Nobel Peace laureate Mairead Maguire starts 40 days fast for Gaza and the worlds’ children for peace
De Ierse vredesactiviste en winnares van de Nobelprijs voor de Vrede, Mairead Maguire (81), heeft de voorbije vastenperiode 40 dagen gevast voor de kinderen van Gaza. Ze schreef hierover een open brief, die we hieronder volledig weergeven.
Mairead Maguire won in 1976 samen met Betty Williams de Nobelprijs voor de Vrede voor haar werk als oprichtster van Women for Peace. Die organisatie zette zich in voor vrede in Noord-Ierland, dat toen nog werd verscheurd door de gewelddadige ‘troubles’ tussen katholieke republikeinen en protestantse unionisten. De organisatie werd later bekend als The Peace People.
Maguire zegt geweld in al zijn vormen af te wijzen: “Als pacifist geloof ik dat geweld nooit gerechtvaardigd is en dat er altijd alternatieven zijn voor geweld en dreiging met geweld. We moeten de maatschappij die ons vertelt dat er geen alternatief is, uitdagen. Op alle gebieden van ons leven moeten we geweldloos zijn, in onze levensstijl, ons onderwijs, onze handel, onze verdediging en ons bestuur.”
Open letter on behalf of the Palestinian children of Gaza and children everywhere in the world suffering from the violence of hunger and war by Mairead Maguire from Northern Ireland.
In Gaza this week [nvdr: in maart 2025] over 400 innocent Palestinians, including 100 children have been killed overnight as Israel unilaterally ended the ceasefire deal without any warning. This continuing genocide and ethnic cleansing policy (of the rogue Israeli government), of the Palestinian people is not only fully known by all the governments around the world but is supported by money, arms and silent complicity of many governments, particularly USA, Britain and European Union Leaders.
There is a propaganda war against the truth being told of the over 55 wars going on in the world in which millions of children are dying as a result of militarism and war.
The political leadership of Europe is now planning to increase defence spending of 2.5 percent so that they can continue to fund wars around the world. The rearmament of Europe and its nuclear weapons built on whipped up fear and enmity amongst people will lead to a World war, not peace and reconciliation amongst the human family.
What to do to save all our children from the madness of militarism and war? Each of us, no matter where we live, must raise our voices to say ‘No’, we will not allow these mad militarists or armed extremists to destroy any ones children. Refuse to hate, refuse to kill each other and demand instead dialogue and negotiation.
Today in Gaza, the policy of starvation of 2.5 million people, by Israeli policies, is continuing and it is killing the children, we see it and it is breaking our hearts!
As the children of Gaza are hungry and injured with bombs (an actually Israeli government policy) I have decided I too must be hungry with them, as I can in good conscience do no other.
From today I will fast and pray, fast and pray, that I in watching so much purposely imposed destruction of children, will not allow my own heart to be hardened against the killers of little children, but will stay ‘gentle’ and demand of our governments and armed militarists, STOP THE MADNESS OF POVERTY, CRUELTY, MILITARISM AND WAR.
In the season of Ramadan, and lent, let us join in fasting and prayer, in solidarity for a world fit for all our children built on non-killing, peace and justice. It is possible, and it starts with us teaching and living the science of peace, not war.
Mairead Maguire
Nobel peace laureate (Belfast, 21st March, 2025)
Peace activist, and Nobel Prize winner Mairead Maguire (81) has begun a 40 day fast for the children of Gaza.
Mairead Maguire won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976, along with Betty Williams for her work in founding Women for Peace, which worked to bring about peace in Northern Ireland. The organisation later became known as The Peace People.
Maguire professes to rejects violence in all its forms. “As a pacifist I believe that violence is never justified, and there are always alternatives to force and threat of force. We must challenge the society that tells us there is no such alternative. In all areas of our lives we should adopt nonviolence, in our lifestyles, our education, our commerce, our defence, and our governance.”
Maguire has called for the abolition of all armies and the establishment of a multi-national community of unarmed peacekeepers in their stead.
In 2021, Mairead gave a reflection for St Patrick’s Day for APF’s March Monthly Prayers.
On Friday 21st March 2025, Mairead Maguire issued this statement, announcing the beginning of a 40 day fast for the children of Gaza and the world. The Irish News provides further details.
Mairead speaks about her 40 days prayer and fast for children of Gaza https://www.peacepeople.com/mairead-maguire-nobel-peace-laureate/
https://www.anglicanpeacemaker.org.uk/mairead-maguire-begins-40-day-fast-for-children-of-gaza
www.Peacepeople.com 224 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 6GE
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11.11.11: wij komen in actie voor Palestina
Premier De Wever: arresteer oorlogsmisdadigers
Dinsdagavond 15 april 2025 verscheen op het hoofdkwartier van de federale regering een niet te negeren boodschap in felle letters: “Arrest war criminals”. Met die projectie reageerde 11.11.11 op de schokkende uitspraak van premier Bart De Wever (N-VA) dat België het internationaal arrestatiebevel tegen de Israëlische premier Benjamin Netanyahu “waarschijnlijk niet zou uitvoeren”. Wel, meneer de premier: het internationaal recht is geen keuzemenu. Of het nu om Poetin of Netanyahu gaat – oorlogsmisdaden moeten worden vervolgd. Punt.
https://11.be/campagnes/111111-projecteert-opvallende-boodschap-op-hoofdzetel-federale-regering
Amnesty reageert op uitspraken De Wever over Internationaal Strafhof (4 april 2025) https://www.amnesty-international.be/nieuws/amnesty-reageert-op-uitspraken-de-wever-over-internationaal-strafhof
Hongarije blijft ondanks terugtrekking uit ICC verplicht om Netanyahu te arresteren https://www.amnesty-international.be/nieuws/hongarije-blijft-ondanks-terugtrekking-uit-icc-verplicht-om-netanyahu-te-arresteren
Stop de genocide in Gaza: petitie Amnesty International
Al meer dan een jaar zien we onmetelijk veel leed, verwoesting en verlies van levens in Gaza. Door de brute aanval van de Israëlische leiders zijn tienduizenden Palestijnse mensen gedood. Ze hebben hele families uitgewist, woonwijken met de grond gelijkgemaakt en kritieke infrastructuur vernietigd. Meer dan 90 procent van de bevolking in Gaza is moeten vluchten.
Na grondig onderzoek kunnen we aantonen: Israël pleegt een genocide in Gaza: https://www.amnesty-international.be/doe-mee/online-acties/stop-de-genocide-gaza
Lees verder (inhoud april 2025)
