and joyful experience to me. I would like to continue participating in the course”. Another graduate, Daria Vdovichenko said, “To be of help to serve other souls, I would love to be a part of IWPG projects”.
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In November, Global Region 8 has conducted PLTE for professors of Hanoi University, Vietnam from lesson 2 to lesson 5 on every Wednesday. Professor Lan Anh said, “I want to practice the slogan ‘One Hand for Yourself and One for the Others’ that I have learned from the PLTE.” Prof. Van Chi asserted, “The war must be ended” and “IWPG is still very small in Vietnam. But, we can make it if we become one in spirit and work together.”
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In Egypt, an associate country of Global Region 2, Sabah Abdulrhman Khaled Naji, Assistant Professor of Al-Bayda University, encouraged Lamia Al Sharabi, a journalist, local activist, and university lecturer. PLTE is a program developed to train women to become competent peace lecturers and to advocate a culture of peace to women around the globe.
In the interview, Lamia Al Sharabi said, “It is my wish to work for the advancement of Yemeni women’s status and peace, to protect children from the war, and to advocate peace. Through PLTE, I want to promote IWPG to young women in local universities”.
Professor Sabah Abdulrhman Khaled Naji said “I am glad that I graduated the PLTE earlier and have this chance to promote peace to other women. I will give lectures in Arabic and English to members of IWPG in Middle East regions and introduce peace education so that many more women can have the same opportunity”.
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DPCW Support Campaigns
-Uniting and advocating for the UN adoption of the DPCW all around the world
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IWPG members from Yemen, a cooperative country of Global Region 2, held a campaign to urge for the DPCW to be introduced in the UN as part of their commemoration of the International Day for Tolerance. The International Day for Tolerance was designated for the purpose of embracing diversity in the international community and expanding the horizon of coexistence. IWPG members from Taizz, a southwestern city of Yemen, said, “We hope peace is achieved through tolerance, respect, conversation, and cooperation. In order to pass down peace to the future generation, we need to spread a culture of peace. We will continue to work to urge people to support the DPCW.”
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Networking and Cooperation
-Meeting with citizens who want peace
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On Nov 29, Global Region 2 held an online meeting with Yeweinhareg Kassa, salesperson of Tewdaj Media, and Berssabeh Gete, journalist of Tewdaj Media, Ethiopia
Tewdaj Media is a national broadcast in Ethiopia that produces and broadcasts various programs that contribute to national development and prosperity, such as domestic and international news, sports, and entertainment.
During this meeting, Global Region 2 introduced IWPG by playing a video on IWPG activities and elaborated on IWPG’s peace activities in Ethiopia, such as PLTE. Yeweinhareg Kassa said, “I learned of IWPG through the newsletter, and I wanted to work with IWPG, which does peace work all around the world.” Journalist Berssabeh Gete also said, “I want to discuss the topic of peace with IWPG. I am happy to be able to work with this organization.”
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On Nov 24, Global Region 2 held an online meeting with new members who are teachers in Yemen, including Afrah Abduh Haider Al-wajeeh and Huda Sharaf from Zaid School Taiz. Global Region 2 showed these teachers the IWPG video and introduced PLTE. The teachers promised to take PLTE and introduce it to many other women.
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On Nov 7, Global Region 2 held an online meeting with Evridiki Iliaki, psychologist and Executive Director of How Women Work. Global Region 2 shared information on IWPG, and the two organizations agreed to host a peace workshop on refugees.
Evridiki Iliaki said, “Qatar is filled with darkness, devastation, and sadness due to war. I want to foster IWPG’s mindset that ‘the world is one’ through the future peace workshop.” She also emphasized that DPCW, the answer to peace, should be legislated as an international law.
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On Nov 3, Global Region 2 held an online meeting with Dr. Hanan Youssef, Chairwoman of the Arab Organization for Dialogue and International Cooperation.
Dr. Hanan Youssef said, “It is sad to see women and children being sacrificed due to the Israel-Hamas War. I agree with IWPG’s statement on the Israel-Hamas War.”
Director of Global Region 2 Seo Yeon Lee said, “I hope that we can actively discuss about peace in the Middle East through consistent partnership with Egyptian women through Dr. Hanan Youssef.”
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On Nov 18 and 24, Global Region 2 held an online meeting with Miguel Parra, head of National Corporation of Evangelical Christian Chaplains Foundation, from Colombia. There were 33 more participants including Lilian Caral; Shirley Rodriguez, lawyer; Claudia Aragon, National Corporation of Evangelical Christian Chaplains Foundation instructor for domestic violence prevention; and Ediht Shirley Rodriguez, instructor of National Corporation of Evangelical Christian Chaplains Foundation.
National Corporation of Evangelical Christian Chaplains Foundation is an organization that provides education on human rights and how women can protect themselves against violence. It works for children and vulnerable groups abandoned due to armed violence.
This meeting consisted of an introduction of IWPG, a video on the 2023 International Women’s Peace Conference, and the International Loving-Peace Art Competition, focusing on discussions of peace activities.
Claudia Aragon said, “IWPG is an amazing organization, and peace activities are taking place all around the world. Children and women are in desperate need for peace.”
Edil castano said, “I knew IWPG was working all around the world. As peace education took place in Tanzania, peace education is also needed in Colombia, starting from the households. So it is especially necessary for women.”
Shirley Rodriguez said, “Women’s Peace Education is something that women can do, because we are women and caretakers of the household. We should join peace work for our children, for women all around the world.”
Director of Global Region 2 Seo Yeon Lee said, “I hope IWPG’s activities are introduced to more women’s organizations in Colombia through our continuous partnership with National Corporation of Evangelical Christian Chaplains Foundation.”
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On Nov 18, Global Region 2 had an online networking meeting with Joice Shebe, Chief Editor of Clouds Media Group and 회장 of Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA).
Tanzania Media Women’s Association is an organization that uses media to advocate women’s and children’s rights and raise awareness on social changes, policies, and legal changes.
During this meeting, Global Region 2 showed a video of the PLTE speech given by Lilian Benedict Msaki, a female peace lecturer in Tanzania. They also shared news of the peace activities in Das es Salaam Branch.
Joice Shebe introduced an event that took place in late November to commemorate the 36th anniversary of Media Women’s Association. She said, “I am proud to be a IWPG peace messenger. I hope IWPG members can join the 36th anniversary event and introduce their work.”
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On Nov 25, Global Region 2 participated in the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women held in Arusha, Tanzania with 200 women.
Nov 25 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, designated by the Champian Women Group in 1981 for the purpose
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