Getting To Peace in the Middle East
Changing Threat Perceptions
International Women’s Day Disarmament Seminar
4 March 2009
Room IX
13h15 – 15h
NGO Strategy Session 15h – 17h15

The International Women’s Day disarmament seminar will concentrate on the security challenges in the Middle East, specifically on the threat perceptions that create a perceived need for a reliance on military means, including weapons of mass destruction, to provide security.  Speakers will address the impact of media as well as other actors in creating and sustaining the perception of imminent danger, imminent threat.   The seminar will also provide an opportunity to brainstorm about how others in the international community can better understand these threat perceptions, and help shift them to create the conditions for negotiations on both peace agreements and weapons of mass destruction free zone agreements. 

Speakers include:

Sharon Dolev, peace and human rights activist, head of the Regional Peace Movement for the promotion of the Arab Peace Initiative and runs the Greenpeace Mediterranean campaign against nuclear weapons.  Sharon is the author of a recent article entitled “A Lefty in Israel”, which has been reprinted in hundreds of places around the world.

Jonathan Frerichs, World Council of Churches programme executive for nuclear disarmament and the Middle East, is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Jonathan has published extensively on issues to nuclear weapons and the Middle East.

Kerstin Grebäck, International President, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.  Kerstin was the Secretary-General of WILPF Sweden from 1990-95, and was involved in the creation of the Standing Committee on the Middle East, very actively fundraising and supporting the work of a women's peace initiative Jerusalem Link, as well as arranging the first meeting in East Jerusalem with the Palestinian and Israeli WILPF sections.  In 1993 she led WILPF Sweden in building support for the women in former Yugoslavia and together with many representatives from the Swedish peace and women’s movement started the network Kvinna till Kvinna (which means Woman to Woman in Swedish) of which she was President and Secretary-General at different periods.

Moderated by Annelise Ebbe, International President, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

The Seminar will be followed by an NGO Strategy session.

At 18h, all participants are welcome to join the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom for a reception at the WILPF Offices-  1, rue de Varembé, ground floor, to commemorate International Women’s Day and continue the discussions in a more informal setting.