November 19, 2001 - Despite the usual Suva downpour, a small group of Peace Vigil supporters gathered at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral to hear messages of peace and unity from the next generation of Fiji Islanders, inlcuding students from Tamavua Primary School and St Joseph's Secondary School shared their vision for Fiji and Global Peace.

Also at the BLUE RIBBON PEACE VIGIL in Suva, Fiji Islands, THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN FIJI / WOMEN'S ACTION FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEACE INITIATIVE highlighted its support not only for the FIJI ANTI WAR MOVEMENT Petition and Actions planned for this Friday 23 November 2001, but also recommitted itself to peaceful solidarity across the Pacific Island region:

"   Whilst our Vigil has a specific focus on Fiji, we also remember the needs of our sisters and brothers of our on Pacific Island region, including:
-Those working for disarmament and free fair elections in the Solomon Islands
-Those committed to strengthening of the present phase of peacebuilding  in Bouganville  
-We extend peaceful solidarity to the people of Rapa Nui, commonly known as Easter Island, in denouncing an attack on the traditional landowners by the armed forces of the Chilean government and in seeking  their legitimate claims against the Republic of Chile at The Hague,
And all other peoples of the Pacific Island region who continue to face internal and external conflicts"
The peace vigil group was reminded of the global necessity to strengthen our peacebuilding efforts when following the September 11th tragedy in the United States, the U.S. chose to bomb Afghanistan, one of the most tragic and war ravaged countries in the world:
"The Washington Peace Center and the National Coalition for Peace and Justice (a coalition of the nation's largest peace and justice organizations) has called for support to join the growing international movement demanding that there be No More Victims. At a local level, this concern for global peace and an end to warfare, has emerged as the FIJI ANTI WAR MOVEMENT, and in supporting the FIJI ANTI WAR MOVEMENT PETITION we reiterate the call for:
-an end to all military action in Afghanistan
-that the perpetrators of the crimes of September 11th be brought to justice in compliance with international law and procedures, and
-that strategies to prevent future terrorist acts address the root causes of political and religious intolerance including poverty, inequality and injustice.

THE BLUE RIBBON PEACE VIGIL also reaffirmed the need to ensure that women are active participants in the peace making process:

"We further remind the world community, of the commitment made in THE UNTED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1325 (October 2000) which recognizes the urgent relevance of women in peace building, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and therefore call upon all decision-makers involved in the current peacemaking processes in Afghanistan to ensure that women are represented in the peacemaking processes established to address the issues of concern, not only in Afghanistan, but also in Pakistan."