CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF PEOPLES FORUM RESISTING EMPIRE: A CALL FOR INTERFAITH SOLIDARITY TOWARDS JUST AND LASTING PEACE

Join us in celebration of our 20th anniversary with the theme, “Celebrating 20 Years of Peoples’ Forum Resisting Empire: A Call for Interfaith Solidarity Towards a Just and Lasting Peace” this December 3, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Conference Room of Iglesia Filipina Independiente National Cathedral, 1500 Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila.

On December 2024, the People’s Forum on Peace for Life will mark the 20^th anniversary of its founding in the Philippines. This is an important milestone as it celebrates two decades of social justice work as an ecumenical movement resisting Empire based on the imperatives of faith and religious belief.  It was founded in such an opportune time when the US, using 9-11 as a pretext, was expanding its hegemony in Asia, naming the Philippines as the second front in its War on Terror in order to reestablish its military presence in the country as the best-located vantage point in staging wars of intervention and controlling more than half of the global trade through the South China Sea. Peace for Life therefore emerged as an ecumenical network (made possible by invitation from WCC, CCA and NCCP) accompanying peoples’ movements to challenge the expansion of Empire and to resist the violence of militarization, state terrorism, political and cultural hegemony, and economic globalization. It  was defined at its beginning as a global solidarity network committed to interfaith, South-South and North-South solidarity with the Philippines serving not only as its center of operation but as showcase in the struggle for national liberation and as forum to build partnerships with people’s organizations and social movements internationally on the issues of war and “free market” globalization. 

The world today remains gripped by “war on terror”- old and new – since PfL’s inception twenty years ago.  Amidst people’s resistance imperialist wars continue without letup.  The Ukraine war as a US-NATO proxy war with Russia by providing massive military support, the genocidal war in Gaza against Palestinian people by Zionist Israel, now expanding regionally especially against the Axis of Resistance (Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Iraq) with US as its strongest supporter,  saber-rattling in the Korean peninsula as well as expansion of US presence in the Philippines, Japan, India, and Australia to increase interoperability by way of pushing Taiwan against China and force ASEAN countries to take sides, are all symptomatic of a never ending wars in the era of Empire. On the other hand national liberation movements continue to advance in India, Pakistan, Philippines, West Papua, Africa, Latin America, etc.. Countries asserting independence  are subjected to repression, economic sanctions and using counter-terrorism as pretext to suppress protests and struggle for self-determination.  Global poverty and inequality are steadily increasing and people are rising up and fighting for their rights and  fullness of life. It is in this context  that Peace for life is being challenged to take a look back at its rich history of national and global justice engagements, reclaim and revitalize its space in the fight for just and lasting peace and recommit itself in the framing of alternative vision for a world without Empire.

As an opportunity for PfL to celebrate its 20 years of history and be able to reclaim its commitment and vision for a world of justice and peace, a two-day Conference participated in by PfL stakeholders shall be held on December 2-4, 2024 with the theme, “Celebrating 20 Years of People’s Forum Resisting Empire: A Call for Interfaith Solidarity Towards a Just and Lasting Peace”. 

Objectives:

1. To have a shared understanding of current international situation and the imperialist wars which have confronted the world in the last 20 years or so paying particular attention to Empire’s use or misuse of religious values in pursuit of its objectives and how people in particular have demonstrated their resistance in pursuit for a just and lasting peace; 
2. To promote a liberating theology and analysis and reflection on geopolitical trends grounded on the experiences of peoples and communities pursuing just peace and resisting Empire; 
3. To affirm and reclaim the urgent tasks of PFL in the context and challenges and opportunities facing the Philippines’ struggle for self-determination and the global peace movement and interfaith peace initiatives;
4. To come up with a conference Statement/Covenant to serve as guide for PfL in its struggle against global hegemony and for a just peace;
5. To have a fitting celebration for 20 years of PfL’s existence and give recognition to founding members, living and dead.