Project Peacemakers

Project Peacemakers is a body of people who are working for peace from a faith perspective and we are a local chapter of Project Ploughshares. We believe that peace is more than the absence of war. A peaceful society is one which is just and where all people are free to strive for wholeness. We try to create a peaceful society by motivating and educating ourselves and our community.

We believe in a world that can love, learn and liberate. Our faith calls us to action for peace, against violence, against greed (especially in its globalized corporate form). We are in solidarity with all who share this vision.

Project Peacemakers has been active since 1983.  Since that time we have maintained an office, staff and resource centre.  Our activites have been varied as we have tried to respond to current issues of peace and justice.  For example, when the Contra War was raging we sent a "Witness for Peace" delegation to Nicaragua.  During the height of the nuclear threat during the Cold War we joined forces with U.S. peace activists to protest at the nuclear missile silos in North Dakota. We were in the forefront of the opposition to both wars against Iraq and led the Manitoba action to protest the use and stockpiling of landmines.

We continue to educate our members and the public (particularly through the churches) through educational forums, educational pamphlets and presentations to groups on current issues such as Child Soldiers, War-Affected Children, Violent Video Games and Toys. We have produced a Peace Resource for Teachers, a Remembrance Day Assembly Program on CDRom, and publish a quarterly newsletter called 'Peace Projections'.  We also have bi-weekly events bulletins that we distribute through email.

Project Peacemakers often partners with other local and non-local groups that work for peace.  One example is our annual partnership with the Manitoba Japanese-Canadian Citizens Association and Peace Alliance Winnipeg for our "Lanterns for Peace Memorial Event", which occurs every year on the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  We welcome suggestions for partnerships and also welcome volunteers interested in assisting us with our projects.