The AWP speaking tour took place in California and Portland, OR from October 14 until October 31, 2010 and had the following objectives:

- to educate the U.S. residents about the interconnectedness of gender equality and peace, including the unique roles women can and have played in peace negotiations;

- to celebrate the way the UN SCR1325 delegitimizes the use of military force and promotes nonviolent, civil society approaches to resolving conflict;

- to honor international women, who have used the UN SCR1325 to positively transform their communities.

AWP West Coast Speaking Tour Testimonials:

From AWP events attendees:

"Wonderful, articulate speakers. Very inspiring to see determination against staggering challenges.”

“The energy and commitment of these women is really an inspiration.”

“Doing research on Resolution 1325 helped me understand what we must stand for.”

“The ladies did an awesome job presenting the necessary facts in order to understand the UN SCR1325.”

“I took a lot away from the lecture. The speakers were passionate and exceptional.”

“The speakers were passionate and I enjoyed listening to their presentations a lot!!!”

“I found today's presentation very informative and moving.”

“The speakers were wonderful in clarifying the impact and importance of grassroots involement in 1325 in the communities.”

“Both of the speakers were very thorough and answered all questions I had with supreme knowledge.”

From WILPF U.S. local hosts:
“We, and our students, very much enjoyed and were moved by the presentations. Please extend our appreciation to the guest speakers,” - Ilene Feinman, Professor, Dept of Philosophy, Prelaw, and Peace Studies, Chair, Academic Senate, CSU Monterey Bay.

“… And finally, our wonderful speakers who took time away from their homes and families to come and share their expertise. Thank you!” – Sara Cooley, University of California, Santa Barbara.

“…Thanks to WILPF national and international for making the tour available to us.” – Ellie Bluestein, WILPF Fresno, CA.

“…Marie Lyse was a dynamic, well informed, passionate voice for grassroots reform and peace in the region. She had done her research and was able to discuss the situation in the Congo and Rwanda and gave us a good history lesson of the region. She was also very interesting about the problems of just talking about women's participation without discussing who those women represented. Listening to her talk about her own history and personal journey was inspiring. Clearly, she's a young woman to watch.”- Judith Mirkinson, WILPF San Francisco, CA.

Marie Lyse Numuhoza, Rwanda

Ms. Numuhoza is from Rwanda and has been living in the UK for 10 years. Ms. Numuhoza holds a degree in African Studies and Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Ms. Numuhoza is the founder of Women Peacemakers for Great Lakes Region of Africa, a London based women group with the aims of fostering acknowledgement of the tragedies of the people of Rwanda, healing and then moving towards sustainable Peace and Reconciliation.

Ms. Numuhoza has been a human right activist for the past 8 years and has worked with the London Citizens and Independent Asylum commission and STAR (Student Action for Refugees, the national network of student groups working to improve the rights of refugees in the UK), campaigning for refugees asylum seeker issues. Ms. Numuhoza is also involved with Voices of African Women campaign, advancing African women’s rights and also working on the promotion of the UN SCR1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Ms. Numuhoza has been a member of UK WILPF (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom) for 2 years. Ms. Numuhoza currently works for a social policy think tank on youth transitions in London and is a mother of 5 year-old twin boys. As a participant in the WILPF U.S. Advancing Women as Peacemakers tour, Ms. Numuhoza is going to share the stories of women in the Great Lakes Region of Africa in the context of the role of the implementation of the provisions of the UN SCR1325 for the advancement of women’s human rights and establishment of sustainable peace in the area.

Sushma Pankule, India

Date of Birth: May 17, 1960
Education: M. SC., M. PHIL., PH.D., M.A. English Literature, Nagpur University, India.

Sushma Pankule has been an educator for 28 years and is currently a senior lecturer in Adv. V.R. Manohar Institute of Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology in India, which ranks among the top Diploma Institutes in Maharashtra, India. Besides her successful teaching career Ms. Pankule is a social activist and has been an active member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) in Maharashtra, India for the past 10 years. In 2001 Ms. Pankule served as the President of the WILPF Nagpur branch and was later elected to be a Vice-President of the National WILPF India section for two terms. In 2008 Ms. Pankule presented a paper on the “Role of Women in Self Guarding the Environment” at the International Board Meeting of WILPF in Geneva, Switzerland and later attended the United Nations 14th Convention on Climate Change in Poznan, Poland.

Ms. Pankule’s social work is focused on addressing the problem of the poor status of women in India. In 2009 Ms. Pankule started a program that engages girl students from rural areas regarding selection of vocation for self-empowerment. As an educator, Ms. Pankule seeks solutions to women’s problems in India via engagement and active participation of students; she has made specific progress with regard to the UN SCR1325. WILPF Nagpur branch has translated the UN SCR1325 to the local language Marathi. Due to Ms. Pankule’s collaboration with academicians in India, it became possible to include the UN SCR1325 in the curriculum for post graduate students at the Nagpur University. As a participant in the WILPF U.S. Advancing Women as Peacemakers tour, Ms.
Pankule will share the stories of women in India in the context of the role of the implementation of the provisions of the UN SCR1325 for the advancement of women’s human rights and establishment of sustainable peace.

3:15– 4 pm
Arthur A. Benjamin, Health Professions High School
451 McClatchy Way, Sacramento, CA 95831
Visit to Contemporary Global Issues class

1:30 – 4:30 pm
6145 Silverton way, Carmichael, CA 95608
Suggested donation $5 (includes hors d’oeuvres)
For more information and to R.S.V.P. please contact Ellen Schwartz, 916-369-5510, email: wilpf@nicetechnology.com

12-12:50 pm
Fresno State University campus, McKee Fisk 204
Afro-American Studies class, Dr. Jean Kennedy's classroom.

4-5:15 pm
Fresno City College Library, LI 103
Class in Women’s Studies, Dr. Jean Kennedy's classroom. Local WILPF branch members and college students are invited to attend.

Santa Barbara, CA

4-6pm
University of California Santa Barbara, Lecture Room
University of California Santa Barbara campus
For more information please contact Sara Cooley at sara_cooley@umail.ucsb.edu

9 am
Radio call-in/interview with Hal Ginsberg, AM 540.  

12 PM
California State University, Monterey Bay campus. Library, Lecture Room 1180.
A talk for students.

7-9 pm
Peace Resource Center
1364 Fermont Blvd., Seaside, CA 93955
Event for WILPF members and local community, open to the public.

12-2 pm
Bechtel International Center, conference room
Stanford University campus
Brown bag lunch, drinks will be provided
Event is free and open to the public.
For more information please contact Shalini Dev Bhutani, email: sbhutani@stanford.edu, 650-736-9511
Local WILPF contact: Lois Salo, email: Lsa1o@aol.com

7-9 pm
Friends Meeting House
65 9th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Event is free and open to the public

7-9 pm
UU Church of Vancouver, 4505 E 18th Street, Vancouver, WA
Event is free and open to the public