Activities

The first People’s Summit for Departments of Peace, held in London in October 2005, resulted in the launch of a worldwide movement now called the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace.

The aim of the Global Alliance, in which the Ministry for Peace Australia is an active participant, is to support and encourage the institutional expression of a culture of peace in governments around the world.

So far, some 30 countries are in the Global Alliance community, about half of which have active campaigns for ministries or departments of peace underway. Others are in the planning stages, and still others are in the exploratory stage. And some countries, such as the Nepal Solomon Islands, already have ministries of peace.

We have seen the Global Alliance grow from some 12 countries at its inception to over 28 expected to be represented at the 4th Summit in  2009.

The Sydney Peace Festival has been conducted since 2006, timed to coincide with the International Day of Peace (September 21st) each year.

It consists of three major events :

• A 24hr Peace Vigil which unifies all the disparate voices, all the different cultures, occupations and roles in this desire for peace into one voice, one call, one Sydney – showing that our mutual desire for a peaceful existence supersedes any differences which may normally exist in our day to day lives.
• A Peace Concert, held in Victoria Park and attended by hundreds of local residents. The concert, open free of charge, celebrated what has indeed already been achieved in our capacity to live harmoniously in our own local community. To tangibly demonstrate that the similarities are greater than the differences by combining all local cultures together with their different traditions, dances and music but the same universal aim.
• A Peace Forum Conducted at Parliament House Sydney, the Peace Forum aimed at facilitating in building a bridge between the peace practitioners and the politicians. It also aims to create a constructive pathway not only for dialogue and change but also to create a level of recognition that at its core is working together to achieve the same outcome – peace.

The MFPA participates in global summits for Ministries & Department of Peace as well as World Peace Forums. It utilises these forums to broaden its network, develop links and strategies to assist with its work within Australia, and shares its resources and knowledge with other countries to assist in their efforts with establishing Ministries & Departments of Peace in their own countries.