Nobel Peace Prize Award to Two Liberain Women

 

 The New York Times reported that the Noble Peace Prize was award to three women last week, two of whom are Liberian.  The first is current President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (pictured left) who is Africa's first and only female head of state and is up for re-election this very week.

The second is Leymah Gbowee (pictured right), who spoke just last week at UCSB.  President Sirleaf's efforts these last six years to rebuild a country that destroyed every part of its infrastructure during 20 years of civil war is impressive.  However, it is Leymah's story  of courage that really inspires me.  

Leymah was a victim of the war and trapped in an abusive marriage as a young mother.  Rather than suffer helplessly, she helped to mobilized the Liberation Mass Action for Peace which grew to include hundreds of Muslim and Christian women who peacefully protested the constant state of civil war.

After months of unsuccessful peace talks between the various violent warlords, this group is credited with ending the war by literally blocking the doors of the peace talks so no one or nothing could get in or out until a settlement was reached.  The support of this group is also credited with Sirleaf's subsequent election.

TAKEAWAY#1:

It is Leymah's story that inspires hope in me that progress can be made and that we are not on what often seems like a never ending journey for peace in far off lands that we mostly just read about and don't know how to support.  Maybe our belief in people like Leymah will travel the universe and somehow find it's way to another courageous sole.

In fact, PBS is broadcasting a special on Women, War and Peace featuring Leymah and other courageous women.  The series starts tonight and broadcasts Tuesday nights until November 8th. 

TAKEAWAY #2:

Maybe Leymah's story will inspire us to take action closer to home for something we beleive in, big or small, that until now we felt was a loosing battle.


You can see the story of the Liberation Mass Action for Peace in the documentary "Pray the Devil Back to Hell" and you can read Leymah's story in her book, "Mighty Be Our Powers."