Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPW) held a conference in Jaipur, India during March 6-10. The four-day conference brought together women from conflict zones around the world and top female spiritual leaders. It was aimed at forging formal ties among Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain and animist women with the goal of exploring ideas for resolving conflicts and creating a World Council of Women Spiritual Leaders. At the conference, women leaders emphasized the urgency of not just searching for solutions to conflicts but finding ways to rapidly put them into action.
GPIW is an international network of women and men, of spiritual and community leaders. The group was founded on the belief that women today have a unique contribution to make in finding alternatives to violence. GPIW also places a special emphasis on building interfaith understanding and developing leadership in young community leaders worldwide. GPIW is located in New York and was founded in 2002 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Dena Merriam founder and convener of GPIW requested support for the conference from Spiritual Administrative Head – Brahma Kumaris Dadi Janki. Janki in her closing remarks at the conference said:
"Making Way for the Feminine to Benefit the World Community"
Each of us must be a carefree emperor. We have no problems. We have nothing to worry about. I know that each of you here is committed to serving others, and that you are very good at giving no sorrow. However it is also important that you not take any sorrow, because when you take sorrow, you become heavy and then you cannot give.
This is an interfaith gathering. In India it is often said that "in faith there is victory." What does it mean to have faith? Everyone can say, "I have faith in God," but I would like God to have faith in me.