Calling the Young Peacemakers

1st November 2006

Last weekend, thirty participants took part in the ecumenical Called to be Peacemakers conference. Organised by the Fellowship of Reconciliation, a Christian peace charity; the weekend was a thought provoking, inspiring and challenging weekend for young adults interested and involved in peacework.

This is the second year, the Fellowship of Reconciliation has organised the Called to be Peacemakers conference. Participants left the weekend having experienced a variety of speakers, workshops and creative activities. God calls us to be peacemakers not just peacelovers and the weekend equipped young people with knowledge, skills and opportunities to consider the impact of their lives and decisions.

Martha Beale, Education and Campaigns officer for Fellowship of Reconciliation, who organised the conference said: ‘This weekend is an opportunity for young people to take time out of their lives and reflect on peacemaking in our society. As Christians we are called to be peacemakers, to make injustices known and to live our lives through Jesus’ teachings of non-violence. I am really pleased so many young people have embraced the opportunity to come along this weekend’

Charlotte Smith, a participant said: “The FOR conference "Called to be peacemakers" challenged me. Its formula of sensitive facilitation combined with knowledgeable speakers and time for inner reflection helped me open myself up to a re-examination of my life in context. By creating an environment where one is surrounded by knowledgeable and engaged peers FOR sparked a creativity of thinking that energised and motivated one to go and put faith in practice.”

“Being called to be peacemakers is to learn of frustrations, deep wounds and anger but it also to discover that in times darkness sparks of hope are always present to be kindled. Opportunities to be peacemakers present themselves on micro and macro scales every day and I am a step further in my own personal journey to ask myself what I'm going to do about it.”

Editors Notes:

The Fellowship of Reconciliation is an international, spiritually based movement of people who, from the basis of a belief in the power of love and truth to create justice and restore community, commit themselves to active non-violence as a way of life and as a means of transformation; personal, social, economic and political.

The Called to be Peacemakers Conference was held at the Community of Reconciliation in Bromsgrove from the 27th-29th October 2006.

Speakers at the conference included:
Lizz Roe, Quaker Peace and Social Witness Woodbrooke Tutor
Noel Moules, Workshop, Advanced Christian Studies
Salma Yaqoob, Birmingham Stop the War Coalition
John Johansen-Berg, Chair of Trustees, Fellowship of Reconciliation, England.

For more information about Fellowship of Reconciliation or details of future events please see our website
www.for.org.uk
or e.mail office@for.org.uk