Wednesday, October 20^th, was a truly amazing day at Wilmington College. Voices from around the world joined together to share the hope they have found in their nonviolent responses to violence and oppression.

Sarah Chayes joined us from Afghanistan, where she currently works with BALCO, a dairy cooperative in the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar. She spoke about the struggle of re-establishing order in Afghanistan when the United States military is left in charge of "on the ground" foreign policy. Chayes also addressed the challenges facing human rights workers as they strive to meet the basic needs of the people of Afghanistan. Wilmington College students and guests alike were struck by her bravery, persistence, and commitment to change.

Alicia Partnoy’s passionate tale of survival and hope moved many in the audience. While the horror of the concentration camps in Argentina in the 1980s was central to her story, she also explained the healing that came from writing her poetry. As one student commented, Partnoy’s life "really shows how people can rise up and triumph over the terror in this world." At one point, Partnoy shared her self-consciousness as a young woman. She always believed her nose was too big and unattractive. Imagine her surprise when she realized that in the camp, it was her nose that allowed her to see! Most of the guards could not tie her blindfold tight enough, and so she was able to peek out through the gap in the blindfold created by that very nose she had hated for so long. "We are who we are for a reason," one student said in response.

Gene Stoltzfus spoke about the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams around the world. The variety of situations that CPT members work in – from Iraq and Hebron to inner-city settings in the United States and Native American communities in Canada – was an amazing testimony to the effectiveness of CPT’s mission to "get in the way" of violence and oppression. One student in the audience noted that, "I know that the group [CPT] isn’t going to stop all the violence in the world but it sure is going to help."

MUSE’s program included a beautiful array of songs addressing peace, justice, and human rights. "1,000 Grandmothers" illustrated the idea of mothers and grandmothers around the world coming together to put an end to violence in our communities, our nation, and our world. The highlight of the program was "Song of the Exile," a poem written by Alicia Partnoy and set to music by Ysaye Maria Barnwell.

Drums for Peace’s soothing music gave the audience a time to unwind and reflect on the day. Many people commented on the poetry of the drums – they could be interpreted in so many different ways. Others were grateful for the opportunity to hear music about peace, when so much of the music we hear today is about violence. The evening ended with an invitation to the audience to get up, move around, dance, clap, and become part of the music and part of the performance. As one student noted, "If only music could actually be used in place of fighting, the world would be better off."