REGIONAL CONSULTATION AIMS TO STRENGTHEN WOMEN'S PEACE NETWORK
Suva, Fiji Islands

January 19, 2004 – (femLINKpacific) Several members of the Fiji Women, Peace and Security Coordinating Committee, including Catholic Women's League Fiji International Secretary, Susana Evening, the Gender and Peace programme Coordinator of the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy, Koila Costello-Ollson and femLINKpacific Coordinator (also Secretary of the National Council of Women Fiji) Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, will be leaving for East Timor this week, to attend a Pacific Regional Consultation on for Pacific Women which is bring jointly organized by the IFOR Women Peacemakers Program (Netherlands), and the Peace and Democracy Foundation (East Timor).

The Women Peacemakers Pacific Consultation will also include participants from the Solomon Islands and Bouganville. The consultation will focus on Networking, issues of Non Violence, Leadership, Communication, Sustaining our peace work (including how to avoid burnout), Justice and Reconciliation.

The conference itself will be held 55 KM from the airport in a town called Maubara. We will be at the retreat and meeting center of the Carmelite Sisters, about 1 hour away from the capital city Dili.

The consultation will also be an opportunity to network and share the experiences with hosts from the East Timorese women's networks:

"Timor-Leste has many strong women's groups supporting victims of the war, helping women to rebuild their lives, and struggling for women's livelihoods and rights," say the consultation organizers.

For more information contact:
femLINKpacific on 679-3316290, Susana Evening on 679-3361812, Koila Costello Olsson: 679-3307588
Conference organizers: Peace and Democracy Foundation
PO Box 88, Dili, Timor-Leste
Tel/fax: +670-331-5753
Mobile: +670-723-5753