On November 25th, Voice of Women’s 63rd Annual General Meeting transpired. This event was hybrid– taking place at Friends House in Toronto with members joining in virtually from all across Canada. We are so appreciative for all of you who were able to come together with us!
The AGM business conventions were dutifully fulfilled. Sufficient numbers met the quorum requirements and reports in the agenda were approved by a majority vote.
In review of this past year, the significant initiatives VOW has untaken were clear. From coast to coast, Nova Scotia to British Columbia, extensive work continues to be conducted to create a culture of peace.
The United Nation Report offered insight into VOW’s participation at last year’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) and gave voice to the experience of our outstanding delegates.
The AGM concluded by confirming the nominations of 2023- 2024 Board Members.
We are grateful for all of your continued support as we prepare for a new year of advocating, educating, and raising up peace voices!
CO-CHAIRS REPORT – CANADIAN VOICE OF WOMEN FOR PEACE – 2022-23
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yQnLuDEeQxW5Y4BjIuU232U3BN1A3mJq/view
The slides start in Dec of 2022 with a peace dinner at Friends House in Toronto, and continue through the year.
February we highlight the newsletter, sent monthly, to our subscribers – with highlights, events, and actions.
Our March photo is from the UNCSW with our delegation visiting the Japanese under-secretary general for Disarmament Izumi Nakamitzu. Also, Climate Conversations for International Women’s Day in Toronto. We closed our office at the end of March. Our April photo is from the Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace Earth Day event. Mothers’ Day for Peace events included Kasha Slavner speaking in Peterborough on the 1.5 Degrees of Peace film project, and a vigil for peace at Christie Pits in Toronto. Janis Alton hosted a strawberry social at her home in Port Credit in July.
Tamara Lorincz toured several cities in June, July, and August, see Tamara’s report for more information.
Photos are from Calgary (flyer), Toronto (No to Nato) and Ottawa (We Want Peace). Also in August VOW hosted a webinar with our peace intern Sarah Rohleder who spoke on her work and the ICAN conference for youth in Japan on the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Many VOW chapters hosted or participated in events marking Hiroshima Day.
Our annual peace leadership retreat was held at the retreat centre of board member Lee Ann McKenna, planned via zoom. Much of our work is carried on virtually and we held one session of our retreat as hybrid, with folks from across the country on zoom.
In September some VOW members participated in a project of making hearts to commemorate the 215 children whose remains were found at the Kamloop Residential School, the number of such unmarked graves grew into the thousands.
The display of hearts was held on September 30th, Orange Shirt Day for Reconciliation. In November we made white poppies, planted white poppy seeds in a. peace garden, and participated in marches for a ceasefire in the Israeli-Gaza war.
Also in November we co-hosted a dinner with Sean Conner, new Executive Director of the International Peace Bureau with PeaceQuest and Science for Peace, hosted at Friends House.
A Year of Peace Work for VOW: Report from Akhila, Sarah and Tamara
Financial Report
The financial statements are available to members upon request.
AGM Recording
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J6trawIaabE2jbeH7TwtOUkNNxb_hpPZ/view