The Chaplain and Tutor in Theology of St John’s College, Oxford, the Rev Dr Liz Carmichael, introduced Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye from Nigeria as ‘an iconic peacemaking and peacebuilding team’ at the opening of a seminar on 11 November. It was organised by the Oxford Network of Peace Studies (OxPeace).

The protagonists of the award-winning documentary film The Imam and the Pastor, Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, and the film’s co-Producer Dr Imad Karam were guests of the Directorate of Religious Affairs of the Government of South Sudan in Juba from 29 October to 2 November 2010. The fourth guest Mrs Amina Dikedi-Ajakaiye, a Nigerian widely travelled in Africa, helped conduct workshops for women on a previous visit to Juba and Khartoum.

The first Creators of Peace Circle has just taken place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alex Martins has sent this report.

Two of the participants from the Peace Circle workshop held in Mossel Bay in February invited us back to conduct workshops for 26 volunteers and carers in the communities of this southern Cape town. They came from SANTA (South African National Tuberculosis Association), Piet Julies who cares for those affected and infected with HIV/Aids and the Thabita group who give fellowship to a congregation of the VGK (Vrye Gereformeerde Kerk).

‘God give us a Kofi Annan for our broken homes and many Kofi Annans for our broken society’, conveyed one of the around 30 ladies who attended a Creators of Peace meeting on 7 June, 2010 in Eldoret. The meeting, led by Rosemary Kariuki, a Kenyan from Eldoret now living in Australia, was a follow up on the three Creators of Peace workshops that took place in Nakuru in May, 2010. Some of the participants from Eldoret who were keeping their word – to be creators of peace and to engage their society in the process of creating peace – were present to share their experience and commitment after participating in the Nakuru workshop.

At a ceremony to mark Glasgow University’s Commemoration Day on 16 June 2010, Honorary Degrees were conferred on nine people, including the Degree of Doctor of the University on both Imam Dr Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor Dr James Movel Wuye, who feature in the film The Imam and the Pastor. They were presented by the Professor of Divinity, Werner Jeanrond.

Three Peace Circle workshops took place 20-26 May, 2010 at St Mary’s Pastoral Centre, Nakuru. 35 women, mainly from the Rift Valley province, benefited from the training. Amongst other issues, most of the women had great concerns about the massive negative ethnicity in the country.

From 12-16 May 2010 more than 90 delegates representing over 14 countries from around Africa and beyond converged at St Mary’s Pastoral Centre, Nakuru in Kenya for the All Africa Conference. The last conference of the kind had taken place back in 2002, hence this was a special moment. Over the five days the delegates passionately celebrated Africa’s potential and amongst other issues discussed Africa’s leadership and governance, conflict resolution and economic independence.

The first of three consecutive Creators of Peace Circles workshop happening at St Mary’s Pastoral Centre, Nakuru, Kenya has come to a successful end. The first workshop consisting of 13 women, young and middle aged coming from Western, North Eastern, Rift Valley, and Central parts of Kenya, started on 20 May, 2010.

"We are here today so that we can make right what is wrong. It can be done and it must be done! Go and make Africa great" said the keynote speaker, Dr PLO Lumumba, an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Tanzania, in his moving speech that left many of the over 90 participants of the All Africa Conference in tears. He was speaking at the conference’s official launch on 12 May, 2010 in Nakuru, Kenya, under the theme “Africa, Do I Care?”.