Toowoomba Peace Conference, Saturday 30th August
For several years, the Multi-Faith Multicultural Committee in Toowoomba, supported by the Buddhist Pure Land Learning College, has been running a special peace conference. This year’s conference had a special focus – the recognition of Toowoomba as an International City of Peace. One of the regular organisations involved in the peace conferences had contacted the leaders of the “movement” and applied for Toowoomba to be included. The regional Mayor was present at the event for formally accept the certificate of recognition.
The International Cities of Peace “movement” emerged as a local community initiative in Dayton, Ohio, USA, 17 years ago, as an aftermath to the 1995 international negotiations to end the Bosnian war, which resulted in the so-called Dayton Peace Accords. Other outcomes were the Dayton International Peace Museum and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. A key founder of the International Cities of Peace Movement was present at the Toowoomba conference and gave an inspiring presentation on how the movement has spread globally. In Australia, the only other member city so far is Hawkesbury in NSW. Here’s the link to the other 400+ members.
Six WILPF Queensland members attended the conference, and accepted the organisers invitation to set up a simple information stall in the venue, with brochures about WILPF and about the ICAN campaign to abolish nuclear weapons. Six attendees indicated an interest in learning more about WILPF and this will be followed up. The conference left me wondering whether promoting the International Cities of Peace movement could be of interest to the WILPF Australia Section.
Wendy Flannery
Vice President
WILPF Australia