This activity was followed by a discussion on our ‘circles of concerns’ - personal concerns, concerns within our community and national or global concerns, then considering how we can alleviate these concerns within our spheres of influence. After a delicious lunch together, the afternoon was spent discussing the attributes we most admire in peacemakers, as well as considering what creates and destroys peace in smaller groups.
The most poignant element of the day was undoubtedly the first story sharing session, in which women are given the opportunity to share a story from their lives with the group. Many participants commented on how the sharing environment felt like a ‘safe haven,’ as despite only knowing each other for a few hours, the indivisible trust that had emerged from the group allowed women to share honestly and openly, without fear of judgement. After sharing, each woman would then be ‘held’ and honoured by the group with a moment of silence. Whilst the story telling element can be the most difficult to navigate, it was considered by many as a pivotal moment of the weekend, in both the journeys of individuals and the group as a whole, with one participant commenting ‘I appreciated the story sharing circle, being able to listen and learn from someone else’s story was a very valuable moment for me,’ and another ‘Learning experiences from other women made me realise the problems/challenges we women face are just a practice session for us to become impactful peacemakers - like an initiation into doing good.’
