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The EECMY Peace Office Education Section has translated and
distributed a booklet "Why Violence? Why Not Peace?"
in
Amharic language. This book is originally Written by Diana Mavunduse
and Simon Oxley and published by © World Council of Churches 2002:
ISBN
2-8254-1371-2
150, route de Ferney
PO Box 2100
1211 Geneva 2
Switzerland
Tel +41 22 791 6111
Fax +41 22 791 0361
www.wcc-coe.org
The booklet is already translated
in all the big languages and is intended to be a
study guide for reflecting on
the Decade to Overcome Violence (2001-2010), emphasizing the motto
“Peace is not
something you wish for, it’s something you make, something you do,
something you are, something you give away.”
(Mother Theresa)
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Violence repels us, but violence also attracts us.
Violence alarms us, but violence also entertains us.
Violence destroys us, but violence also protects us.
Front cover: photos by Irene R
Lengui
Back cover: these prayers were adapted from the World Council of
Churches 1983 Vancouver Assembly
An Amharic version to read or download
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Peace
Office Historical Overview
Flowing from a more than thirty-year history of embracing social justice
alongside a growing recognition that peacebuilding is a core element of
the biblical gospels, the EECMY at the 14th General Assembly in 1993, as
part of Her "holistic ministry" established a Peace Office. This office
was upgraded to the level of Commission in 2002.
Since its inception, the Peace Office has devoted its energies in the
areas of advocacy, conflict analysis, education and mediation. The
primary recipients of the office's services are found within the EECMY
structure. However, recognizing that all Ethiopian peoples are
interconnected socially, economically and politically, the services are
rendered likewise on behalf of those communities where EECMY places of
worship are situated.
Vision and Mission
Vision:
The eventual attainment and duplication of inclusive, empowered, God
inspired, peaceful communities where love and respect for self, others,
creation and Creator endure.
Mission:
The Peace Office is a non-hierarchical, relationship focused entity of
EECMY committed to effecting both attitudinal and behavioral
transformation of the EECMY membership in particular and society within
the EECMY constituencies in general via the provision of peace, civic
and human rights education and by rendering preventative and responsive
services to destructive/negative forms of conflict.
Areas of Focus
Advocacy, Analysis, Conflict prevention, transformation, Networking
(relationship building)
Education, Mediation, Research & Documentation, Inter-faith and
Ecumenical |
Core Guiding Values
Relationship-focused
(self, others, creation, Creator): The PO recognizes the centrality of
relationships in effective and sustainable peacebuilding.
Service oriented:
The PO is guided by the biblical value of serving others.
Nonviolence (means = ends)
Nonviolence is a moral and pragmatic means of change. Nonviolence is
also a way of life. The PO commits to advocating for and utilizing only
nonviolent methods/tactics that fall in line with Her vision and
mission. The means adopted must reflect the ends sought after.
Justice:
The PO recognizes that justice and peace are inseparable threads of the
same cloth. One without the other is neither sustainable nor genuine.
Dialogue:
The PO believes in creating safe spaces (physical, emotional &
psychological) where people can come together in trust, empathy,
compassion, and integrity to listen with the purpose of exploration not
arguing, discovery not to convince, and reaching out for understanding,
not entrenchment. In dialogue, we communicate in order to move towards
deeper and higher levels of understanding of self and other. True
dialogue possesses within its energy a deep level of non-hierarchical
democratic characteristics that provide excellent communication models,
pointing towards the families, communities, places of worship and
society/nation we strive towards.
We welcome your participation in the efforts of our office and the EECMY
as we strive to be a catalyst of positive social transformation within
Ethiopian society. If you or someone you know is interested in learning
more about our office, its work and how you can partner with our
efforts, please contact us using the contact information in the left
panel. We eagerly await your communication and working together towards
a more just and peaceful future. |
