Creators of Peace International

Our Vision

Peacemakers at every level of society

We Believe

Every person has a part to play and something to contribute
Every person can start the process of transformation in their own heart and life
Every person has a story to tell and a need to be heard
Every person can be a compassionate listener to the truth within, to the truths of others and to the needs of the wider community

Our Mission

Transforming, empowering and engaging women in peace creation for all

Through our programmes, conferences and community-building activities we aim to:

Engage communities in peace creation
Prevent violence and despair by addressing the roots of conflict — internally within us and externally around us
Promote a change of heart and attitude as a primary tool of peace creation, raising awareness of the personal values needed for effective social action
Build bridges and friendships across racial, religious and social divides
Understand and advocate forgiveness and healing
Build just, caring and inclusive communities
Value diversity, inclusivity and resilience
Seek constructive partnerships with men and the restoration of the respect and trust necessary for joint action, whilst remaining a women’s initiative
Create a network of solidarity for those engaged in peacebuilding around the world

Our Story

*Anna Abdallah Msekwa (right) with Josi Meer (left) and Ahunna Eziakonwa (centre), 1991.*

Creators of Peace was launched in 1991 at the Initiatives of Change conference centre in Caux, Switzerland by the Honourable Anna Abdallah Msekwa of Tanzania, a respected politician and champion of women’s rights.

In her inaugural speech, she urged everyone to “create peace wherever we are, in our hearts, our homes, our workplace and our community. We all pretend that someone else is the stumbling block...Could that someone be myself?”

Creators of Peace is a women-led organisation and global network practising peace in 50+ countries on 6 continents through workshops, personal encounters, community building activities and conferences.

The main programme of Creators of Peace is the

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Peace Circle. A Creators of Peace Circle is guided by trained facilitators. With the help of facilitators, participants work together through a series of "gathering points" or conversation starters that are designed to elicit honest and open sharing of their personal experiences, beliefs and values.

Over 500 facilitators have been trained through the Creators of Peace network worldwide. All facilitators across the network follow the same manual — available in English, French, Arabic, Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish. The manual is designed to be contextualised so it can be adapted to the cultural and social needs of each community.

We develop peace-building programmes, exercises and events within our organisation and in partnership with others, and will continue to offer new programmes as the network expands worldwide.

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International Committee

President

Jean Brown

Australia

Secretary

Elizabeth Laskar

United Kingdom

Treasurer

Miranda Shaw

United Kingdom

Project Management

Erika Lizbeth Vega Anaya

Mexico/India

Capacity Building

Marienne Makoudem Tene

Cameroon

Governance

Rukmini Iyer

India

Communications

Deeya Nambiar

India/Germany

Our Structure

Creators of Peace (CoP) is a programme of Initiatives of Change International (IofC) and an Associate Member of the Initiatives of Change International Association. As such, Creators of Peace operates under the auspices of IofC’s International Association. IofC is a long-standing global organisation dedicated to building trust across the world's divides.

Creators of Peace is governed by an International Committee, which consists of 6-10 members including the President. The International Committee works closely with international coordinators, international working groups, and regional and national coordinators. The Advisory Group, a team of Elders and former International Committee members, provide support, guidance and expertise across the organisation as younger generations take on leadership roles. Regional and national coordinators provide leadership and support to local teams in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.

Creators of Peace is made possible by the work of valued, dedicated volunteers, and is funded by private foundations, philanthropists, partnerships with not-for-profits, other organisations and international donors.

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Annual Reports