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“A woman of faith, a formerly battered woman, a mother of six children . . .”

Oct 30, 2011 — Categories: ,

Leymah Roberta Gbowee is now a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Gbowee, who shares the Peace Prize with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Tawakul Karman of Yemen, was responsible for organizing a peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003.

“A woman of faith, a formerly battered woman, a mother of six children . . .”

Leymah Roberta Gbowee is now a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Gbowee, who shares the Peace Prize with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Tawakul Karman of Yemen, was responsible for organizing a peace movement that brought an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. This led to Sirleaf's election as the first elected female president in Africa.

Listen to her interview given right after she received the news of the Peace Prize.  She says that her first reaction was delight that finally there is an acknowledgement that women bear the brunt of conflicts around the world, that women bring unique skills and are finally being recognized for their efforts in peace-making, and that there will be no peace without women at the table.  She talks about the primary importance of her Christian faith that grounds her and guides her.

Ironically, Gbowee was on her way to speak to the National Council of Churches of Christ in New York when she learned of the award.  So she was speaking to women of faith in that moment.  Read the transcript of her remarks here

The focus of her message to U.S. women was this:

It’s time for you Christians to stop getting on planes to Rwanda to teach children to read when down the street in Brooklyn, children cannot read. . . . It’s time to do justice in our communities. If there’s anything to be learned of the Nobel Prizes awarded today is that the three women who won them didn’t set out to conquer the world. They set out to change their societies first and that’s the message for all of us. Do peace and justice at home. Do peace and justice in your backyard. And spread your experiences outside. I thank you.

This is a message we need to hear as a reminder that the work that we are doing right here in our own communities is changing the world.

Gbowee has lived the intersection of militarism and war with the violence that is inflicted on women.  This intersection is a critical discussion for people of faith. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence begins November 25.  This year’s theme is: From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World.  

Join us on November 9 for a Free Roundtable Discussion of the 16 Days Campaign with Karen Dota from the Episcopal Church in the US, Elizabeth Petersen from the South African Faith and Family Institute, and myself.

Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org

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Women of Peace

Posted by Tony Robertson at Nov 09, 2011 12:59 PM
Thanks for this Marie. I have posted it on my Twitter account so it goes across a few of my social network sites. We have been hosting a Nobel Peace prize nominee here in Australia over recent week. Kathy Kelly is an amazing woman of faith tells the story of war and its impact on civilian communities with firm determination and a commitment to Nonviolence. As a true blue Auissie male I pay tribute to our Nobel Peace prize recipients this year and will honour their work online and in my own peace making efforts in my local community