Philippine World Week for Peace in Palestine

The Peace for Life Secretariat joined the Philippine Solidarity for Just Peace in Palestine (PSJPI), the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), and the Ecumenical Bishops Forum (EBF) in week-long activities that formed part of the WCC-convened World Week for Peace in Palestine-Israel, 29 May-4 June 2010.

A video of the Israeli raid on the Gaza aid flotilla was screened during
the Ecumenical Worship for Peace in Palestine held at the UCCP
Chapel, 3 June 2010. [PHOTO: JOHANNA DELA CRUZ/NCCP]

This year’s World Week activities were especially meaningful owing to the wide international attention given to the dastardly attack on the humanitarian peace flotilla off the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army which only drew the attention of millions of people around the world to the just peace that is long overdue in Palestine. The activities provided an occasion for Filipinos supporting the Palestinian struggle to mourn and honour the lives lost in the attack offered for the cause of humanitarian aid and peace, and to pray for the families of the dead and the suffering Palestinian people.

Apart from the Sunday celebration in some churches on 30 May and 6 June, a street march and public demonstration was held in front of the Israeli Embassy in Makati on the morning of 2 June. In addition to the organizers of the World Week, other groups such as the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR), Kasimbayan, CONTAK-Philippines, BAYAN (National Patriotic Organization of the Philippines), Association of Concerned Teachers (ACT), League of Filipino Students (LFS) and the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS-Philippines) also participated in the protest action.

PfL Coordinator Carmencita Karagdag being
interviewed by local media during the protest action
in front of the Israeli Embassy, 2 June 2010.
[PHOTO: JOHANNA DELA CRUZ/NCCP]

Philippine church leaders at the candle-lighting ritual
held in front of the NCCP grounds following the
Ecumenical Service and Solidarity Forum on Palestine,
3 June 2010. [PHOTO: JOHANNA DELA CRUZ/NCCP]

A copy of the “Church Leaders’ Statement for Just Peace in Palestine” was faxed and personally delivered to the Israeli Ambassador who was ostensibly absent during that day. The statement was signed by bishops and heads of churches including the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, as well as ecumenical and faith-based networks and institutions like the NCCP, EBF, Peace for Life, Ecumenical Theological Seminary, Union Theological Seminary, Fellowship of the Least Coin-International, Kasimbayan, In-Peace Mindanao, CONTAK-Philippines, and PCPR.

The Philippine World Week culminated with an Ecumenical Service and a Solidarity Forum on 3 June with the main speaker, Dr. Luna Dingayan, president of the Ecumenical Theological Seminary who recently visited the Holy Land, giving a deep but clear biblico-theological reflection on the call for peacemaking in Palestine-Israel. The forum was attended by Catholic and Protestant bishops, nuns, clergy, women, social activists, students and other young people. It ended with a heart-warming candle-lighting ritual held along the street in front of the NCCP Building. The perimeter fence along the sidewalk carried a huge tarpaulin streamer that prominently displayed the call: JUST PEACE FOR PALESTINE!