Christian Peacemaker Teams is celebrating 35 years of action this year! Pax Christi USA is honored to be a sponsor for their September 25th online event, Peacemakers Congress. We’re inviting our members to consider joining the event for interactive workshops, team panels, an exciting keynote speaker, and an auction! Click here for more details (and see below) and for info on registration.
Keynote Speaker: Pádraig Ó Tuama
Irish poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama’s work centers around themes of language, power, conflict and religion. He is the author of four books of poetry and prose: Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community, In the Shelter, Sorry for your Troubles, and Readings from the Books of Exile. He presents the podcast Poetry Unbound with On Being Studios, where he also has responsibilities in bringing art and theology into public and civic life. From 2014-2019 he was the leader of the Corrymeela Community, Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation community. He is based in Ireland.
35 Years of Peacemaking
Program Director, Milena Rincón and Personnel Coordinator, Kryss Chupp, our longest serving CPTer, will be in conversation together, reflecting on the work of CPT over the last 35 years and how it has evolved over that time. They will discuss the work of our teams, how we’ve developed partnerships and what’s changed on the ground, bringing us to where we are today.
Nonviolence Workshop
While violence and oppression continues to plague our communities, people are taking to the streets to demand justice. Protest and nonviolent direct action are key to bring about social change. Yet as we prepare to hit the streets, we know we will come face to face with opposition, therefore learning skills in de-escalation is pivotal for us to reach our goals and keep our communities safe. This interactive workshop will hone and build our skillset to de-escalate counter protesters and armed authorities.
Teams Meet & Greet
You’ll have the opportunity to meet folks from our Palestine, Lesvos, Greece, Iraqi Kurdistan and Colombia teams, as well as members of the Turtle Island Solidarity Network. They will share about and what’s happening on the ground, as well as ways in which you can take action and get involved with our work. There will also be a space for any questions you might have.
Undoing Oppressions Workshop
Undoing Oppressions is a constant and crucial part of our work at CPT and something that we are deeply committed to. Our work is founded on the belief that oppression leads to violence, and that challenging oppressive systems is necessary to achieve peace. This workshop will be an opportunity for us to learn together and develop the tools and awareness to do the work of Undoing Oppressions in our everyday lives.