In the midst of violence that has killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands, Vital Voices reached out to the Georgian women leaders in our global network.
Wednesday, August 13th, Tanya Woynarowsky, Vital Voices’ Program Officer for Eurasia spoke to two of our Network members living in Tibilisi: Gvantsa Katsiashvili (pictured left) and Mari Meskhi. Both reported that Russian troops are pervasive and continue to loot the city. Yet despite their current situation, Gvantsa and Mari told us that they are trying to be brave and patient.
A testament to their tremendous leadership, both women strive to raise their voices to promote awareness of the current situation. Continue Reading »
What holds society together when society is pulling itself apart? According to Ulster University Professor Paul Arthur, the answer is civil society. Over a candlelit dinner, Professor Arthur shared his immeasurable wisdom and insights on the origins and opportunities of conflict in divided societies. With experience witnessing the transformation of Northern Ireland as well as his engagement in both the Middle East and South Africa, Professor Arthur was poised to share invaluable observations with our South African and Israeli/Palestinian delegations. Continue Reading »
On Sunday morning, four South African participants disembarked their plane sporting beaded pins displaying their colorful national flag. Exuberant about South Africa’s victory at the World Cup rugby final just hours earlier, the participants happily chided the passport control officer about the British team’s defeat. Importantly, the same excitement the participants demonstrated about South Africa’s rugby victory, they also shared in anticipation of our upcoming program on conflict resolution and reconciliation. Continue Reading »
Nearly a decade after the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, over a decade after the end of apartheid in South Africa, and days into the latest effort at shuttle diplomacy in the decades long Arab-Israeli peace process, Vital Voices is convening a gathering of women from Northern Ireland, South Africa and Israel to discuss their efforts to contribute directly to their countries’ peace and security. Whether as teachers, lawyers, mediators, or , the selected participants are women engaged in the work of peace in communities where the language of peace has not been spoken for decades. Continue Reading »
