International Bulletin - December 2001
In Pursuit Of Pacific Peace - To strengthen the bonds of peace
Our organization, Pan Pacific South East Asia Women's Association was, in its beginning, called "unique" because it was the first international women's group in the Pacific and actually the first anywhere in the world, to be founded upon transcultural premises. In the words of its original constitution, it pledged"to strengthen the bonds of peace among Pacific people by promoting a better understanding and friendship among the women of all Pacific countries, and to initiate and promote co-operation among women of the Pacific region for the study and betterment of existing social conditions".
These words, written so many years ago - in 1928 in fact - have continually acted as a catalyst to the endeavors of PPSEAWA and now more than ever it is important that we pay attention to their message: in particular to the words "to strengthen the bonds of peace" for strengthening the bonds of peace was never more needed than now. And when I set off on October 17th from the Cook Islands my mission was clearly just that - "to strengthen the bonds of Peace in the Pacific".
The opportunity to visit Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and Fiji was created by Shirley Munyan and her continuous and unstinting encouragement spurs us on always.
Western Samoa
First I visited Apia to participate in a big fund raising programme PPSEAWA Samoa had devised to buy furniture for the Peace Garden, newly established in the grounds of the National University of Samoa. The fund raising programme was held at the Tusitala Hotel in Apia, the Capital of Samoa. The programme was most original and highly successful. It took the form of a "Mrs Samoa" contest and the contestants were all winners! Beautiful confident women. The evening opened with a children's choir singing the Peace Songs that were sung at the opening of the International Conference held in Rarotonga in November 2000. Laufili Ainu'u - a faithful talented member of PPSEAWA Samoa, had taught all the "peace angels". At this function I spoke of our need in the Pacific "to strengthen the bonds of peace and understanding and that our vision is to focus on children as teachers of peace.
Being in Samoa was an enriching and rewarding experience, for that is where I was born and spent my childhood. Seeing the members of PPSEAWA Samoa again was a joy! I would like to express my deep appreciation to Viopapa Annandale, President of PPSEAWA Samoa and Vice-President on the International Board, for the care and concern she and her committee showed for me and for the very interesting and full programme they planned for the time I was in Samoa. The programme included lunch with members at the Millennium Hotel when I arrived, an evening at Viopapa's home and a joyous dinner party at "Mangoes" on my last night. I felt honoured to be given the opportunity to open the Peace Garden at the National University and the response from the Vice Chancellor of the University was most uplifting! There were members of PPSEAWA present and his enthusiastic commitment to persuade schools in Samoa to develop Peace Gardens was music to our ears!
There is no doubt that in promoting Peace Gardens we need to win hearts and minds and it is very exciting to have the kind of response we received in Samoa. We also had very good publicity, which could only add luster to our organisation's image.
A peaceful pleasure was to have tea with our 'Ambassador at Large" Masiofa Fetaui Mata'afa and as always she was interested in our peace programme and most encouraging. The visit to Samoa gave me a new sense of confidence in the vision of PPSEAWA to focus on peace; I felt there was a dynamic source of change in the members of PPSEAWA Samoa - a new awakening to their own possibilities of generating peace.
American Samoa
At the end of my stay in Western Samoa, Viopapa Annandale, the President of the Samoan Chapter and Frieda Paul, Vice President, accompanied me to American Samoa, a short flight from Apia. Gretchen Makaiwi, President of the American Samoa chapter had organized a dinner meeting with other members, which was enjoyable and productive. Both Viopapa and I spoke of Pan Pacific plans and programmes, the emphasis being on peace. We came away feeling we had generated positive new attitudes about the role of women in PPSEAWA. We were all appreciative of the gracious way Gretchen had arranged our time with the American Samoa chapter members and we hope the warm spirit created through that evening will continue to blossom.
Tongatapu
I arrived in Tonga to be met by our International President, Princess Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho and was taken to a most enjoyable dinner party on the coast. The meetings I had with our President and members of PPSEAWA Tonga were all productive and valuable. We spoke of the need for determined efforts to be made for peace in our hearts, in our homes, in our schools and in our world during this decade of the " Culture of Peace and non-violence for children." In the end it is up to every individual to put into practice the values, attitudes and forms of behaviour which inspire the culture of peace - each one of us can act to that end knowing that whatever we do, however we act, this will be the example we set for the children in our lives.
I left Tonga after two full days of rich and interesting involvement and the beautiful voices of the choir of the church in the village of Kolonga still uplifting my spirit with their rich sounds. My heart is full of appreciation for the peace our President, Princess Nanasi exudes.
Fiji
Fiji was the last Pacific island to be visited and the time there was well organized by Ravesi Johnston, President of PPSEAWA Fiji, so that every minute of a short stay was well utilized. Our first commitment was to a television interview, which so interested the young Fijian woman journalist that she joined PPSEAWA Fiji on the spot.
The interview was long and deep and evidently was seen by a wide audience for the next day everyone I met said "I saw you on T.V. last night!" As Ravesi said, this was very good for the PPSEAWA peace image in Fiji.
The highlight of our Fiji visit was morning tea with the Lord Mayor! His response to our plea for land for a Peace Garden was most generous, for he has designated a place right in the center of Suva (Fiji's capital) on the waterfront where people pass all the time. It will be a valuable symbol of peace in these troubled times in Fiji. Later we met with Nancy Terreri UNICEF Pacific representative and had a most interesting and useful talk with her about support for our peace programmes. Lunch with the Minister of Women's Affairs in the Fiji Government, an intelligent, attractive young woman and a pleasure to be with, was another highlight of our day. The dinner party at Ravesi and Peter Johnston's lovely home was the perfect happy ending to my pursuit of Pacific Peace. Many members of PPSEAWA Fiji were present, some with husbands, which added to the pleasure of the evening. Again we spoke of Peace: being bridge builders in this unhappy world - in fact being the change makers! We are all aware that even in the smallest way we can effect change and make a difference.
On my very last morning I had breakfast with Lavinia Padarath, Past President of Pan Pacific Fiji. Her sad story of being held captive for 37 days last year, during the coup in Fiji, was heart rending. It was so good to see her even for a short while.
I felt a new surge of serious concern in the Pacific nations I visited for the development of peace in their islands. Clearly the time has come to bring our traumatized world together to work for peace.
We all know now that peace doesn't just happen!
There is a desperate need for peace education: in the Pacific -in our World.
We need to focus with renewed vigor on teaching peace to children, for how else will we revive peaceful attitudes?
PPSEAWA's mission is to support and develop the peace making programmes and actions of UNESCO - and as a consequence the resolutions of the 21st PPSEAWA conference held in Rarotonga in November, 2000 are valuable, valid and closely allied to all peace programmes. There is one in particular which is deeply meaningful to us.
"Establish a focal point for women's contribution to fostering a culture of peace within PPSEAWA and encourage all our national associations to establish a national PPSEAWA focal point on a culture of peace so as to strengthen both PPSEAWA's actions in this field and to co-operate with other women's peace initiatives."
Our focal point - the vision and mission of PPSEAWA in the Pacific is to promote Peace education and in particular to focus on our children as teachers of Peace.
Last Modified: November 29, 2002