by Ragnhild Østmo

(photo: Susanne Øyen)This year, from February to June, 18 women with different spiritual views and various social and ethnic backgrounds, have been part of two Creators of Peace Circles at the Initiatives of Change center in Oslo, Norway. One Peace Circle was English speaking while the other was Norwegian, with each running once a week. The women shared their stories, their different experiences, explored their own and each other’s attitudes and viewpoints, dealt with prejudices and developed friendships.

'I was afraid this was an activist group, which I didn’t feel like joining, but these CPCs have first and foremost contributed to my own growth and personal maturity,' one of the participants tells. Another woman expresses her gratitude about having the chance to meet people outside of her own predictable group of friends, family and colleagues. 'This mix of different women has been very good for me personally. I would otherwise have never gotten the chance to meet, and not to mention have the privilege of getting to know such people on a personal level,' she says.

'It was very good for me to get a "kick in the butt" that made me take time for contemplation and to reflect over important questions. Peace Circles was my week’s highlight,' tells Susanne Øyen, from Germany. She says it was very educational and interesting to get insight into other people’s thoughts, people coming from another background than herself.

'We have not focused on differences. We have focused on what we together have been occupied with and concerned about,' tells Mari Sveen Kvam from Norway. She also mentions that she especially appreciated getting to know one Norwegian-Pakistani girl through the Peace Circle, and how special it was for this girl to invite the whole group to her home for dinner. (One of the biggest non- ethnic Norwegian communities in Norway is the Norwegian-Pakistani community). 'I had no particular expectations for the group meetings, and in a busy everyday life, I really liked the fact that we didn’t commit ourselves to anything other than to come to these meetings and use ourselves and our life experiences. Now that it’s over, I really miss it, and think it’s terrible that these sessions are over,' she says.

Azadeh from Iran tells that the Peace Circles reminded her that in order to create peace we have to listen to each other. 'Through experiences that the other group members told, I learned things that have now helped me to improve my relationship with some of my colleagues and family members,' she says. 'Meeting every Tuesday was also a fantastic social activity, and the best course I could take to improve my personality. Listening to other people’s different viewpoints and experiences, destiny and actions, developed my understanding of society and how we can achieve a better life together the time we share here'. Azadeh also reveals that sharing her life story made her feel more liberated from her past.

For Ragnhild Østmo from Norway, who co-facilitated with Carole Khakula from Kenya, it was the second time she got to experience a Peace Circle. 'I have treasured these meetings immensely. It’s such a gift to get to know individuals from communities of people you otherwise only see on the streets, but know very little about. Also, I have had time to reflect on my own actions regarding difficult relationships and issues in my own life, which have already been fruitful. This is something everybody should have the chance of experiencing!' she says.

The two circles culminated in a combo meeting with two of the participants offering to lead a new Creators of Peace Circle starting up in Oslo this fall. It will be the seventh Peace Circle organized in Oslo since the first that took place about two and a half years ago.