SUVA
Women's Action for Change
Contact person: Noelene Nabulivou
Phone: (679) 3314 363
Email: wac@connect.com.fj
IDP Vigil :  Peace Pancakes for Police’ ‘
In dark times as this, the most radical position is love!’ Anonymous.
This year the staff and women’s management collective of WAC, a feminist and human rights community organization in Fiji will mark International Day of Peace on Thursday September 21 2006 by affirming those within the Fiji Police Force who are working actively for human security and peace building through their individual attitudes and work style. As well as information and skillbuilding programmes using the arts, WAC provides community support and advocates on issues of systemic injustice and discrimination, trying to come up with creative, practical strategies for change. As Creative Director Peni Moore says: “This International Day of Peace we have decided to highlight police officers and support persons in the Fiji Police Force who are ALREADY working for change within communities. They are an example to others in the Fiji civil and social services who unfortunately can further hurt women, children, young people and sexual minorities by their personal attitudes, working methods, sometimes involving misinformation, violence and intimidation.” So from 7-9am on 21st September at the Fiji Police Officers mess in Suva, 30 diverse women and men from the Fiji Police Force around Fiji will join WAC staff and management collective members for Peace Pancake breakfasts and conversations about restorative justice and community nonviolence.

The event will include an address by the Acting Police Commissioner on the occasion of International Day of Peace, community mediation demonstration facilitated by Peni Moore, food and music and also WAC Theatre Unlimited will perform a new community play for young people called ‘Quest for a New Leader’, highlighting respect for diversity, integrity, good governance and nonviolence as qualities for all good leaders.

For more information please contact Noelene Nabulivou, Coordinator of Women’s Action for Change (WAC) on (679) 3314 363, fax: (679) 3305 033, or at wac@connect.com.fj Organizational information: WAC is a registered NGO in Fiji since 1993 that currently provides community theatre and interactive arts processes in 12 provinces around Fiji, community mediation and empowerment programmes, mediation and restorative justice training workshops for women and young people (including specific courses for young women, young women in state care and young people at risk) and is currently working toward a Community Centre to include a drop-in centre for at-risk and marginalized women and young people, alternative sentencing options, workshop centre and community theatre space. All of our programmes have a feminist, human rights and peacebuilding framework.