Swords into plowshares
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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.).
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Posts with tag: red hand campaign
January 15, 2013Children are children, not soldiers - 11 years on
‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ – Matthew 19:14
February 12, 2013 marks the eleventh anniversary of the entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.
Find worship resources, ideas for participating in the Red Hand Campaign, and suggestions for further study for this occasion. 
They may be used at any time.
UNICEF estimates that more than 300,000 children – boys and girls under the ...
December 8, 2011
How to make Red Hands
The Red Hand Campaign asks nation states to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and make clear their commitment to ending the use of child soldiers. The goal is for every country in the world to ratify the optional protocol by 2012, the tenth anniversary of when it took effect.
To take part in the Red Hand Campaign:
- Create red hand prints on paper (using finger paint, drawing an outline, using red paper, or in some other way) and then add their names, hometowns, and ...
September 22, 2011
Red Hands make a difference
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” (Matthew 19:14)
We moved another step closer a world where children are children and not soldiers today. Presbyterian Red Hands helped make it happen!
Saint Lucia signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Children and Armed Conflict.
Saint Lucia received Red Hands from Presbyterians asking them to sign and ratify the Prototocol. Signing takes the crucial first step; Saint Lucia still needs to ratify the ...
July 22, 2011
Red Hands at work
What difference do Presbyterian Red Hands make?
This year three states: Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have ratified or acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. Chad recently signed an action plan to end the use of children by the country’s security forces.
Clearly the international consensus that "Children are children, not soldiers" is building.
Presbyterians are playing a part. The Red Hands made by Presbyterians are delivered to permanent missions at the United Nations asking them to encourage their ...
July 21, 2011
Red Hands say no child soldiers
Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.
Matthew 19:14
Red Hands, made by Presbyterians across the church, were sent to the permanent missions of 26 member states of the United Nations today. The Red Hands, in a variety of styles, all bear the same message: "Children are children, not soldiers."
With the Red Hands went a request that the state sign and ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in ...
January 12, 2011
Eckerd College - the first visit of the year
On January 5, a class from Eckerd College visited the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations. They were the first group to visit this year. The class, taught by Dr. Tony Brunello, is exploring The United Nations: Terrorism, Peacekeeping and...
October 15, 2010
Looking forward to the return!
Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations There are two broad foci to the mission of the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations: Inspiring and equipping Presbyterians to live as disciples of Jesus in the global neighborhood Bearing witness for peace...
August 20, 2010
Red Hands at work
Georgia agrees to protocol on child soldiers In late July 2010, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mailed drawings of red hands and messages to the Mission of Georgia to the United Nations as part of its Red Hand Campaign to end...
May 19, 2010
Living the Believers’ Calling – no child soldiers!
Here's a way congregations can celebrate 30 years of peacemaking: Hold a Red Hand Sunday to call for an end to the use of children as soldiers. Create red hand prints on paper or cloth (using finger paint, drawing an...
April 27, 2010
Living the Believers’ Calling – teach confirmands about peace
Here's a way congregations can celebrate 30 years of peacemaking Focus at least one session of the confirmation program on peace. Help confirmands learn more about peacemaking through doing. This could involve a service project or an advocacy effort such...
March 7, 2009
Red hands in San Antonio
As part of the Red Hand Campaign to end the use of children as soldiers, participants in the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators conference in San Antonio had the opportunity to make red hands. These were among the 250,000 red...
December 18, 2008
Raise a Red Hand; Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
February 12, 2009 is Red Hand Day - the international child soldier’s commemoration day, a day to work to end the use of child soldiers. According to an optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,...