Partners for Peace

Jerusalem Women Speak 12 a Success!

01 November 2006

Jerusalem Women Speak 12 a Success!

Partners for Peace is proud to announce the conclusion of the Twelfth National Jerusalem Women Speak: Three Women, Three Faiths, One Shared Vision tour. The tour was another great success, with more than 38 speaking events in nearly 30 different communities (coming soon- click here for a schedule of tour stops). Ghada Ageel, Shireen Khamis and Rela Mazali (click here for speaker bios) presented a series of emotional and informational presentations that left a deep impact on audiences in New England and the Washington, DC area.

Jerusalem Women Speak 12 highlights include presentations to two Rhode Island High Schools, a presentation to WorldBoston at Northeastern University, an appearance at the Harvard University Divinity School, a talk given to a 400 person crowd at the First Parish Church of Beverly, Massachusetts, and a Capitol Hill Briefing co-sponsored by Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas and John Lewis of Georgia.

The three speakers were able to directly speak to more than 3,000 people who attended tour events and reached thousands more through over 40 newspaper interviews, radio interviews and television talk show appearances. A full list of media exposure appears below. This except from an article which appeared in the Newport Daily News of Newport, Rhode Island provides a worthy example. The article begins:

To Ghada Ageel and Shireen Khamis, Palestine is a prison.

Khamis, a Palestinian Christian, said she is trapped in her hometown, Beit Jala. She’s lived through two Palestinian intifadas, and watched in horror two years ago as Israel erected a separation wall, cutting off her community and much of the West Bank from Jerusalem and the rest of Israel proper.

Ageel, a Palestinian Muslim studying for her doctorate in Middle Eastern politics, spent most of her life as a Palestinian refugee. Since June, she and her family have been stuck in England, because Israeli officials will not let them return to Gaza. Her children’s teachers in Britain ask Ageel why they draw tanks and helicopters.

“I come from hell,” Ageel said, “from a big prison called Gaza Strip.”

And Rela Mazali, an Israeli Jew, is working to change what she calls the militarization of her country, where all 18-year-olds must join the military.

While their stories and faiths differ, the three women are united in their call for peace and better understanding of the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The trio spoke Wednesday night at Newport Public Library as part of the women’s 18-day tour of New England in Partners for Peace’s “Jerusalem Women Speak” series.

They spoke of poverty, violence and discrimination, of lives torn apart by decades of violence, and of suffering exacerbated recently by Israel’s war with Hezbollah and the United Nations and United States-approved sanctions against the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

- Newport Daily News (October 12, 2006).
General American audiences were touched by these stories, and others the Jerusalem Women Speak 12 representatives shared at various tour events. Comment Cards collected from various tour stops reflected great admiration and heartfelt emotion for the stories and conscience of the JWS women:
“So very painful to hear, but so important. Thank you for sharing your stories.”
(From The American University- Washington, District of Columbia)

“As a young woman- one who is trying to activate peace in various conflicts- I feel inspired and enlightened. [I now have] a further sense to work and fight for better foreign policy in the US.”
(From Keene Unitarian Universalist Church- Keene, New Hampshire)

“It made me open my eyes to what really goes on. It was very influential and I would love to get involved. Thanks so much!” (From Cranston East High School- Cranston, Rhode Island)

“It was extremely eye-opening, terrifying, and has made me want to do something to help the situation.”
(From Connecticut College- New London, Connecticut)

“Powerful. Eye-opening. There is so much more to learn and to work toward.”
(From The First Parish Church- Beverly, Massachusetts)

“I would recommend this program to everyone on Earth!”
(From The Barre Labor Hall- Barre, Vermont)
Reflecting on the tour, we can only extend these feelings of solidarity and thanks to our three extraordinary speakers: Ghada Ageel, Shireen Khamis and Rela Mazali. And to our audiences around the US who have supported our work and listened with open minds and hearts to the courageous and visionary women who have graced each of our twelve tours.

It is now time to turn towards the Thirteenth Jerusalem Women Speak tour to take place in Spring 2007. Please help support this tour today by making a tax-deductible contribution to Partners for Peace at our website. We cannot continue our programs without your support.

Additional Media for JWS 12:

  • WPFW FM (89.3 FM), “We Ourselves with Ambrose Lane” – Washington, District of Columbia (October 6, 2006)
  • Religious Diversity News Online – The Pluralism Project, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (October 8, 2006)
  • Peace Journalism Independent Magazine – Online (October 8, 2006)
  • Reza Rites Rhode Island – Online (October 8, 2006)
  • The Providence Journal – Providence, Rhode Island (October 9, 2006)
  • The Wellesley Week – Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts (October 9, 2006)
  • WMUC FM (88.1 FM) “That’s Fresh Radio Piece” – University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (October 10, 2006)
  • WLNE-TV, ABC 6 Morning News – Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts (October 11, 2006)
  • WHJJ AM Radio (920 AM), “The Arlene Violet Show” – Rhode Island (October 11, 2006)
  • The Newport Daily News – Newport, Rhode Island (October 12, 2006)
  • The Johnston Sunrise - Johnston, Rhode Island (October 12, 2006)
  • The Salem News – Salem, Massachusetts (October 13, 2006)
  • WZBC FM Radio (90.3 FM), “Sounds of Dissent” – Boston College, Boston, Massachusetts (October 14, 2006)
  • WZBC FM Radio (90.3 FM), “This Week in Palestine” – Boston College, Boston, Massachusetts (October 15, 2006)
  • The Day – New London, Connecticut (October 16, 2006) - article is only available for purchase –
  • The Mass Media – The University of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts (October 16, 2006)
  • WTIC AM/FM Radio (1080 AM / 96.5 FM), “The Ray and Dianne Show” – University of Connecticut, Connecticut State (October 17, 2006)
  • WGDR FM Radio (91.1 FM) “Gathering Peace with Joseph Gainza” – Plainfield, Vermont (October 17, 2006)
  • The Charger Bulletin – University of New Haven, West Haven, Connecticutt (October 17, 2006)
  • Monadnock Shopper News – Keene, New Hampshire (October 18, 2006)
  • The Daily Campus – University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut (October 18, 2006)
  • The Hartford Courant – Hartford, Connecticut (October 19, 2006)
  • The Harvard Gazette – Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts (October 19, 2006)
  • The Wellesley Townsman – Wellesley, Massachusetts (October 19, 2006)
  • The Bennington Banner – Bennington, Vermont (October 19, 2006)
  • The Times Argus – Barre/Montpelier, Vermont (October 20, 2006)
  • The Providence American – Providence, Rhode Island (October 21, 2006)
  • Reza Rites Rhode Island – Online (October 21, 2006)
  • The Bennington Banner – Bennington, Vermont (October 21, 2006)
  • The Brattleboro Reformer – Brattleboro, Vermont (October 23, 2006)
  • Gender Watchers: International Gender Organization, “Middle East And North African Headlines” – Online (October 23, 2006)
  • North Shore Sunday – Beverly, Massachusetts (October 27, 2006)
  • The Jewish Advocate – Boston, Massachusetts (November 2, 2006)
  • The Jewish Journal North of Boston – Boston, Massachusetts (November 3, 2006)
  • Comcast Cable, “What the Media Leaves Out” – Connecticut Cable Access (October 23 and November 12)
  • Thames Valley Cable, “What the Media Leaves Out” – Thames Valley, Connecticut Cable Access (October 23 and November 12)
  • Keene Cable, Channel 8 – Keene, New Hampshire Cable Access (November 5)
  • Adelphia Cable, “What the Media Leaves Out” – Norwich, Connecticut Cable Access (Date TBD)
  • Metrocast Cable, “What the Media Leaves Out” – New London, Connecticut Cable Access (Date TBD)
  • Al Arabiya Satellite News Channel (Arabic) – Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Date TBD)Other Media Exposure:
  • The Christian Science Monitor – Boston, Massachusetts (October 12, 2006)
  • The Boston Globe – Boston, Massachusetts (October 12, 2006)
  • Women’s E-News – Online (October 12, 2006)
  • Talk News Radio – Online (October 24, 2006)

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