Month: Dec 2025

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South African Women Embrace Role as Peace Builders Through IWPG Program

SAWID Completes Transformative Peace Education Program with IWPG Johannesburg

The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) Johannesburg has announced the successful completion of an eight-session Women’s Peace Education program conducted in partnership with South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID).

The program was designed to guide participants through a comprehensive journey from understanding peace as a personal value to embracing it as a collective responsibility and global imperative. Throughout the educational sessions, participants developed a deeper awareness of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW) and explored why women’s unity across borders is essential for global stability and the dignity and safety of every individual and community.

The curriculum covered sessions titled Peace and I, Virtues of a Global Peace Citizens, Culture and War, The 10 Articles and 38 Clauses of the DPCW, and The Role of Women. Participants explored how peace is not an abstract ideal but a daily practice rooted in empathy, justice, and courageous action. The program was intentionally designed to invite reflection on lived experience, identity, and agency, encouraging participants to see themselves as shapers of history rather than merely witnesses to it.

The impact of the program proved both moving and measurable, with many participants expressing new clarity, renewed purpose, and a deepened commitment to becoming active peacebuilders in their families, neighborhoods, and beyond.

One participant stated that the DPCW is more than a document but rather a promise of accountability, hope, and a world where war is no longer inevitable, expressing full conviction behind its realization. Another participant emphasized that peace education empowers women to speak with truth, act with courage, and lead with love, noting that they are not waiting for peace to arrive but are actively building it through conversation, community engagement, and individual action.

Faith Van Wyk, IWPG Peace Lecturer in Johannesburg, offered a reflection on the resilience and vision of African women. She noted that African women have long been the quiet architects of survival, holding families together, bridging divides, and nurturing hope amid adversity. She expressed her belief that when such resilience is intentionally channeled toward peace as active, organized, and unwavering commitment, the ripple becomes a wave that will reshape the world. IWPG—an international women’s NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations ECOSOC and affiliated with the UN Department of Global Communications—currently operates in 122 countries through 115 branches and collaborates with over 800 partner organizations in 68 nations. Its mission is unequivocal: to grow women’s global solidarity, embed peace as a lived culture, equip women as peace educators and advocates, and realize the DPCW as enforceable international law.

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Eswatini Opens a New Path to Community Peace Through Interfaith Unity

On November 27, 2025 a gathering marked by interfaith collaboration was held at Lidwala Lodge in Eswatini. More than 30 religious leaders from across Southern Africa participated in the Bible Experience Program (BEP), hosted by an international peace NGO (HWPL), to explore interfaith harmony and discuss practical approaches to fostering community peace.

The event brought together leaders from Christianity, Islam, the Bahá’í Faith, Latter-day Saints, Brahma Kumaris, and traditional religions, along with a representative of the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG). The participants shared insights based on their respective scriptures and theological perspectives and emphasized the need for peaceful coexistence through respectful dialogue and efforts to resolve interreligious misunderstandings. One attendee remarked, “If we continue this journey together, we will not only speak of peace but ultimately live in peace.”

The main session of the event, themed “The Moral Voice in Governance,” explored the influence religious leaders have in shaping social values. Participants reaffirmed the importance of inclusive religious education, expanded interfaith dialogue to counter misinformation, and strengthened cooperation among faith communities to promote reconciliation. They further agreed that the BEP—comparative scripture study initiative designed to promote reflection and mutual understanding—provides a foundation for cultivating a culture of peace among youth.

Christian leader Kolani Magongo, Chairperson of the Church Forum, expressed appreciation, stating, “I am deeply grateful to have experienced the harmony among religions. I look forward to continuing my participation in the BEP and sharing this program widely with local pastors and congregations.”

An international seminar followed, presenting real cases in which the BEP has contributed to resolving community conflicts around the world. Many participants expressed optimism that the program would play an essential role in addressing long-standing religious tensions within Eswatini.

Bahá’í representative Modison Magagula emphasized, “It is important to restore diverse religious education in Eswatini’s schools. The BEP provides young people with a valuable opportunity to engage with various scriptures in a balanced and respectful manner.”

During the event, participants were introduced to HWPL’s various peace initiatives, including the WARP Office interfaith dialogue platform, the International Religious Peace Academy (IRPA), and the BEP program. Following the formal presentations, the gathering continued with further engagement among participants on peace-related topics.

Bheki Kunene, Chairperson of the CCM Religious Council, stated, “We hope HWPL will host a national peace inauguration ceremony to unite influential religious leaders. Spreading knowledge rooted in peace and shared values is more urgent now than ever.”