| More than a decade ago, Calgary's Carolyn Pogue travelled to Jerusalem and lined up with the Women in Black – a small group of women who, starting in 1988, regularly stood in silent vigil to promote peace between Jews and Palestinians and an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
She recently travelled back to the Middle East, and even though the country had fallen into increased violence and fear, the Women in Black were still there, standing in the middle of a busy traffic circle. Pogue joined them again.
"In my mind, they are some of the bravest women in the world," Pogue says. "They were spit on and sworn at, but they continue to stand."
Pogue says she was so inspired by the Women in Black on her recent trip, she immediately started organizing a local chapter upon her return to Canada.
"I couldn't not do it," Pogue says. "It was really within hours when I was back home that I started making phone calls."
Pogue is not the first to find inspiration in the Women in Black. In the time she was away from Israel, chapters have sprung up all over the world in all sorts of contexts – promoting peace the Balkans, protesting rape as a tool of war, speaking out against human rights abuses and, more recently, trying to prevent war in Iraq.
Pogue's efforts in Calgary quickly bore fruit. On Valentine's Day, 36 Calgary women gathered at the statues of the Famous Five suffragettes near Olympic Plaza and silently stood in support of worldwide peace. They now gather on the second and fourth Friday of every month, with an open invitation to any woman interested in joining them.
Pogue says the vigils are important to her because they offer an alternative, peaceful form of protest, and serve as a counterpoint to the talk of war that is so prevalent.
"The thing that's really discouraging for people is we're not getting a whole lot of voices of peace activists," Pogue says. "It's warmongering that's getting media attention."
Pogue also says its important that women, specifically, stand up for peace, and she is heartened by women's peace efforts worldwide – there are demonstrations planned in conjunction with International Women's Day on March 8, and the earlier Lysistrata Project saw worldwide readings of Aristophanes's Greek antiwar comedy Lysistrata, which featured some creative peace work by women.
"(Women) bear the brunt of war, always," she says. "We end up being the healers and try to patch up and heal everyone. We're getting a little tired."
Pogue doesn't seem discouraged by the fact that peace is a long way off in the Middle East, despite 15 years of vigils by the Women In Black. Nor is she letting the increasing likelihood of war in Iraq discourage her.
"The women in Jerusalem made peace 15 years ago. They're just waiting for the men to follow," she says."
International Women’s Day
By Glorianne Kada
Calgary women will dust off their anti-war signs and step out to raise their voices with women across the globe for International Women’s Day on March 8. A peace rally is among the events planned to mark the day, including:
· Peace Rally: 5:30 p.m., Carpenter’s Hall (301 - 10 St. N.W.) followed by potluck supper and entertainment from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
(Co-hosted by Women’s Centre of Calgary, Calgary Women and Global Action, and Women’s Committee of Calgary and District Labour Council)
· Women of the World Gala: 5:30 p.m., Westin Hotel. Dinner, live entertainment, silent auction to benefit immigrant women and children. Guest speakers are Honourable Jean Augustine and Barbara Zach.
(Co-hosted by the Calgary Consular Corps and Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association)
· Fund-raiser: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., St. Matthew’s United Church (2035 — 26A St. S.W. Featuring Afghan cuisine, music, and dance.
(Hosted by Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, Calgary Chapter) |
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