Ever wonder how to become empowered as a change-maker in your own life, community or nation? From 25-27 November 2016 seven strangers from across the UK, representing South Africa, Canada, England, France and India, met in Oxford where a space was created to help facilitate the unlocking of individual’s understandings of what peacemakers and changemakers look like.
An intensive weekend took these women through the process of addressing 10 gatherings points around peace, including methods used in Peace Circles across the world. These exercises, reflections and transformative discussions took place around topics including listening deeply to others, the power of forgiveness, inner peace, the qualities of a peacemaker, what builds and destroys peace, peace in practice and much more. We shared stories, meals and laughter together and watched as each woman became more empowered to put peace into practice in their own life, taking the spirit of the weekend back to their communities. There were several main insights throughout the weekend including a response to the Serenity Poem:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can and
Wisdom to know the difference
On new insights to take away, Leilah Botham of Oxford writes, ‘I will reflect more on HOW I do things rather than WHAT I do. I will think about how my interactions may inspire or hurt the people around me.’
Another participant from London writes, ‘I am leaving this weekend with a renewed sense of purpose. It is so inspiring to meet people from all walks of life who are motivated to create change and peace, from the local to the international level.’
This was the last Peace Circle of 2016 taking place in the UK. There will be another one in Oxford from 20-22 January 2017 which is currently full.
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