At
the beginning of 2003 the SAO redefined its operating principles,
one of which is: Mutuality
- The SAO seeks a world where relationships between persons
and among nations are based on equality, mutual respect and
the interconnectedness of human life with all of creation.
The choice to take Creating
a Culture of Peace as one of four
priority areas is obviously connected to this priority.
This decision came after reflecting on the current
global and national climate of fear and misuse of power
and significant rise of fundamentalism. The planning
group decided that the focus for 2003 would be to provide
material and opportunities for people to reflect on
and discuss the issues around a Culture of Peace -
to provide individuals with material to reflect on
the importance of attitudes and of non-violent ways
of living and acting. Other strategies included promoting
events organised by other organisations and to host
a Culture of Peace Forum.
An evolving process for the SAO is the establishment
of Circles – the Sophia Circle, the Water
Circle and then the Peace Circle. Those who
had indicated their interest in pursuing the Creating
a Culture of Peace agenda met and thus the Peace
Circle was established. This group decided to begin
a reading group and are meeting monthly to read and reflect
on the topic. A Peace Forum was planned and held on 25 October
2003.
An
unplanned and exciting development in this agenda area has
been the establishment of a Women of Faith group.
Wendy Flannery rsm asked if, as part of the agenda area of Creating
a Culture of Peace, the SAO could include some dialogue
around Women and Islam in Australia. The initial goals were
to:
Challenge the stereotypes of Islamic women
generated by Australian media
To eliminate the targeted abuse of Islamic
women in distinctive clothing, in the context of recent terrorist
attacks
To build intercultural and interreligious
understanding and tolerance.
After several meetings of a small group of
three religious and one Muslim women (and engaging the expertise
of Pauline Rae smsm in Sydney), a proposal was established
to form a group Believing
Women for a Culture of Peace. This was an
exciting development in progressing a more peaceful world.
The vision for this project was:
At a time when people of Islamic faith have become identified
in popular understanding with violence and terrorism, with
the accompanying rise of stereotyping and abuse of Islamic
women, believing women find themselves called to:
build alliances that will counter the
prevailing divisiveness
contribute to a lasting culture of
peace, and
collectively acknowledge and celebrate
the bonding of religious faith.
If
you are interested in joining this group please visit their new
website for contact details.
Excellent resource:Bridges – the
newsletter of the Centre
for Christian-Muslim Relations, Columban Mission Institute,
c/- Australian Catholic University, Locked Bag 2002, Strathfield
NSW 2135 Australia. Phone + 61 2 9352 8010, Facsimile +
61 2 9746 8033, Email cmr.cmi@columban.org.au
Above are some of the women who make up the group Believing Women for a Culture of Peace
Up-to-date discussion and reflection material
regarding the Catholic Church’s teaching about war
is available from the Australian
Catholic Social Justice Council website.
Click
here for a collection of quotes on Peace from
Pope John Paul II
Click
here for Key Ingredients
in an Alternative Asylum Seeker Policy
SAO partners and friends joined in the 2003 Palm
Sunday Peace March in Brisbane
Many religious and their colleagues joined the thousands
who marched for peace
in Brisbane (and millions all around the world) on
16 February 2003
At
the beginning of 2003 the SAO redefined its operating principles,
one of which is: Mutuality
- The SAO seeks a world where relationships between persons
and among nations are based on equality, mutual respect and
the interconnectedness of human life with all of creation.
An
unplanned and exciting development in this agenda area has
been the establishment of a Women of Faith group.
Wendy Flannery rsm asked if, as part of the agenda area of Creating
a Culture of Peace, the SAO could include some dialogue
around Women and Islam in Australia. The initial goals were
to:
If
you are interested in joining this group please visit their 
