PIEF

The PIEF is an international, inter-church advocacy initiative for peace in Israel and Palestine

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    What You Can Do

    World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel
    18 - 24 September 2016
    "God has broken down the dividing walls"
    An initiative of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches

    What you can do
    (Taken from the E-resource)

    Action

    The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, human rights groups, social movements, unions, and other civil society organizations around the world to join together in 2015 for a week of advocacy and action in support of an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. Congregations and individuals around the globe who share the hope of justice shall unite during the week to take peaceful actions, together, to create a common international public witness.

    How to get involved
    As participants in World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, from 20 to 26th September 2015, churches around the world shall send a clear signal to policy-makers, community groups, and their own parishes about the urgent need for a peace settlement that ends the illegal occupation and secures the legitimate rights and future of both peoples.

    Globally, within regions, and in many countries around the world, planning has begun for World Week for Peace 2015, during which participants will organize and join in events and activities around the following three principles:

    1. Praying with churches living under occupation, using a special prayer from Jerusalem and other worship resources prepared for the       week.
    2. Educating about actions that make for peace and about facts on the ground that do not create peace, especially issues related to prisoners.
    3. Advocating with political leaders using ecumenical policies that promote peace with justice.

    Why?
    This annual observance of a week of prayer, education, and advocacy calls participants to work for an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine, so that Palestinians and Israelis can finally live in peace. It has been 66 years since the creation of the State of Israel. This has not led to the creation of an independent Palestinian state but has only deepened the tragedy of the Palestinian people. It is now 47 years since the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza overwhelmed the peaceful vision of one land, two peoples.

    The action week's message is that now:

    It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace.

    It's time for freedom from occupation.

    It's time for equal rights.

    It's time for the healing of wounded souls.

    Creative options
    There are many creative options that can be used in the observance of the Week. Each group responds in ways most suited to their situation. The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum will provide updates prior to the Week of events that are being planned in different locations. This will, hopefully, serve as a reference point for all who observe the week. The important thing to bear in mind is that the three components of prayer, education, and advocacy are somehow included.

    Downloadable campaign postcard from the UK
    A good example of how we could use creative methods to mobilize people in large numbers comes to us from the UK Working Group which has plans to make available an A6 size JPG downloadable postcard on which one can write a message of reconciliation and call for justice. This may then be sent to your elected representative.  The picture is a blank portion of the wall (see picture below) on which the message can be written. The UK Working Group will make this available to us in afew weeks from now and it will be uploaded on the WWPPI website. https://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace