NEW YORK – NGO CSW/NY and supporters of global peace came together last week to strike a harmonious call for peace and celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. At the Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in New York, speakers from all over the world spoke about women’s peace and security, with all statements emphasized with the crowd resounding the chant, “Give peace a chance.”
NGO CSW/NY Co-Chairs, Ivy Koek and Pamela Morgan, spearheaded this first-of-its-kind event in conjunction with NGO CSW/NY’s new working group on Peace for Gender Equality. We hope to continue a close partnership with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and other peace organizations and advocates. We will also continue to host a Rally for Peace each year in alignment with the Women, Peace, and Security activities happening each October.
Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo, peace activist and founder of WILPF Cameroon, kicked off the event with some inspiring words on peace. “No action for peace is small. No matter how small it is, it’s truly valuable. Let’s celebrate the anniversary through actions. When you show a sign of kindness, this is already peace.” Ndongmo also spoke on the many conflicts occurring globally, and how “we are saddened also by what’s happening all over the world. There are crises everywhere. Women are paying the highest price.”
“The peace that we want to see happen starts with us,” urged Ndongmo. “Let’s try to be the change we want to see. If we want to see peace happen in our communities in our world we should be the peace through our actions.”
Lisa Burton of Zonta International called for change; “The only way women can succeed in our world is by a radical change in the way things are done, because we need peace in order to flourish. Join us to make this radical change in order to have the world we deserve.”
Rosa Lizarde, NGO CSW/NY Vice-Chair, concluded the rally. “As we stand here at the foot of the UN, we have to keep demanding. For peace, for women’s inclusion, for a space in all of these UN processes: whether it’s about finance or sustainable development or equality, we have to stand together and demand peace. We have to stand for a peaceful disruption.”
For more content on Peace for Gender Equality and the women, peace, and security agenda, watch the recording of NGO CSW/NY’s September Monthly Meeting!
