Peacemaking & Nonviolence Discussion Forum - April 2010 Justice Cafes

[IPJC Office]

This is the place to post the update from your April Justice Cafe Conversation on Peacemaking & Nonviolence

• Build community and act together for justice with young adults from other cities across the globe.
• Share your insights, learnings, questions and challenges around peacemaking & nonviolence.
• Suggest action ideas or plan actions together.

[Ashley]

From the New Jersey Justice Cafe:

This week we met to discuss Peacemaking and Nonviolence. We started off with a short ice breaker since we had a few new members to the small group. We begin by reflecting on peace, nonviolence, and being a peacemaker. We began with a discussion on how violence has touched our lives and situations where we have been the peacemaker. From this we began discussing the difference between being a peacemaker and being a peace keeper. We also discussed violence in society and the effect that media has on our understanding of violence. This also led to a larger discussion about different circumstances when violence is allowable and how small changes can effect how a situation is viewed. We discussed different ways to encourage peacemaking and nonviolence both in our small communities and daily lives and how countries as a whole could encourage peaceful solutions. The small things we learned from this discussion we will bring to our daily lives to be both the peacemaker and the peace keeper. We also discussed ways we could impact policy by sending letters to senators and encouraging cross-cultural communication.

[IPJC Office]

The Seattle Justice Cafe -- held in conjunction with the Ignatian Spirituality Center - met Thursday, April 15th with 16 young adults in attendance.

We had a deep and lively conversation. We talked about personal experiences of conflict, the violence in society, and the power of imagination to create a culture of peace.

We were especially touched by the story and example of our brothers and sisters in the Nigeria Justice Cafe and decided to send an electronic picture postcard with a group shot of those gathered in Seattle and a note of solidarity:

Dear Friends of the Nigeria Justice Cafe, Greetings from Seattle, Washington, USA! Our Justice Cafe met last night to pray and discuss peacemaking and nonviolence. We were inspired to hear about your Justice Cafe in Jos, Plateau State, especially in your efforts to foster inter-faith dialogue and peace in a region experiencing daily violence. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers!!!! Blessings of Peace, Seattle Justice Cafe