Among the key issues discussed were how to make women’s voices for peace heard in the media, how to build a broad community, and how to achieve real security through global disarmament. The morning Plenary Session featured Diane Balser of the BU Women’s Studies Program, Elise Boulding, Tess Browne of St. Anthony Cares, Barbara Hildt of Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND), Ivy Gabbert of the BRC, Randy Forsberg of the Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies, and Wafaa’ Salman of the Institute of Near Eastern and African Studies. Later in the day, participants worked in groups and workshops to build consensus and set a course for the future. For further information on the Collaborative and its evolving effort to empower and activate women for peace, please check out their Web page at www.idds.org.

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AGENDA

Women's Collaborative for Peace and Human Security
Strengthening Efforts to Activate and Empower Women
on Issues of Peace and Human Security

Women's Leadership Outreach Meeting

Boston Research Center for the 21st Century
396 Harvard Street, Cambridge
February 18, 2002

REVISED AGENDA

9:00–9:45 Working Group Selection and Resource Tables: Coffee and rolls will be available while you (1) Review the planned post-Feb 18 Working Groups and sign up to hear about or from one or more groups; (2) See campaigns and resources at tables from organizations active in the Greater Boston area, including WAND, WILPF, United for Justice with Peace, Mass Peace Action, Coalition for a Strong UN, Boston Research Center, and Women Waging Peace; and (3) Pick up your registration packet.

Randall Forsberg reviews the day’s agenda with participants

9:45–9:55 Welcome Kristina Olsen, Song; Ginny Straus, Boston Research Center

9:55–10:40 Opening Plenary: Hearing Women's Voices

Diane Balser, BU Women's Studies Program: Hearing Women's Voices on Peace and Human Security
Ivy Gabbert, Boston Research Center: Empowering Women's Wisdom across Cultures and Generations
Tess Browne, St. Anthony Cares: Human Security: A Woman's Issue
Wafaa' Salman, Institute of Near Eastern and African Studies: Defeated? Thoughts on the Status Quo and What Women Can Do
Barbara Hildt (WAND), Working Group 1: Hearing Women's Voices in Our Communities and in the National Media
Randy Forsberg (IDDS/Global Action), Working Groups 2-4: Dialogue on Women's Visions for Peace, A Women's Agenda for Peace and Human Security, and Helping to Build a Nationwide Grassroots Women's Peace Movement
Elise Boulding (WILPF/Feminist Sociologist, Peace Scholar): Introduction to Visioning:

10:50–11:40 Small Group Discussion: Envisioning a Peaceful Future Shaped by Women

We break up into nine groups (9-10 each), with facilitator and reporter, and hear from each participant on two topics, going around once (5 min per person): (1) Share your interest in women and peace; Self-introduction; What brings you here? (2) What do you envision as the best possible outcome of this new collaborative effort with respect to a future in which women work effectively and in concert for peace and human security?

11:50–12:50 Concurrent Workshops

Workshop 1. Joan Ecklein (WILPF) & Nancy Wrenn (Coalition for a Strong UN): An Historic Breakthrough for Women's Voices in Peacemaking and Peacebuilding at the UN

Workshop 2. Wafaa' Salman (INEAS) & Irene Gendzier, BU Prof of Pol Sc: Understanding the Arab & Islamic Worlds

Workshop 3. Judith Thompson (WAND) & Public Conversations Project member: Constructive Conversations for Challenging Times: Exploring areas of uncertainty and disagreement. Ways to compassionately engage in potentially divisive dynamics in families or communities around the responses to Sept 11

Workshop 4. Elisabeth Leonard (WILPF) & Autumn Leonard (Creative Activities Coordinator, United for a Fair Economy): How War and Corporate Globalism Limit the Lives of Women, Especially Poor Women, and what we can do to improve the quality of life for all women

Workshop 5. Randy Forsberg (IDDS/Global Action): A Women's Agenda for Peace and Human Security: Key Components of the Global Action Program

1:00–1:30 Box Lunch with Theme Discussions

Lunch! Take a break, get a box lunch (veggie sandwich and cookie), a piece of fruit, and a drink, then find a new circle. If you want to relax for a bit or chat with a friend, choose a "Free Chat" circle. If you want to go for broke and maintain the intensity of the day unbroken, choose one of three theme circles in which discussion (with a facilitator and reporter) will focus on a specific question:
Circle on Media Silence: Why are progressive women's voices not heard in the national media on war and peace issues? What is standing in the way? What kind of leverage or work by whom might make a difference?
Circle on Alternatives to War: What alternatives to the US approach in Afghanistan would you favor as a means of responding to and preventing acts like 9-11?
Circle on New US Role in the World: What changes in the US role in the world -- that is, what changes in US foreign, military, economic, environmental, or cultural policy -- do you seek most deeply and passionately?

1:40–2:40 Working Groups

Convenors and potential new members in each Working Group meet one another, discuss Working Group goals and means, and plan time, place, and activities for the next follow-up meeting. People may visit more than one Working Group during this hour, moving on at their own discretion.

WG1. Barbara Hildt and Eleanor LeCain: Women's Media Visibility, Outreach, and Training Project: To make our voices heard in the media and in communities. This group will break into four task forces:
(1) Video: Planning for production of a 20-30 minute video for use by individuals and groups reaching out at the grassroots level, on US policies in the Middle East and South Asia which have helped create the current situation.
(2) Other Resources: Development and compilation of educational and training materials which can be shared and accessed via the internet.
(3) Facilitator Training Program: Creating a facilitator training program for women to run community dialogues on current issues of peace and human security.
(4) Women's Voices in the Media: Strategies for getting more women into the media, considering which media we want women to be included in, how to get women in, and suggested names of women who should be heard.

WG2. Diane Balser (with Randy Forsberg): Dialogue on Women's Visions for Peace: Controversial issues and mobilizing themes. A monthly discussion series on values and visions relating to war and peace, for education and exchange of views

WG3. Randy Forsberg: A Women's Agenda for Peace and Human Security: Study group with goal of launching a new branch of Global Action to Prevent War, a national and international campaign for new policies by the USA and other governments, aimed at doing everything possible globally to prevent organized armed violence and promote conflict resolution and disarmament.

WG4. Ecklein, Forsberg, Leonard, and Others: Helping to Build a Nationwide, Grassroots Women's Peace Movement: Promoting follow-on women's outreach meetings throughout Massachusetts, drawing on Colleges, Women's Groups, and Churches. Also encouraging and supporting efforts to replicate both leadership outreach and follow-on ripple events in other states, starting in the area from Maine through Pennsylvania.

Note on New Ideas for Working Groups: Participants in the Feb 18 and May 19 meetings are welcome to propose new Working Groups not yet included in the Feb 18 Agenda; but we urge those who have ideas for new Working Groups to inform the Organizing Committee (via Randy Forsberg) before Feb 18, so that a complete list of options can be included in the day's work from the outset.

2:45–3:00 Coffee Break

3:00–4:10 Closing Plenary: Sharing and Building on the Day's Experiences

3:00–3:20 Sharing the Day's Experiences: Reports from Visioning Small Groups (1 synthesis report) and Lunch Theme Circles (3 reports)

3:20–3:40 Building on the Day's Experiences: Reports from Working Groups (4 reports)

3:45–4:00 Moving Forward: Barbara Hildt,WAND; Joan Ecklein,WILPF; Randy Forsberg

4:00–4:10 Closing: Ginny Straus, Boston Research Center, Christina Olson, Song