Friends Peace and Justice Center

The FPJC is a networking center for peace and justice, providing resources and support to articulate, use, and teach conflict transformation.

• We partner with community groups to complement and facilitate conflict transformation and peace-making efforts in the Annapolis area.
• We offer training in conflict transformation skills to develop a core of individuals to facilitate projects and sponsor programs relevant to community needs.

• Palestinian-Israeli Negotiations
• Youth Empowerment Program
• Community Service

Palestinian-Israeli Water Rights Negotiations

Annapolis Friends Peace and Justice Center is delighted to offer this first update on the Geneva Initiative Water Dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators that took place at Bon Secours Spiritual Center last week. The delegates, advisors, mediators, and organizers agree that we now have a draft model peace agreement on how water could be allocated fairly in the region. With some final tweaking over the next few months, this draft is on a fast track to becoming an annex to the Geneva Accord as an framework for water cooperation in the region. The Geneva Initiative organizations (Palestine and Israel) plan to carry it forward--with a little help from their f(F)riends.

• Click here for the press release.
• Click here for pictures of the dialogue.

We all have heard a call, seen an opportunity to "remove an occasion for war," and responded from our individual gifts and capabilities. We wish to thank each of you, from the bottom of our hearts, for the role you played--in contributing financially, in driving delegates to and from Dulles airport, in taking pictures or recording notes, in holding the process in God's healing Light. There would be no progress toward an agreement on water issues during this time of drought and reckless use without each of us accepting our parts. 

Click here for a fuller accounting of the event. We are not able to display the text of the draft agreement until it has been finalized by the Geneva Initiative and offered to their respective governments for comments. However, we hope to post the text within a few months.

We are deeply gratified that $22,000 of the $32,000 we need to close the financial aspects of this "leap of faith" has come to us through each of you. As the anticipation and excitement of the dialogue ends and the final work to implement it begins, we hope you will continue your support in the ways you are led. We need to remain present with hands and hearts extended so this encouraging draft agreement translates into reality in the lives of Palestinians and Israelis--as cooperative shepherds of scarce water resources.

If you are led to contribute further financially, we would certainly appreciate it and you may do so in two ways:

1.      By check to Annapolis Friends Meeting with the notation, “Water Negotiations,” and mail it to Treasurer, Annapolis Friends Meeting, 351 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD 21401.

2.      By credit card, you can donate on this website by clicking the donate button below. Alternatively, you can make a check to Annapolis Friends Meeting with the notation, "Water Rights Conference," and mail it to Annapolis Friends Meeting, 351 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD 21401.

To learn more or contribute ideas, contact Barbara Thomas ( bthomas60@gmail.com ).   Please continue to hold all of our participants, and the others who will be involved in the continuing process of peace-making, in the Light. Youth Empowerment Programs

1.   Help Increase the Peace (HIP)

     The Quaker Peace testimony leads us to search for ways to address the causes of and alternatives to conflict. Help Increase the Peace (HIP) brings skills and tools to youth who are looking for alternatives to violence in their daily lives. It uses brainstorming, cooperative games, creative problem solving, role plays, and listening circles to help participants learn peaceable behaviors.   Youth practice being inclusive, accepting, and respectful to all people.   In the exercises they search for root causes of prejudice, hate, abuse, and violence. Building trust, appreciating differences, and recognizing social and economic injustices are part of the experience.

    In May of 2008, we introduced HIP to Annapolis through the Boys and Girls Clubs. Fifteen Program Directors, Assistants, and other community youth leaders got a taste of interpersonal conflict resolution, restorative justice, and HIP.   In the summer of 2008, we plan two basic HIP trainings for youth through the Boys and Girls Clubs. On Saturdays July 5, 12, and 19, Bethanne Albert-Bruninga and Sean Link will work with 20 youth at Bates Boys and Girls Club. They will repeat this program on the following three Saturdays. A $2500 grant from Maryland Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office and another $3400 grant from Swarthmore University has enabled us to go forward with this training.

   In August, we are planning a full 52-hour train-the-trainer workshop to be offered to staff working with a first-offenders youth program through the Light of the World Family Ministries. We also hope to have advanced HIP training in the fall, offered by graduates of the train-the-trainer workshop teaming with youth from the basic programs.

2. Youth Venture

In April of 2008, we brought Youth Venture, an Arlington, VA based NGO, to the Bates Boys and Girls Club to challenge Annapolis youth ages 12-20, to form small teams to launch their own sustainable social ventures that create benefit to our community—i.e., good ideas that help people. Twenty youth came to the “Dream It, Do It Workshop” and began to develop ideas and start action plans. We expect several teams to successfully complete their ingenious plans and receive up to $1,000 each to implement them.

Youth who wish to contact youth Venture to participate should call or write Amie Montemurro at 703-527-4126 (ext. 293), amontemurro@youthventure.org . Also, Kenyatta Rowel is coordinating youth ventures at the Bates Boys and Girls Club Teen Center (410-263-2542, krowel@bgcaa.com ).

Community Service

1. Admiral Oaks Housing Partnership

The Friends Peace and Justice Center has begun a partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County in the Admiral Oaks community of Annapolis. This work will include offering classes in a new community computer center, helping with program evaluation and, likely, working on other initiatives. Several Annapolis Friends are involved in the partnership.

2.  Alternatives to Violence