in No. 53 / Winter 2009-10 ifor action EDITORIAL In this issue: ith great pleasure we introduce IFOR in ACTION #53, “Europe” edition. • HILDEGARD GOSS-MAYR PEACE & W This issue focuses on IFOR actions and BGAs of Europe. In using this new approach we take a closer look at the work being done in different regions of the FREEDOM AWARD p 1 world, and the challenges faced due to environmental factors. • FOR ENGLAND p 3 he Spring issue of IFOR in ACTION will focus on The Americas. We especially • TIME FOR RECONCILIATION p 5 T invite contributions from our members in The Americas, we’re sure they will be as plentiful. We now call on all our Branches, Groups and Affiliates to send their • FOR AUSTRIA NEWS! p 7 contributions by Friday, 5 February 2010 for inclusion in IFOR in ACTION #54. • NONVIOLENCE IN IRAN p 8 — Stan Morris, Editor • SECRETARIAT UPDATE! p 9 • BOOK WATCH p 10 HILDEGARD GOSS-MAYR, HONORARY PRESIDENT • EVENTS p 11 OF THE INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF REC- • NEWS p 12 ONCILIATION, RECEIVES THE PACEM IN TERRIS • OPPORTUNITIES p 13 2009 PEACE AND FREEDOM AWARD by Richard Deats Goss-Mayr is one of the world’s preemi- Photo: Richard Deats nent teachers of active nonviolence On September 20, 2009 Hildegard Goss-Mayr received the prestigious Pacem in Terris 2009 Peace and Freedom Award at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa before hundreds of attendees. TV and press interviews, reli- gious and academic meetings and book sign- ings reflected the widespread importance of the Award. The Award was established in 1964 in the spirit of the Pacem in Terris Encyclical of Pope John XXIII, issued during the Vatican Council. The Council was called at a time of worldwide fear of war created by the Cuban Missle Crisis and the growing arsenals of weapons of mass de- struction of both East and West. Political and e-newsletterreligious institutions were polarized by the deep ideological gap between communist and capital- ist nations. Pope John XXIII took courageous meas- ures to end this move toward international conflict. and his 1963 Peace Encyclical has had a strong and lasting influence. In the spirit of the Encyclical the Davenport Catholic Hildegard Goss-Mayr, recipient of Pacem in Terris Award at St. Interracial Council established the Award in 1964. It Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, pictured here in the university has subsequently been given to persons such as Mar- chapel with Richard Deats, Author of MARKED FOR LIFE, THE STORY OF HILDEGARD GOSS-MAYR tin Luther King, Jr., Mother Theresa, Archbishop Des- mond Tutu, Sr. Helen Prejean, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, East and West in the Soviet bloc; they played an instru- Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Dom Helder Camara. mental role in the Catholic Peace Lobby during the Vati- can Council and in subsequent ecumenical and interfaith Dr. Goss-Mayr received this year’s award for her decades peace efforts. Goss-Mayr is one of the world’s preeminent of work for peace on every continent. With her husband, teachers of active nonviolence and has had wide influence Jean Goss (now deceased), they worked for reconciliation in such historic events such as Solidarity in Poland, the ...cont. on next page International Fellowship of Reconciliation Spoorstraat 38 1815 BK ALKMAAR The Netherlands T + 31 (0)72 512 3014 F + 31 (0)72 515 1102 www.ifor.org 1 in No. 53 / Winter 2009-10 ifor action Hildegard Goss-Mayr... People Power Revolution in the Philippines and liberation struggles in Latin America and Africa. News from The Philippines by Bobet Corral Hildegard Goss-Mayr was introduced at the ceremony by Richard Deats, editor emeritus of Fellowship magazine (Hildegard Goss-Mayr was influential in the and author of the 2009 biography, Marked for Life: The Story of Hidegard Goss-Mayr(New City Press). The Award “People Power Revolution” in the Philippines.) was presented by Most Rev. Martin Amos, Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport. On 17-18 October 2009, AKKAPKA organized a two-day Writeshop on the AKKAPKA Trainers’ Goss-Mayr lives in Vienna, Austria and is still active teach- Manual on Gender-Sensitive Active Nonviolence ing, writing and speaking. (GS-ANV) at the Sta Rafaela Maria House of Spirituality, in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. This Her latest book, How Enemies Become Friends, has been workshop builds from the Training of Trainers published in German, Italian, and French. (See on (TOT) on GS-ANV which AKKAPKA organized Fellowship http://www.forusa.org/fellowship/sep-oct_ in Cotabato Nov 2009, with a grant from IFOR- 99/deepeningwork.html ). Women Peacemakers Program. The Writeshop also aimed to design appropriate modules for She is one of the 1000 women proposed for the Nobel Peace Price 2005. She says: “The life of every person ANV training for former combatants, which has an absolute value.” AKKAPKA is organizing in November in Visayas (Bacolod) and Quezon (Lucena), in coordination Hildegard Goss Mayr is one of the world’s leading with the Office of the Presidential Assistant on experts on non-violence. She is the honorary presi- the Peace Process (OPAPP). dent of International Fellowship of Reconciliation, the world’s oldest organization dedicated to the principles The Writeshop benefited from the inputs and of non-violent resistance. The efforts and training of collective reflections and insights from AKKAP- Hildegard Goss Mayr, KA’s community of ANV and/or gender trainers along with those of her (10 women, 7 men) from Metro Manila, Cavite, husband Jean Goss, Cotabato, and Ifugao. Staff from OPAPP’s SIP were a major factor (Social Integration Program) and PIDO (Peace in the successful and peaceful overthrow of Institutions Development Office) units also the Marcos dictatorship provided input. In the design of the ANV training in the Philippines. workshop for former combatants, the partici- pants agreed that. Richard is a writer, story teller, humorist, (a) It is immaterial whether former rebels have musician, preacher, been given assistance by OPAPP or not; what is e-newsletter activist and nonvio- important is the person’s willingness to partici- lence trainer who has pate in the training. witnessed internation- ally for justice and (b) Whatever “revolutionary spirit” that still ex- peace. His most recent ists within the rebel returnee shall be provided book, Marked for Life, is about international FOR trainer Hildegard Goss-Mayr, a venue for expression through active nonvio- and is a companion to his books on Martin Luther King, lence. Jr., (Spirit-Led Prophet) and Mahatma Gandhi (Nonviolent Liberator). Earlier books include Ambassador of Recon- (c) Sharing the option and message of active ciliation: A Muriel Lester Reader, How to Keep Laughing nonviolence. Even Though You’ve Considered All the Facts, and Active Nonviolence: A Way of Life, A Strategy for Change. (d) The ANV training reinforces the “Healing & Reconciliation” component of OPPAP’s SIP. Email: [email protected] Website: http://web.mac.com/richarddeats ...cont. on page 6 International Fellowship of Reconciliation Spoorstraat 38 1815 BK ALKMAAR The Netherlands T + 31 (0)72 512 3014 F + 31 (0)72 515 1102 www.ifor.org 2 in No. 53 / Winter 2009-10 ifor action FOR ENGLAND FoRE continues to publish our outreach magazine, Peace by Peace. In the last couple of issues we have had articles by Chris Cole on reconciliation, an interview with FoR Wales secretary, In September, FoR England Director, Chris Cole Arfon Rhys, reviews of new peace resources and research was arrested during a protest against Europe’s about increased military spending in the UK. The maga- largest arms fair. zine is well received and very popular. We use the maga- zine as a basis to write to all UK church leaders urging them to be more outspoken for nonviolence and against FoR England continues its core work of educating young war – we have had a few (!) positive responses. people about nonviolence, campaigning against militarism and supporting nonviolent peace- makers both here in the UK and Photos: FoR England in areas of conflict around the world. In June our Young Peace- makers Network held a residential training weekend in London attended by 30 young people from around the country. The weekend was a chance for those both new to the subject and old- time campaigners, to learn new skills and practices and to discuss nonviolence as a tool for social change. One particular highlight was a workshop from Beatrice Amony of FoR Uganda on her work with young people in Uganda. Recently, our youth worker for the past four years, Martha Beale, has moved on and we are in the process of recruiting someone new to the posi- tion. Peacemakers Network held a residential training weekend in London e-newsletterIn March we organised vigils around the country and outside Downing Street and Through the International Peacemakers Fund (IPF) we the Ministry of Defence to mark the 6th anniversary of have been able to make available some small grants to the start of the war in Iraq. As in previous years Christian in a number of nonviolence projects outside the UK, mainly the UK and USA marked the day by recalling the suffering through the IFoR network. In 2009 we have supported of people in Iraq and by praying for forgiveness and heal- projects in India, Pakistan, North Ossetia, South Sudan, ing. Names of the dead, both Iraqi and British were read Uganda, Palestine and Sri Lanka. Details on applying for out and their family and friends prayer for. a grant from FoR England’s Peacemakers Fund can be found on our website: www.for.org.uk/ipf/apply. In September, FoR England Director, Chris Cole was ar- rested during a protest against Europe’s largest arms fair.