Today, the Business for Peace Foundation announced the ‘2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award’ winners. Joji Pantoja, President & CEO of Coffee for Peace, is one of the three winners of this prestigious award. The official citation says: “She has dedicated her career to building peace in conflict zones and improving the lives of marginalised groups through economic stability.” Coffee for Peace is a social enterprise and a twin-organization of PeaceBuilders Community.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/09/09/joji-is-one-of-the-three-global-honourees-of-the-2020-oslo-business-for-peace-award/
Along with the millions of rural peasants and urban poor suffering from the system that oppresses them, I express my lamentations and my anger with the killing of Randall Echanis and Zara Alvarez. These are two of the many justice and peace activists slain in the past few years. I cry justice for them all. As a faith-based peace-and-justice field worker committed to active nonviolence, I will continue to help lead our community to fulfill our calling and to do our tasks in the midst of these challenges.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/08/28/im-lamenting-and-im-angry-about-the-recent-killings-of-peacebuilding-and-human-rights-activists/
We’re happy to announce that Coffee for Peace Café, our social enterprise in Davao City, is now open again. This coffee shop had been closed for five months due to CoViD19 lock down. After reconfiguring our operations and integrating public health safety protocol, we’re ready to serve you. Welcome back!
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/08/10/coffee-for-peace-cafe-reopens-with-appropriate-public-health-safety-protocol/
How can we dignify and help folks from communities who are more economically in need, compared to the other communities in the city, during these times of public health crisis? Organize a ‘community resource sharing event.’ That’s what three organizations did to serve an urban poor neighborhood in Davao City.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/08/03/pbci-cfp-tribe-participated-in-a-community-resource-sharing-event/
We’re excited for the wonderful possibilities were facing and at the same time having a ‘feeling of suspense’ because of inherent uncertainties. Before, our journey can be described as trekking through a vast landscape with plenty of landmarks. Now, it’s like navigating through an ocean. No landmarks. We’re charting a new map. But we know our True North. We have our Reliable Compass. We are being moved by the Holy Wind. Uncertain and yet so assured!
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/07/20/were-reconfiguring-our-operational-systems-for-the-new-realities/
The message of Peace and Reconciliation (PAR) is articulated and demonstrated even in the midst of CoViD19 public health crisis and the growing unjust governance in our land. This is particularly made possible by 7 budding women entrepreneurs who are being mentored by the PBCI-CFP Tribe. They are Mary, Sihaya, Annie, Wanay, Mandy, Bennette, and Diane. They are developing their own micro-enterprise and have been marketing their products and experiencing encouraging results.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/07/10/our-par-framed-response-to-the-unjust-principalities-and-powers-amidst-covid19/
Today is Canada Day. I’m sincerely grateful for the privilege of raising my young family in Canada. I and my family experienced relative peace there compared to where I grew up. While being grateful, my consciousness about the historical injustices suffered by the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island is growing. My awakening was prompted by my interaction with the Indigenous Peoples here in the Philippines. This reflection was sparked by the paintings of Kent Monkman.
Permanent link to this article: https://waves.ca/2020/07/01/my-sin-of-omission-ignoring-historical-injustices-committed-against-canadas-indigenous-peoples/
We are sent by Mennonite Church Canada Witness in partnership with our international community.
