Dear friends,

We would like to invite you to be part of our upcoming Global Anabaptist Peace Network online gathering on June 27-29, 2022. We are looking forward to meeting all of you. On each of these days, we are planning to meet for 3 hours, starting at 8.00 (Winnipeg/Bogotá), 9.00 (Harrisonburg/La Paz), 15.00 (Johannesburg/Berlin), 20.00 (Jakarta/Bangkok). 
 
The topic for our GAPN gathering will be “Do I stay, or do I go?”. This topic is inspired by the words coming from many in contexts of war struggling with the dilemma of staying or leaving their homes. Each decision, as difficult as it is, holds integrity for hanging on to life and relationships. Many people and communities are challenged with situations of conflict and violence that necessitate difficult decision-making.
 
Our gathering will include: (1) spaces to introduce and get to know each other; (2) contributions from different guest speakers, including Isaac Villegas and Erica Littlewolf (North America) and Lakan Sumulong and Tala Alngag Bautista (Philippines), that will explore this topic, focusing on the challenges and opportunities they identify in their own context and realities in relation to it; (3) spaces for group conversations; (4) devotional times that will include prayer requests. Organizing a virtual gathering poses some challenges, including the differences in time zones and the exposure and energy required to stay tuned in during the different sessions. That’s why we have decided to combine online and offline segments (which will help us to have more detailed introductions), so that there are more and alternative opportunities to exchange, learn from one another, and engage in dialogue. More detailed information will be available soon.
 
Both June 27 and 28 will focus on exploring our theme. June 29 will focus mainly on discernment and decision making regarding the consolidation and next steps of the GAPN. We have proposed this schedule in order to open the invitation to different people and interested organizations to join in the conversations of the first two days but that might not yet be members of the GAPN, while the third day will be for the members of the GAPN.We encourage you to invite your colleagues to join us for the first two days.
 
For more information and to register, please send an email to 
AndresPachecoLozano@mwc-cmm.org