Swords into plowshares
About this blog
Swords into Plowshares is the blog of the Peacemaking Program and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Seeking peace. Striving for justice. Together.
Recent posts
- Hold Sudanese Human Rights Violators Accountable!
- US remarks at high-level talks on trafficking
- Three Prayer Concerns - May 16
- Three Prayer Concerns - May 9
- A New Method of Healing for a Wounded World
Categories
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- United Nations (500)
- Prayer (471)
- Human Rights (417)
- Justice (387)
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Archives
Posts with tag: presbyterian
December 2, 2012International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Human Trafficking Roundtable has ways for Presbyterians to get involved in ending modern day slavery.
Below is the statement from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Eighty-five years have passed since the entry into force of the Slavery Convention, yet this dehumanizing practice has acquired new manifestations in the 21st century.
Every day, in all regions of the world, women are trafficked, sold and locked in brothels for sexual exploitation. Little girls are forcibly married, sexually abused and used as domestic workers. Children work in ...
October 12, 2012
No child soldiers: more steps on the journey
As representatives of the Member States gathered for the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, several important events took place in the effort to create a world where children are children not soldiers:
- On 19 September 2012, the Security Council demanded that "parties to armed conflict which commit grave abuses against children, including those who recruit and use children, kill and maim, commit sexual violence or attack schools and hospitals, immediately halt such practices and take special measures to protect children."
- Indonesia, Nigeria, and Swaziland announced that they have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the ...
October 1, 2012
Presbyterian engagement at the United Nations General Assembly
Last week, New York City welcomed world leaders to the 67th United Nations General Assembly. The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations was active in raising the voice of Presbyterians from here in the United States as well as those of our partners in the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
- Worshiped with world leaders at the opening prayer service for the United Nations General Assembly.
- Empowering Youth dialogue with the President Lobo of Honduras and the Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations.
- Official NGO observer to the General Debate with heads of state or government.
- Met ...
September 6, 2012
International Day against Nuclear Tests Celebrated at the UN
Rochelle Rawls-Shaw, intern with the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations attended a discussion today on the International Day against Nuclear Tests at the United Nations. Below is her reflection on the event.July 24, 2012
Outcomes from the 56th Commission on the Status of Women
The Commission on the Status of Women has recommended that the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations approve draft language on the following topics:
- Ending female genital mutilation
- Situation of and assistance to Palestinian women
- Release of women and children taken hostage, including those subsequently imprisoned, in armed conflicts
- Gender equality and the empowerment of women in natural disasters
- Eliminating maternal mortality and morbidity through empowerment of women
- Indigenous women: key actors in poverty and hunger eradication
- Women, the girl child and HIV and AIDS
Detailed language on each of these areas are available in the full report ...
June 6, 2012
Summer volunteers work on Red Hands
Sophie Beal and Elodie de Bethmann are summer volunteer interns at the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. This is their first week with us, their first blog with us, and their first time getting involved with Red Hands. Below is the blog from Sophie and Elodie.
More photos are available on our Facebook Page.
The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations has taken on two new volunteer interns for the summer. We are both excited to have this incredible opportunity to experience the ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly Mission Council at the United Nations ...
December 10, 2011
Human Rights Day
As we celebrate Human Rights Day today, I reflect on the words of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said a few days earlier on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, “To eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, we need new strategies and measures that can unite all actors. While Governments bear the primary responsibility, the private sector has an integral role to play.” Couldn’t this same argument be made in regards to human rights?
Governments certainly play a large role creating, implementing and changing strategies to protect human rights. With that said, we as global citizens, the ...
September 29, 2011
How Faith-Based Organizations Change the World at the UN
Panel- Photo by Carlos Yordan
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit on a panel hosted by Drew University title “How Faith-Based Organizations Change the World at the UN.” On the panel with me were Liberato Bautista, from the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, Bruce Knotts from the Unitarian Universalist Association at the United Nations and Andrew Tomlinson from the Quaker United Nations Office.
This event, a first for Drew University included an audience from the Drew University semester at the United Nations as well as United Nations Church Center and Ecumenical colleagues. In ...
September 11, 2011
Remembering September 11
Ryan Smith- Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Christine Mangale- Lutheran World Federation, Joseph Donnelly- Caritas Internationalis. Photo By Alisha Rodriguez
On Friday, the President of the United Nations General Assembly welcomed distinguished guests from around the world to commemorate the attacks of September 11, 2001. Joining the President of the General Assembly were the Deputy Secretary General as well as the US Ambassador to the United Nations. I joined ecumenical colleagues in prayer and remembrance that day at the United Nations.
Today, I had the opportunity to worship with First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn. Moderator of the General Assembly of ...
June 30, 2011
The Big Tent is underway
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Conference is underway in Indianapolis. Yesterday, we met with the Iraq Partnership Network and the Brazil Mission Network.
It is great to meet people doing amazing work for the church around the world! Stay tuned to Facebook, Twitter and this blog for more updates from the Big Tent.
June 28, 2011
July 17 - International Justice Day
International Justice Day - July 17 - marks the birthday of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Faith and Ethics Network of the International Criminal court suggests several ways congregations could observe this day:
• Discuss the importance of the ICC;
• Draw attention to ongoing atrocities where the ICC could make a difference.
• Encourage the United States to join and ratify the ICC.
The 211th General Assembly (1999) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) passed the following resolution supporting the creation of the ICC and encouraging the United States to sign on to and ratify the ICC:
- Commend ...
June 7, 2011
Reflect, dream and share about the PC(USA)
Have a vision about the future of the church . . . about where and how God is at work in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? Make a video and share your vision in an online conference called "We Are Presbyterians."
The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, friend of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations and moderator of
the 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), wonders what wisdom is possessed by Presbyterians whose voices are not usually heard at General Assembly or national conferences. He wonders what they have to say about where God is leading the church ...
June 6, 2011
Prayers for Sudan- in New York City!
On Ascension Sunday, I attended morning service at Broadway Presbyterian Church in New York City. I was moved when in the prayers and concerns, I noticed the Season of Prayer with the People of Sudan listed as a specific prayer request. Broadway Presbyterian Church has asked its members to join us in the season of prayer.
In the United States, we will be praying at 11:00 a.m. (EST). We have invited our sisters and brothers in Sudan to pray with us wherever you are; pray individually or gather with your community or an ecumenical community of an interfaith ...
April 11, 2011
Building Sustainable Communities of Peace in Colombia
For over fifty years, the people of Colombia have endured violence that has displaced more than five million Colombians and driven another 500,000 from their country. Thousands more have died. Since 2000, the United States has provided Colombia over $7...
November 7, 2009
Fort Hood Shooting
As our prayers continue for all impacted by and affected by the shooting at Fort Hood: the senior Presbyterian military chaplain has addressed the event and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance has responded.
September 22, 2009
Observing the International Day of Peace
Here are some ways that people observed the International Day of Peace: The Iglesia Presbiteriana de Puerto Nuevo in San Juan, Puerto Rico held a service of dedication for a peace pole. Mediators Beyond Borders organized an event in the...
February 15, 2009
Taiwan: Two Countries, Two Islands
Traveling with the Moderator By Nancy Eng MacNeill Arriving into Taipei was an immediate shift in culture: walking through the airport, seeing familiar signs and billboards with unfamiliar writing. Language and body posture changed as you are greeted with each...