Category Archives: TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

The Global Sumud Flotilla: Over 50 ships will set sail for Gaza

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the Peoples Dispatch

In July 2025, a new international maritime initiative was launched: the Global Sumud Flotilla. It was formed by four major coalitions: the Global Campaign to Return to Palestine, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Maghreb Sumud Convoy, and the Southeast Asian Nusantara Sumud Initiative. The Global Sumud Flotilla is set to depart on August 31, 2025. Its goal is clear: to break Israel’s illegal blockade on Gaza, to deliver urgent humanitarian aid, and to expose the genocidal war waged on Palestinians. 


Photo from Al Jazeera

The flotilla is composed of dozens of small civilian vessels carrying activists, parliamentarians, doctors, and trade unionists, alongside humanitarian cargo. More than 39 national delegations have pledged participation, making this the largest people-led maritime effort in solidarity with Gaza since the 2010 “Mavi Marmara”.

Behind every flotilla passenger lies a story of conviction. Greek trade unionists brought banners pledging workers’ solidarity with Palestine. Doctors from Spain and Italy carried vital medicines banned from entering Gaza. Parliamentarians from South Africa and Norway insisted that breaking the siege is a moral and political duty.

This is not the first flotilla of its kind this year. The “Handala” and “Madleen”, two of the Freedom Flotilla’s flagship vessels, also set sail in an attempt to break the blockade of Gaza. However, they were attacked by drones and stormed by Israeli forces. Passengers were beaten, kidnapped, and deported. Phones were confiscated, activists were interrogated, and many went on hunger strike to protest their detention. The attack was not just on the Freedom Flotilla; it was an attack on the principle of global solidarity itself.

The Global Sumud Flotilla insists that its mission is entirely lawful under international maritime law. Civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid in international waters are protected under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Israel’s interception of the “Handala” and “Madleen” constitutes nothing less than piracy and a war crime.

The flotilla’s organizers remind the world that Israel has maintained a land, air, and sea blockade on Gaza since 2007. As they prepared for upcoming missions, flotilla spokespeople declared:

“Our boats carry more than aid. They carry a message: the siege must end. The greater danger lies not in confronting Israel at sea, but in allowing genocide to continue with impunity.”

Criminalizing solidarity, violating international law

In recent months, Israel has escalated its campaign to silence international solidarity with Palestine by targeting civilian flotillas attempting to break the Gaza blockade. These ships, carrying activists, aid, and a message of defiance against siege, have become symbols of global resistance. Instead of engaging through diplomacy or respecting humanitarian principles, Israel has resorted to force on the high seas, treating peaceful civilian missions as military threats.

The assaults on the “Handala” and “Madleen” are more than acts of piracy, they are grave breaches of international law. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) guarantees freedom of navigation in international waters. By seizing vessels outside its territorial jurisdiction, Israel has acted as a rogue state.

International legal experts have consistently affirmed that the blockade of Gaza since 2007 constitutes collective punishment, violating the Fourth Geneva Convention. The International Criminal Court has received multiple submissions documenting Israel’s starvation siege, now exacerbated by open genocide. Yet governments that loudly invoke “rules-based order” remain silent when Palestinians, and their supporters, are the victims.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we best express solidarity with the people of Gaza?

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Instead of protecting citizens, western governments have facilitated Israel’s repression. Passengers aboard the flotillas were stripped of their phones, interrogated, and some were denied re-entry into the Schengen zone. Western states’ silence amounts to complicity.

Some detainees launched hunger strikes in Israeli prisons to protest their abduction. Others returned home to smear campaigns. Western right-wing media accused activists of “provocation” or of “endangering security”. Once-beloved Swedish activist Greta Thunberg who joined the “Madleen” flotilla, received attacks from mainstream media, on social media, and from influential political figures. Such tactics aim to delegitimize solidarity and sow fear among those who dare to act.

But these campaigns have failed to extinguish the moral clarity of the movement. From dockworkers in Barcelona refusing to load arms to Israel, to students occupying universities in the US and Britain, the flotilla has become a symbol: solidarity cannot be blockaded.

The human face of global resistance

The Global Sumud Flotilla represents a convergence of struggles across continents:

The Global Campaign to Return to Palestine mobilized thousands of activists worldwide.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, with roots going back to 2010, brings long experience of organizing maritime resistance. 

The Maghreb Sumud Convoy, launched in June 2025, gathered over 1,000 participants from across North Africa under the banner of “coordinated action for Palestine”.

The Nusantara Sumud Initiative, launched from Malaysia and eight other Southeast Asian countries, embodies South–South solidarity inspired by Palestinian steadfastness.

Together, these four networks transformed the flotilla from a handful of ships into a people-powered humanitarian corridor. The first official mission is scheduled for August 31, 2025, from Spain, followed by a second launch from Tunisia on September 4, with more than 50 ships expected to participate.

At a press conference in Tunis, organizers emphasized that the flotilla is not merely logistical, it is symbolic:

“This will not only be a fleet. It will be a reminder that the world is watching, that Gaza is not alone, and that peoples will not remain silent.”

The Freedom Flotilla is part of a long lineage of resistance at sea. The 2010 assault on the “Mavi Marmara”, in which Israeli forces killed ten activists, shocked the world. But instead of stopping solidarity, it multiplied it.

The Global Sumud Flotilla marks a new stage. By linking Mediterranean ports, North African caravans, and Southeast Asian convoys, it builds a transnational infrastructure of resistance. Its Arabic name Sumud, steadfastness, reflects both Palestinian resilience and the determination of people across the world to act where governments have failed.

Breaking the siege, building the future

The choice is now clear. Israel will continue to attack peaceful ships in international waters, abduct activists, and suppress humanitarian efforts, because the siege is a cornerstone of its genocidal project. Western governments will continue to look away.

But ordinary people, from Greek dockworkers refusing to load weapons for Israel, to Tunisian unions welcoming flotilla missions, to students and parliamentarians raising their voices, are building a counter-power.

The Global Sumud Flotilla is both a lifeline and a warning: Gaza will not be starved into silence, and solidarity will not be blockaded.

As the flotilla prepares to set sail with more than 50 ships, its message resounds across seas and continents: The siege must fall. Gaza must live. Palestine must be free.

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London: ‘We will continue protesting for Palestine, and we will win’

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Shabbir Lakha from Counterfire

Amid the state clampdown on Palestine solidarity, hundreds of thousands marched through London in defiant opposition to the genocide, reports Shabbir Lakha

Recently, The Economist remarked that the “Starmerites thought they had defeated the politics of Palestine. It may defeat them.” To prove how correct this assessment is, on Saturday, [August 9] an estimated 300,000 people marched through central London for the 28th national demonstration for Palestine since October 2023.

Video of march

It was an objectively huge demonstration, but even more impressive considering it was called with two-weeks’ notice, in the middle of August, and despite the police’s best efforts to intimidate protesters and to delay the coalition from announcing the route.

The demonstration was emotionally charged, angry and militant. Along with the usual array of placards taking aim at Starmer and calling for action, there were noticeably more signs relating to the clampdown on our democratic rights and civil liberties. The huge number of banners of local groups from across the country showed the truly national character of the march. The one noticeable absence was any significant presence of trade union flags or banners.

Over 800 people also gathered in Parliament Square to defy the proscription of Palestine Action, and the Met Police arrested 466 people – including a blind man in a wheelchair and a 90-year-old woman. The Met Police had set up field arrest-processing sites at the top and bottom of Whitehall, and swarms of them and their reinforcements from forces around the country trotted about in stormtrooper formations throughout the day.

As Lindsey German, Convenor of Stop the War Coalition said in her speech,
“We are bitterly opposed to the proscription of Palestine Action. It is not terrorism to carry out direct action. It is not terrorism to support the Palestinians… There is something deeply, deeply wrong when a society allows Israel to commit genocide but cannot allow protests on the streets of London… We will continue protesting, and we will win.”

The weekend’s mobilisations come after weeks of horrifying images of Palestinian children starving to death, of seeing desperate Palestinians being shot dead while queueing for aid in cattle-pens, and following Netanyahu’s announcement of his plan to launch a full military invasion and total re-occupation of Gaza.

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How can we best express solidarity with the people of Gaza?

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Keir Starmer’s pathetic statement in response offers only the mildest criticism to an open declaration of intent to commit further war crimes and to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people. His ‘threat’ of recognising a Palestinian state rings hollow while he continues to arm the genocidal Israeli state, train its soldiers on RAF bases and provide intelligence from RAF spy flights.

But his meek words are nonetheless a departure from his October 2023 claim that Israel ‘has the right’ to cut off food, water and electricity for Gaza’s civilian population. Starmer is reacting to the persistent groundswell of opposition his government is facing over its role in facilitating genocide.

The backbone of this has been the consistent mass mobilisations that have repeatedly brought hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets of the capital. Polling shows that a growing majority of the population back a ceasefire, arms embargo and sanctions on Israel. In recent weeks, there has been a noticeable sea change in the coverage and editorial lines of mainstream media outlets, including the Daily Express, the Financial Times and The Economist.

This is coupled by a rapidly expanding list of celebrities and cultural figures speaking out in all forums against the genocide and the British government’s actions. Saturday’s national demonstration was addressed by Bafta-nominated actor Denise Gough, comedian Ivo Graham, and Danni Perry, a dancer who held up a Palestinian flag at the Royal Opera House and successfully campaigned to get the Royal Ballet and Opera to cancel its production in Tel Aviv.

Denise Gough told Counterfire,
“I’m here at the rally because if I don’t spend my time in spaces where people have care for the rest of the world then I feel very, very alone. It’s important for all of us to come here so that we can get re-energised, because genocide is exhausting.”

When the situation in Palestine is as dire as it is, when there is growing support among some of the most influential figures in society for an end to British support for Israel, and when the government is on the backfoot, is precisely the time to escalate the movement to put an end to Starmer’s support for genocide and to defend our right to protest.
Upcoming mobilisations:

Saturday 16 August: Stop Arming Israel – protest at RAF High Wycombe

Saturday 6 September: National demonstration for Palestine – central London

Saturday 27 September: National demonstration at Labour Conference – Liverpool

Sunday 5 October: International Meeting against the War – Paris

Shabbir Lakha is a Stop the War officer, a People’s Assembly activist and a member of Counterfire.

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Australia: Pro-Palestine demonstration shuts down Sydney Harbour Bridge

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Nick Dobrijevich from the Peoples Dispatch (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA) license.

Hundreds of thousands rallied on Sunday, August 3, calling for an end to Israel’s genocidal war against the Palestinian people marking one of the largest political mobilizations in Sydney for decades. Organized by the Palestine Action Group (PAG), organizers estimated that 300,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge – one of the most recognizable landmarks in Australia.

video of the march

The State Premier of New South Wales (NSW), Chris Minns, publicly opposed the action earlier this week saying it would, “allow Sydney to descend into chaos”. The NSW police also attempted to shut the protest down by challenging organizers in the Supreme Court. NSW has one of the harshest restrictions on the right to protest introduced under recent anti-protest laws.

Starting in Lang Park in Sydney’s CBD, the rally was addressed by Palestinian writer and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah and refugee rights advocate, Craig Foster. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was also in attendance.

Federal Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi told the rally, “they [the government] parroted Israel’s propaganda. They demonized anyone who stood up and spoke out…Now because of your pressure, because of you protesting week in, week out, they are moving inch by inch. We cannot stop now.”

Jewish writer and journalist Antony Loewenstein said, “we are the majority, not the people who support what is happening in Palestine today. The only way this will stop is isolation for Israel. There is only one way: sanctions, boycotts and divestment.”

Growing opposition to Israel

Since October 7, 2023, there have been weekly rallies in Sydney and across Australia. Yet Sunday saw broadener sections of the population mobilize in support of Palestine. Historic numbers of community groups, trade unions and political organizations endorsed the action while a number of NSW politicians – including from the Minns government – backed the historic “March for Humanity”.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we best express solidarity with the people of Gaza?

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In the lead-up to Sunday’s action, images of Israel’s deliberate starvation of Palestinians in Gaza featured regularly on Australian mainstream media. The government’s staunch and ongoing backing of the Israeli regime further pushed a groundswell of support for Palestine.

Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong made minor criticisms of Israel and followed other imperialist countries in backing a future Palestinian state. Finance Minister Jim Chalmers was widely quoted saying, “from an Australian point of view, recognition of the state of Palestine is a matter of when, not if.”

This came after minor sanctions on far-right extremist politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in June. However, the Australian state has so far failed to adopt any of the movement’s demands including an end to all military ties with Israel, immediate sanctions, an end to weapons manufacturing – particularly deals with Elbit Systems and production of parts for F-35 fighter jets – and the expulsion of Israel’s ambassador.

Pushing forward

In recent decades, Australia has seen large mobilizations in support of progressive causes at home and against imperialism abroad. Some of these campaigns have forced the government to capitulate to the demands of the movement.

The 1960s and 1970s Moratorium Movement, for example, forced an Australian military withdrawal from Vietnam while the movement for East Timor’s independence forced the Australian state to abandon its decades-long backing of the Indonesian military government in the 1990s. Large rallies against the US invasion of Iraq and Australian involvement in that, however, did not succeed.

It remains unclear whether the Australian state can be pushed to abandon its unequivocal support of Israel’s genocidal war and force Wong and Albanese to adopt concrete action instead of empty slogans. Sunday’s rally is a clear indication of the broadening opposition to Israel’s genocide among broader sections of the Australian population This growing momentum could force further political changes.

Nick Dobrijevich is an Asia Pacific solidarity activist, translator and researcher based in Sydney, Australia.

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East Asia, Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

Global March to Gaza

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article published June 12 in Sharing.org Reprinted according to  Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0

Meeting in Cairo, Egypt, over 30 countries are coming together for a historic international march  in solidarity with Gaza.

In a first-of-its-kind step, a coalition of unions, solidarity movements, and international human rights organizations from over 32 countries has announced the launch of the “Global March to Gaza” — a plan to enter the Gaza Strip on foot in response to the catastrophic humanitarian conditions endured by its population under an Israeli siege that has lasted nearly 20 months.

The march aims to directly stop the genocide against the Palestinian people, facilitate the immediate entry of humanitarian aid, and demand an end to the siege on Gaza.

Participants are from Western countries, not just from Arab or Muslim communities, with more than 10,000 people having expressed interest in joining. Task forces have been formed geographically to ensure effective logistics and multilingual media communication.

The march follows an Israeli plan to delegate aid entry to a private company, which the UN has rejected, arguing it would worsen displacement, restrict aid access, and tie humanitarian aid to political and military agendas.

Key objectives of the march

Around 3,000 aid trucks loaded with food, medicine, and fuel have been waiting for months at Rafah. The march’s primary goal is to break the inhumane blockade imposed since 7 October 2023.

According to the organizers, other goals include:

1. Stop the genocide

Collective, practical action to halt ongoing Israeli crimes, especially the use of starvation as a weapon and the systematic killing of children.

2. Immediate humanitarian aid access

Demand for direct and urgent entry of food, medical supplies, and essentials through the Rafah Crossing, where thousands of trucks have been stuck at the border.

3. End the siege

Call for the unconditional opening of a stable humanitarian corridor and removal of restrictions preventing access to food, clean water, fuel, and medicine.

4. Mobilize international opinion

Unite civil societies across countries to expose war crimes, pressure governments, and engage global media in supporting justice and Palestinian human rights.

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How can we best express solidarity with the people of Gaza?

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Video copied from twitter account of March to Gaza

5. Accountability for war crimes

Call for legal and ethical accountability for all parties contributing to or complicit in violations against the Palestinian people.

Solidarity as a principle

German lawyer Melanie Schweizer explained that this peaceful initiative also sends symbolic messages of international solidarity, aiming to:

° Represent civil societies of the participating countries.

° Involve unions, rights organizations, medical and humanitarian sectors, and individuals from all backgrounds to amplify the voice of global civil society.

° Emphasize the nonviolent and voluntary nature of the march — no government backing, and participants self-fund their journey.

March route and logistics

Because participants come from various countries, the plan is to converge in Cairo starting 12 June, then travel to Arish and proceed on foot to Gaza via Rafah Crossing.

Eduard Camacho, from the Catalan union IAC, confirmed that each person will cover their own expenses with minimal logistical support. The route involves:

1. Coordinating local start points and liaising with ground activities.

2. Dividing participants into national groups, each organizing in its own language and culture.

3. Reaching Cairo, traveling to Arish, and marching by foot to Rafah.

4. Engaging embassies and Egyptian authorities, formally requesting cooperation.

5. Staging a sit-in at Rafah Crossing to demand its opening and aid delivery.

More information: https://marchtogaza.net

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Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Gaza Floatilla Ship Madleen Begins Voyage to Gaza

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Ann Wright in Peace and Planet News

The Gaza Flotilla sailboat Madleen set off from Catania, Sicily, Italy on June 1, 2025 for a 7-day voyage to Gaza  to break the 40-year illegal Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and now to stop the 600 day genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. The ship and her 12-person crew and participants departed at 4 pm Central European Summer Time following four very successful community events in Catania, each event having several hundred members of the local community attending.


Climate activist Greta Thunberg and Thiago Avila from the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee meet with journalists in Catania, Italy.

The Madleen is named after Gaza’s first and only fisherwoman in 2014. The ship is a symbol of the unyielding spirit of Palestinian resilience and the growing global resistance to Israel’s use of collective punishment and deliberate starvation policies.

Her launch comes just one month after Israeli drones bombed Conscience, another Freedom Flotilla aid ship, underscoring both the urgency and the danger of this mission to break the siege on Gaza.

The Conscience had been in international waters off the European country of Malta as the flotilla coalition was ready to board around 35 participants onto the ship. The bombing occurred hours following the flight of an Israeli military C-130 Hercules aircraft around Malta.

In the afternoon of May 1, only hours before the Israeli military bombed the Conscience, the small Pacific island of Palau, which is dependent on U.S. funding through the Compact of Free Association, cancelled  the flag and certification of the Conscience, no doubt following pressure from the U.S. government.

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Madleen is carrying urgently needed supplies for the people of Gaza, including baby formula, flour, rice, diapers, women’s sanitary products, water desalination kits, medical supplies, crutches, and children’s prosthetics.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition  emphasizes that this is a peaceful act of civil resistance. All volunteers and crew aboard Madleen are trained in nonviolence. They are sailing unarmed, united by the shared belief that Palestinians deserve the same rights, freedom, and dignity as all people.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition calls on:

Governments to guarantee safe passage for Madleen and all humanitarian vessels;

Media outlets to report on this mission with accuracy and integrity;

People of conscience everywhere to reject silence and take action for Gaza.

Those onboard the Madleen are:

Mark Van Rennes (crew) The Netherlands

2. Reva Seifert Viard (crew) France

3. Pascal Maurieras (crew) France

4. Sergio Toribio (crew) Spain

5. Thiago Ávila (Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee) (Brazil)

6. Yasemin Acar (Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee) (Germany)

7. Rima Hassan (European Parliamentarian) France

8. Greta Thunberg (climate activist) Sweden

9. Yanis M’Hamdi (journalist) France

10. Suayb Ordu (engineer) Turkey

11. Omar Fayad (Al Jazeera reporter) France

12. Baptiste Andre (Doctor) France

Donate to the Freedom Flotilla here

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Mideast, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Pope Leo XIV appeals for ‘no more war’ in first Sunday message

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article by Joshua McElwee, Philip Pullella and Keith Weir in Reuters (reprinted by permission)

Pope Leo XIV appealed to the world’s major powers for “no more war” in his first Sunday message [May 11] to crowds in St. Peter’s Square since his election as pontiff.

The new pope, elected on May 8, called for an “authentic and lasting peace” in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza, and the release of all Israeli hostages held by militant group Hamas.


Video of Pope’s message.

Speaking in fluent Italian, Leo also welcomed the recent fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan, negotiated overnight, and said he was praying to God to grant the world the “miracle of peace.”

“No more war!” the pope said, repeating a frequent call of the late Pope Francis and noting the recent 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in which some 60 million people were killed.

Leo said today’s world was living through “the dramatic scenario of a Third World War being fought piecemeal,” again repeating a phrase coined by Francis.

Tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square and on the Via della Conciliazione leading to the Vatican broke into applause at the call for peace on what was a joyous occasion despite Leo’s solemn message.

The new pope said he carries in his heart the “suffering of the beloved people of Ukraine.”

Hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine aimed at ending the bloody three-year war, Leo appealed for negotiations to reach an “authentic, just and lasting peace”.

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Religion: a barrier or a way to peace?, What makes it one or the other?

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The pope also said he was “profoundly saddened” by the war in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid and release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

Leo said he was glad to hear of the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire and hoped negotiations would lead to a lasting accord between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, is the first U.S.-born pontiff and was a relative unknown on the world stage before his election.

He previously served for decades as a missionary in Peru before first becoming a cardinal to take up a senior Vatican role two years ago.

Leo’s first Sunday address coincided with a previously planned pilgrimage to Rome by marching bands from around the world.

Minutes before the pope addressed the crowd, bands marched up the broad boulevard leading to the Vatican playing songs such as Y.M.C.A. by the Village People, the theme from the film Rocky, and music by John Philip Sousa, who composed the marching classic “Stars and Stripes Forever”.

Peruvian Gladys Ruiz, who lives in Rome, was among the crowd in the square, estimated at more than 100,000 by Italian authorities. Calling Leo a “Peruvian pope” Ruiz said his election is “a great honour for us”. Leo has dual citizenship, having gained Peruvian citizenship in 2015.

Also present were Dennis Gilligan and wife Maureen from Boston, Massachusetts, visiting Rome for their anniversary. He said he had passed up an opportunity to see Pope John Paul II when he visited Boston in 1979.

“I regretted it all my life,” he said. “This was very moving.”

The crowd was also entertained by bands from Italy, Mexico and other parts of Latin America who came to Rome for the ongoing Catholic Holy Year.

In all of his appearances since his election, Leo has not made any mention of the country of his birth, angering some U.S. conservative commentators.

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Mairead Corrigan Maguire: The moral imagination and Gaza

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Special to CPNN from Dianne Kirby

When Israel, without warning, unilaterally ended the Gaza ceasefire, the world once more became witness to genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated on an unarmed and defenceless civilian population by one of the world’s strongest military establishments, driven by an extreme Zionist influenced government supported by the world’s major powers, including the USA, Britain and the European Union. The unrelenting slaughter of a people already enduring unimaginable suffering moved Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire to an act of imaginative solidarity, 40 days of fasting and prayer.


Mairead Maguire speaking to Democracy Now

A form of creative nonviolent resistance infused with love, a cry from the heart that children should never more suffer war, hers is a sacrificial act of prophetic moral witness. Maguire made her mind and body sites for a penetrating public yet profoundly personal statement that resonates with spiritual protest, civil disobedience and a deep concern for human dignity. It is an expression of compassion and camaraderie that embraces the sorrow and pain of Gaza’s most vulnerable, its children.

Undertaken quietly from the privacy of her home, Maguire’s action was known only to a small circle of friends who advised of her undertaking to previous beneficiaries of her antiwar activism and nonviolent campaigns. The response was overwhelming. Tremendous support came from the international Catholic peace movement Pax Christi. Many Pax Christi members elected to join a rolling fast alongside that of Maguire, with individuals committing to one or more days during Maguire’s forty days. Hunger for Justice Ireland volunteers elected to join Maguire for the final day.

Significant Christian individuals, such a CND vice president Paul Oestreicher, sent moving messages of support, as did Christian organisations such as the Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI), Kairos Ireland, and the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre. Important endorsements came from Belfast’s Muslim community during Ramadan, empathetic to the spiritual significance of Maguire’s undertaking. Substantial support was forthcoming from individual trade unionists in Ireland, Britain, Holland and of course Palestine, conscious that the 1st May end date mattered to the world’s workers.

As the volume of messages exceeded the capacity of Maguire’s friends to record and respond, they shifted to an online system that made the process more manageable and the action better known (https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/support-mairead-corrigan-s-40-day-fast-for-palestinian-children-and-world-peace?share=dd9f24bf-0ad3-4ca2-8696-1a3341e4e593&source=email-share-button&utm_medium=myuplift&utm_source=email-share)

Maguire’s activism derives from a compassion and concern for others that was evident from an early age. A youthful volunteer with the Legion of Mary, she was inspired by Catholic peace and social activists such as Dorothy Day and the Berrigan brothers, Daniel and Philip. Her commitment to a life of activism was precipitated by the tragic 1976 deaths of her niece, Joanne, eight years old, and two nephews, John, two years old, and Andrew, six weeks old. Victims of Northern Ireland’s euphemistically termed ‘Troubles’, in reality a dirty, vicious war, their deaths led to the emergence of what came to be known as the ‘Peace People’.

With co-founders Betty Williams and Ciaran McKeown, the Peace People brought up to 35,000 persons onto the streets of Belfast demanding an end to the conflict. There were also massive rallies in London and Dublin demonstrating resounding opposition to the then escalating violence. Within six months there was a 70 per cent drop in the levels of death and destruction. Although more than two more decades of fighting between the warring parties continued, there was no return to the degree of murder and mayhem witnessed in 1976 when it appeared the country was headed toward civil war.

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How can we best express solidarity with the people of Gaza?

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In 1977, Maguire and Williams were awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize. The youngest ever recipient at the time, it marked the beginning of a journey that would take Maguire to conflict zones the world over deploying her Nobel Peace Laureate status to address an array of social and political issues, conflict resolution above all. Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, Maguire advocates nonviolence as an active way of life that is ‘daring, creative and courageous.’

A devout Catholic, she believes the forces of love and truth can resolve conflict. She advocates for dialogue and reconciliation, for replacing militarism with listening to opponents, and for allowing God’s spirit to transform man socially and politically. She is committed to human rights and International Law arguing their protection is a moral and legal responsibility for all governments and peoples. Silence is not an option ‘when injustice is being done to anyone, anywhere.’ Not simply speaking ‘truth to power’ but very often becoming involved in direct action against it, brought Maguire into confrontation with the forces of imperialism, colonialism, authoritarianism and oppression. A critic of US foreign policy, Maguire was twice arrested protesting the Iraq War in 2003, once in front of UN headquarters in New York and once in front of the White House in Washington.

Maguire’s inclinations and activism made confrontation with Israel inevitable. She regarded what Israel calls a ‘separation wall’ as a monument to fear and failed politics that made Palestinian life so precarious as to make simple survival an act of resistance. Protesting the construction of the so-called separation barrier in the vicinity of the Palestinian village of Bil’in in April 2007, Maguire came under attack from Israeli military forces using tear gas grenades and rubber-coated bullets. Shot in the leg and debilitated from inhaling tear gas, Maguire required hospitalization. In 2010 Maguire was refused entry to Israel despite being part of a delegation of the Nobel Women’s Initiative. She chose to fight the subsequent deportation order. During the hearing she criticized Israel’s apartheid policy and the siege of Gaza. She was deported the following morning.

In addition to visiting various war zones defending the rights of the oppressed, in 2018 she visited Rohingya camps, Maguire has long been outspoken against nuclear weapons. The recipient of numerous awards and honours, in 1992, Maguire was presented with the Distinguished Peace Leadership Award ‘for her moral leadership and steadfast commitment to social justice and nonviolence.’ Unafraid to adopt controversial causes, Maguire championed fellow speakers of truth to power, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange. Fearless in her support of the downtrodden and dispossessed, Maguire has predictably been subjected to unwarranted smears and vilification. Yet she remains undeterred in pursuit of a better world for all, undaunted in promoting nonviolence as a concept that individuals must accept into their hearts and minds to bring forth new and imaginative life-enhancing structures.

Believing that change is possible, Maguire was cheered to learn that her example had inspired others to follow suit. Notably, the 81-year-old cautioned that fasting is not for everyone and advised:

People should do what they feel they can as not everyone can fast, but they can pray. I once asked Mother Theresa what to do and she said: ‘’Oh pray, pray, never cease to pray – say the Cardinal Newman prayer. That’s a good one!’

Many of those supporting the inspirational Maguire will be neither praying nor fasting. They do, however, share her vision of a better world that rejects endless war and instead promotes equality, justice, peace, prosperity and love for all its children. Responding to the outpouring of support, Maguire expressed gratitude on behalf of children to all that worked ‘to make their precious lives joyful and happy.’

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Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

UNAOC and Religions for Peace:  “A Call for Peace, the End of Wars and Respect for International Law

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

A press release from Religions for Peace

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and Religions for Peace (RfP) are joining forces to launch “A Call for Peace, the End of Wars and Respect for International Law”, an initiative aiming to amplify a condemnation against war while fostering a message of peace and upholding respect for international law.


A Call for Peace – Press Conference UNAOC-RfP on April 3, 2025

The initiative, presented on April 3 at the UNAOC headquarter in New York, will be held on 25–26 April 2025 in Gernika, Spain, a town that has become a universal symbol of the horrors of war and the enduring spirit of peace. The two-day event will kick off on 25 April with roundtable discussions at the Liceo Theatre, featuring religious leaders, faith-based actors, and civil society representatives, followed by a screening of “Why War”, a film by renowned filmmaker Amos Gitai. On 26 April, the high-level opening ceremony and the official launch of the “Call for Peace” initiative will take place in Fronton Jai Alai, with distinguished speakers led by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC, and Dr. Francis Kuria, Secretary-General of RfP.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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“The enduring symbolism of Gernika, and its powerful message of peace and resilience, resonates more profoundly today than ever before,” emphasized Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC. “In a world increasingly fractured by violence and division, this initiative is a powerful reminder that peace is not merely an ideal; it is a shared imperative. As we gather in Gernika, we reaffirm our collective responsibility to reject war, uphold international law, and champion dialogue over discord. Let this be a global call to action toward a future rooted in dignity, justice, and our common humanity.”

“In a world where the echoes of past conflicts still resonate and new wars threaten to engulf us, Religions for Peace stands alongside the UNAOC in this urgent call for peace,” remarked Dr. Francis Kuria, Secretary-General of Religions for Peace. “We recognize the profound spiritual and moral imperative to dismantle the structures of violence and build bridges of understanding. This initiative, launching from the
historic town of Gernika, is not merely a call to end wars but a summons to cultivate a global culture of peace, rooted in respect for international law and the inherent dignity of every human being.”

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PLANETE: Scouts in Africa and Europe leading change in peace, gender, and sustainability

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from the website of World Scouting

The PLANETE project (Acting for Peace, Freedom, Learning, Nature, Equity, Tolerance, and Environment) is empowering over 7,000 Scouts and Guides across five countries and two continents to drive meaningful change in key areas like gender equality, education for peace and climate change education. 

Led by the Scouts and Guides of France, in partnership with the Scouts of Lebanon, the Association of Guides of Lebanon, the Rwanda Scouts Association, Rwanda Girl Guides Association, the Tunisian Scouts, and the Association of Catholic Scouts of Côte d’Ivoire, this initiative is aiming to reach more than 11,000 Scouts and Guides from 14 to 25. Together, they are leveraging the educational methods of Scouting and Guiding to promote peace, environmental sustainability, and gender equality.

Through workshops, camps, training sessions, advocacy campaigns, and other activities, participants are becoming powerful ambassadors for positive change within their communities. These Scouts and Guides are engaging in citizen mobilisation, partnering with local authorities to advance sustainable, equitable, and fair societies. Funded by l’Agence française de développement (French Development Agency), the project provides young people with the tools and skills necessary to create a brighter future.

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Question related to this article:
 
Are we seeing the dawn of a global youth movement?

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A key milestone of the PLANETE project occurred in August 2024, when Scouts and Guides from across the globe gathered in Rwanda for an international camp. Held from 25 to 31 August, the event focused on the pivotal role Scouting plays in fostering peace and tolerance. Drawing inspiration from Rwanda’s history of resilience and recovery, participants engaged in discussions and activities centred on intercultural understanding and reconciliation. These shared experiences reinforced the importance of dialogue and cooperation in the quest for a more peaceful world.

The PLANETE project also places a strong emphasis on environmental action. In France, Scouts participated in an ecological camp in Brittany in July 2024, focusing on biodiversity conservation and sustainable living. With no access to electricity and fully immersed in nature, Scouts participated in practical activities such as waste collection, vegetation maintenance, and raising awareness in local communities. 

Similar environmental initiatives are taking place in other participating countries, with Scouts leading efforts to protect natural environments and advocate for sustainability.

Looking ahead, the project will maintain its focus on environmental sustainability, peace, and gender equality through various initiatives. In 2025, several ecological camps will be organised across the five participating countries, where young participants will tackle critical issues such as climate change, conservation, and ecological transition. Additionally, from August 9 to 15, an international camp on interfaith dialogue will take place in Tunisia, bringing together seven delegations from partner organisations. This activity will empower participants to become ambassadors of peace and take initiative in their communities.

Creating a more inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable world begins with education, community engagement, and international collaboration. The PLANETE project is igniting a global movement of young leaders, with Scouts and Guides turning their ideals into tangible actions that inspire lasting change.

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Australia: Symbols, messages of peace mark interfaith gathering

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Kirralee Nicolle  from Salvos on line

Representatives from faith groups – including the Hindu, Baháʼí, Jewish, Sikh, Sufi, Alevi, Buddhist and Christian religions – gathered at Glenroy Community Hub in Victoria on 9 February to mark World Interfaith Harmony Week. 

The event was hosted by the Merri-Bek Interfaith Network, which includes Captain Steph Glover from Merri-Bek Salvation Army. Merri-Bek Corps members also led the group in singing ‘Make Me a Channel of Your Peace’ to begin the event, accompanied by the corps’ brass band. 

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How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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Steph said the event was quite a moving one, especially for those who have recently had windows to their offices smashed or buildings graffitied in incidents alleged to be religiously motivated. She said many Palestinian and Jewish residents in the area had been taking cover in fear of attacks. She said as a precautionary measure, the event, originally planned for an outdoor location, had been moved to an indoor one. 

She said reciting the Shared Act of Reflection and Commitment – a declaration spoken at the beginning of each meeting – reminded them of the values they all shared. 

“As faith leaders, we wanted to be the ones to go out and set an example and say, ‘Actually, we all might have slightly different beliefs, but what we do all agree on are these things’,” Steph said. 

Representatives from each faith tradition present at the event shared a message of peace through song, dance, prayers and spiritual readings. Attendees exchanged olive branches as a symbol of peace across religions. 

Steph described the Network as a “really, really close-knit community” which met once every couple of months.  

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