The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is an international non-government organisation (NGO) working for peace, disarmament and social justice. Founded in 1915, it is the oldest and largest international women’s peace organisation in the world.
With offices in both Geneva and New York, WILPF supports the work of the United Nations Organisation and has consultative status with a range of specialised UN agencies. WILPF empowers women of different political philosophies in Australia and 48 countries around the world.
WILPF works for the elimination of discrimination on the basis of sex, race and religion or on any other grounds.
The heart of WILPF’s work since its founding is to study and make known the roots of conflicts and wars and strive for their eradication. Their immediate challenge is to implement a program of work that informs, educates, advocates, builds trust and is supportive of efforts of other like-minded organisations; a program that reaches out to others to join them in their endeavour to build a permanent peace based on justice and freedom for all.
The upcoming exhibition at The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre’s Kerry Packer Civic Gallery at UniSA City West campus could be called “The Untold Story.” It depicts the last 100 years of peace activism in Australia at a time when all media channels are full of the ANZAC story. Few people are aware that at the same time as the ANZACs landed at Gallipoli, 1800 women met at the Peace Palace in The Hague to develop the Principles for Permanent Peace. These women’s Principles are now enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and have been promoted ever since by Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) which also celebrates its centenary on 25th April 2015.
In April this year, WILPF women will gather in The Hague to set a new approach to stopping war and to promote women’s participation and the principles of permanent peace.
Come and learn about these women’s inspiring stories of peace activism, which parallel Australia’s political history over the last 100 years, on display during SA History Month.
FREE at the Kerry Packer Civic Gallery, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Centenary Exhibition
Open from 6 May until 5 June.
Open weekdays 9am – 5pm, late Thursdays until 7pm.
