Women of Faith for Peace: United to heal the wounds of war

By Tiziana Campisi

The meeting organized by the movement Women of Faith for Peace, together with other organizations, in Montagnaga, in the Italian province of Trento, and concluding on Sunday, featured various workshops on the theme of peace, an interfaith prayer, and a “Kitchen of Peace.”

About forty people of different generations gathered starting Friday, August 30, for three days of living together, “to deeply reflect on the meaning and significance of peace,” questioning “What peace in a world at war?”

Women of Faith for Peace is a movement born 15 years ago in Jerusalem to spread an extraordinary experience of peace lived concretely, to break down the walls of prejudice, and to find new ways to build true dialogue in daily life, in conflict zones as well as in countries experiencing tension and in every community fabric. 

The movement helped organize the meeting, with the support of the Caritro Foundation, the Shemà Association, Emotions to Generate Change, Lead Integrity.

Women of Faith for Peace was founded by Lia Beltrami, who spoke to Vatican News on the sidelines of the event.

Q: What specific contribution can women of faith make to promoting peace?

Women who live in a dimension of faith can contribute significantly to the path of reconciliation. A divided people, two peoples against each other, generate immeasurable wounds that only great tenacity and a creative feminine approach can help heal. Therefore, women must be aware and go deep into their direction of faith and also in this path of acceptance and embrace that heals.

Especially in today's world, where conflicts seem so strong and hope is somewhat lost, and those committed to the path of peace lose some enthusiasm as well, it is at this moment that with Women of Faith for Peace, as people who believe in it, we must commit ourselves more strongly to rekindle the flame within peace workers, because then each person knows what they must do in their own environment.

But we must feel united, and we must understand that the light within us is a light that can shine and must not stop in this double war, because it is a physical war and a war of words, a war of communication, a war that often makes us deaf and incapable of hearing and finding ways to move forward.

Among the promoters of the event is also the International Center for Peace Among Peoples of Assisi, which this year decided to award the Pilgrim of Peace Prize—awarded for thirty years—to Women of Faith for Peace. 

Ms. Costa illustrated the content developed during these days to Vatican News.

Q: As you discuss peace at a time when various conflicts are concerning, what are your objectives?

We are questioning this aspect, and each of us has shared our thoughts on the elements that characterize peace. We recognize that there are no clear and definitive solutions for every situation.

What unites us in these meetings is the willingness, first of all, to share and listen, to truly engage in empathetic listening with those who are experiencing these war situations.

Q: What common elements emerged in the meeting?

First of all, a vision of peace that is harmony. When harmony is created in a context, in a country, in a community, this is surely what most of us define as the sense of peace. How to achieve this harmony is certainly more complicated, but what emerged from everyone is the search for justice.

The ability to share and listen, to engage in listening to others, suspending judgment, trying to overcome prejudice as well.

Q: What contribution can women make today for world peace?

Women can do a lot. Unfortunately, sometimes women remain somewhat on the margins of places where decisions are actually made. But I, even from my experience, especially in Africa, can say that women, even when they do not hold positions of power, are the driving force for change.

From small things, from small actions, they are truly instruments that can bring about real change, starting from small communities to large places of power. It is hoped that the female role within these contexts can always grow, supporting women.

The contribution that can be made is to support them, especially in places where the right to self-assertion is denied, making it always visible, talking about it, not letting certain contexts, certain situations, fall into oblivion. Raising awareness is certainly an important tool to ensure that certain situations are not forgotten.

Q: How do we move forward after this meeting?

Certainly with stronger determination. These moments of sharing, listening, being together, sharing thoughts, fears, dreams, even future projects, are a driving force. This is the great importance, the great strength of these events.

I believe that each of us, every woman engaged in her own context, even in the workplace, can move forward from here with much stronger determination to try to bring about those changes that are fundamental.

Q: You are the president of the International Center for Peace Among Peoples of Assisi, which this year is awarding the Pilgrim of Peace Prize to Women of Faith for Peace: Why are you doing so?

Because, first of all, organizing these meetings, bringing together women from different contexts, is important. This is a continuous work of seeking dialogue, which then does not remain a dialogue for its own sake but is concretized in actions of change, of justice, in the community of reference.

So, we believed that this activity was absolutely deserving of the Pilgrim of Peace recognition.