It’s Time to
MAKE PEACE THE NEW NORMAL
Get active on May 27th 2020 – everywhere!
Dear Friends and IFOR family,
As the pandemic began to make its way around the planet, several people from different branches within the International Fellowship of Reconciliation felt the need to check in on each other and find out how others were responding to new and old challenges within our collective work for peace.
As the conversations developed we realized that these challenging times provide an opportunity to create a lasting change that would make peace the “new normal” through:
COMPASSION: Prioritizing the protection of poor and marginalized people.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Protecting civil liberties and human rights.
CHANGE: Using the momentum of this global crisis to shift resources to meet human needs and foster a culture of nonviolence and peace.
We soon discovered that all wanted to do more than share ideas. We wanted to take a stand, support each other and speak for peace!
On May 19th, IFOR sent an open letter to Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, endorsing his call for a global ceasefire and urging the UN and its Member States to go further to protect human rights and build peace.
We now invite the entire fellowship to join a
Global Day of Action on May 27th
About the Day of Action
The Day of Action is titled “MAKE PEACE THE NEW NORMAL” and will highlight the need for compassion – accountability – change. Through actions big and small, we aim to raise awareness about the necessity to prioritize peace now and in the future.
Whether you are in lockdown, moving about and physically distancing, or have yet to be impacted by COVID-19, there are things you can do.
We invite everyone to engage at any or all of following levels:
COMMUNITY ACTION: Build community among those whose vulnerability is highlighted by the virus.
SPIRITUAL ACTION: Provide a point of spiritual focus and reflection.
POLITICAL ACTION: Engage politicians, policy makers and public opinion leaders and authorities about the need to make peace the “new normal”.
Please decide on the types of activity you intend to carry out. A list of activities is available at the end of this post. Scroll down.
One common theme is the need to make people aware that we are taking action. On social media, we will connect our efforts by using the hashtag #MPNN.
Ways to join the Day of Action
- Share THE OFFICIAL GRAPHIC [ LOGO CAMPAIGN, Facebook 1 and Facebook 2, Instagram 1 and Instagram 2, Twitter 1 and Twitter 2] on Social Media or via Email with your networks. (Don’t forget to use the Hashtag #MPNN and to tag IFOR (Fb @InternationalFellowshipofReconciliation)
- Download IFOR’s Open Letter to the UN Secretary-General and share it, or use it as an inspiration to write to your government.
- Join IFOR president Lotta Sjöström Becker for a live “Pause for Reflection” broadcast on IFOR’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/InternationalFellowshipofReconciliation at 3 pm CEST (or watch the video afterwards!)
- Encourage supporters and volunteers to download and print the white event poster [PRINT THIS] or to handwrite their own – and take a selfie with it and post it, using the hashtag #MPNN
- Implement these actions in your community! (Don’t forget to share with us what you are doing by posting it under #MPNN and tagging IFOR, or sending it to iskra.ramirez@ifor.org!)
Highlight your initiatives
If you are doing something within the scope of “Make Peace the New Normal” (#MPNN), put it in the spotlight and make it known!
Post on social media! (Pictures, videos and short stories are all are great! Connect it to the larger movement by using the hashtag #MPNN and tagging IFOR-International Fellowship of Reconciliation!
Download our official graphics for the Day of Action available on IFOR website.
Send in your pictures, stories, and short descriptions of your projects to IFOR Communications Assistant iskra.ramirez@ifor.org and GET FEATURED on the IFOR Facebook Page!
Share what other IFOR members are doing
On May 27th check the IFOR Facebook Page and the hashtag #MPNN to connect with what people around the globe are doing to support their communities and promote compassion, accountability and change worldwide!
Got Questions or Ideas?
Please contact us at iskra.ramirez@ifor.org for support with your ideas and graphics!
Anthony, Denis, Emma, Kyoko, John, Light, Lucia, Mathew, Max, Nathaly, Pete, Richard, Susan, Veronica, Zaira
