WFWP Europe Co-creating peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula

The Korean War, which began in 1950, 70 years ago, concluded with an armistice. The Korean people on the once unified peninsula, with a common history, culture and language, were left divided.

WFWP, along with its partners, has designed and been advocating at the United Nations, for a women’s peace zone project at the demilitarized zone (DMZ). This women’s DMZ project seeks to anticipate the needs of and plans for a future of peace, and launches a concrete proposal of establishing in or near the DMZ, a “Peacebuilding/Partnership meeting place for women”.

WOMEN’S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE, EUROPE UN ECOSOC I DGC I NGO GENERAL CONSULTATIVE STATUS

19TH WFWP EU ANNUAL CO FERENCE

CO-CREATING SPACES FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA. WHAT STEPS ARE WOMEN TAKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE PEACE? SAVE THE DATE 4th JUNE 2021 \\’EB: \\’\\’\\’.”T\\’P.ORG 5:00 PM-7:30 PM Korean REGISTER BELOW: 10:00 AM-12:30 PM CET IITTPS://TINYURLCOM/\\’F\\’PEll4JIINF. WFWP Europe O•

y~ .,.,,~) oHAiOtAi l::i O O L- L--,- WOMEN’S FEDERATION ) b -••nHGS Ministry of FOR WORLD PEACE INTERNATIONAL the Interior and Safety

19TH WFWP EU ANNUAL CONFERENCE/WEBINAR

“CO-CREATING SPACES FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA.

WHAT STEPS ARE WOMEN TAKING TOWARD SUSTAINABLE PEACE?”

BACKGROUNDER

THE KOREAN WAR, WHICH BEGAN IN 1950 70 YEARS AGO, CONCLUDED WITH AN ARMISTICE. THE KOREAN PEOPLE, ON THE ONCE UNIFIED PENINSULA, WITH A COMMON HISTORY, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE, WERE LEFT DIVIDED .

THE WOMEN’S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE HAS DEDICATED ITS EFFORTS TO PEACEFUL PROCESSES OF RECONCILIATION THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS AIMING TO SERVE THE RECONCILIATION OF THE TWO KOREAS.

IT IS TIME TO MAKE EVEN MORE OF AN EFFORT TO ACCELERATE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN THE AREA THROUGH DIALOGUE AND, CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES THAT BUILD PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.

WFWP, ALONG WITH ITS PARTNERS, HAS DESIGNED AND HAS BEEN ADVOCATING AT THE UNITED NATIONS FOR A WOMEN’S PEACE ZONE PROJECT AT THE DMZ. THIS WOULD BE A PROTECTED AND WELCOME PLACE WHERE WOMEN FROM NORTH AND SOUTH COULD BE FREE TO MEET TO PLAN AND BUILD PEACE FROM THE BOTTOM UP IN THE PRISTINE AND SYMBOLIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE UNTOUCHED DMZ.

IN THE WORDS OF UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR, TOMAS 0JEA QUINTANA, “NOW IT IS THE TIME TO INVEST ALL EFFORTS TO PUSH FOR SUBSTANTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND A MEANINGFUL OPEN ING, A FUTURE FORGED THROUGH THE ENERGY AND GOODWILL OF THE KOREAN PEOPLE WHICH MEETS THEIR HOPES, EXPECTATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS. WHEN I SEE THAT THIS WOMEN’S DMZ PROJECT SEEKS TO ANTICIPATE THE NEEDS OF, AND PLANS FOR A FUTURE OF PEACE, AND LAUNCHES A CONCRETE PROPOSAL II OF ESTABLISHING IN OR NEAR THE DMZ A PEACEBUILDING/PARTNERSHIP MEETING PLACE FOR WOMEN”, I FEEL HOPEFUL ABOUT PROSPECTS OF PEACE.