Article October 28, 2002 Issue

International women's peace conference convenes

By Marta Greenwood

During The Second Week Of October , women religious and spiritual leaders from around the world met in Geneva, Switzerland, to explore ways in which they can—specifically as women—bring their varied experiences to bear on peace efforts around the world.

The event was organized in response to the United Nations-sponsored Millennium World Peace Summit, held in New York two years ago. At that conference, only 15 percent of the delegates were women. The organizers of this Geneva conference recognized the need for women to play a greater part in the peace process.

Although the Geneva conference featured women from all walks of life—business, government, and religious institutions—the foundation of the conference was dedicated prayer, individually and as a group. This acknowledgment that God—by whatever name, in whatever faith tradition—is a universal presence and a "very present help in trouble," brought those of vastly different religions, ethnic backgrounds, and life experiences into a circle of understanding that crossed the lines of color, language, and culture.