1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe
“1000 PeaceWomen serves as a powerful educational tool showcasing the complexity of peace and women involved in peace movements. The stories of hope and activism will resonate with individuals of all ages and across diverse groups. It truly exemplifies how we can be people for others in our local and global communities.”
— Jennifer Wies, PhD,
Women’s Center Director
1000 Peace Women Across the Globe (PWAG) started in 2003 as a movement to recognize the work of peace women throughout the world. To this end, PWAG set up a coordination team to collect data on women at the grassroots, national and international levels who were working to promote and to maintain peace. The idea behind the venture was simple: women’s work for peace is often invisible or not highly regarded, and there are lessons to be learned from examining how women approach peace-building. The data, once collected, was analyzed by national groups and then a collective nomination of 1000 women was forwarded to the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize committee, with the understanding that they represented the hundreds of thousands of women world-wide who were striving to bring peace to their societies and to our world.
In 2005 the Nobel Peace Prize went to the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, by establishing a network, garnering great publicity, publishing a book on the 1000 peace women, setting up an increasingly interactive web-site, and an exhibition which has now toured much of the world, PWAG has succeeded in raising in the public consciousness an awareness of the kinds of work women do to help produce peaceful societies.
The Xavier University Women’s Center procured the exhibit in December of 2007, and showcased it on site from January 16-March 14, 2008. The 1000 PeaceWomen is traveling throughout the tri-state region during the 2008-2009 school year, and will be presented at the Xavier University Women's Center in the future.
“The 1000 women of peace are an inspiration to everyone. In the face of adversity, the women dared to dream. They began with a vision, and worked to make it a reality. They had the compassion to serve others, the courage to lead, and the determination to persevere. The women lead by example, and their work is commendable.”
— Kristin, graduate student
“I was amazed at how many women are doing great things to help people.”
— Meghan, student
“As a young woman, this exhibit is very inspiring. To be reminded that there have been more than a thousand women before me working for peace encourages me to move in the same direction.”
— Laura, student