Students & Teachers - Write a letter to one of the women on the poster. Letters to be posted on this website in an upcoming student section. Please email us for details.

Sophie Pomerantz, Astrid Burgess and Sarah Moore are "young peace builders' from Toronto, Ontario. They are the new generation, following in the footsteps of women who went before them working for peace and justice. They create awareness about the plight of child soldiers around the world by promoting good will and peace in Ontario schools.

Social activist, feminist writer, politician and founding member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Rosemary Brown was born in Jamaica in 1930 into a politically active family. A social worker, she served as ombusdswoman for the Vancourver Status of Women, entered politics and won a seat in the BC provincial legislature, the first Black woman to be elected to a Canadian legislature. Learn more about Rosemary Brown, one of Canadians heroines.

Best known for helping establish the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (Nova Scotia provincial sector), Muriel Duckworth is one of Canada's most notable feminists and pacifists. At the age of 100, Muriel continues to inspire young and old. Always outspoken, Muriel's message is "War is the greatest destroyer of human life, the greatest polluter, the greatest creator of refugees, the greatest cause of starvation and illness. We all have to care - not just for our own little circle, but for the universe. Learn more about Muriel Duckworth.

Dr. Ursula Franklin is a distinguished scientist, educator, writer and social activist. She is an Emeritus Professor in Metallurgy at the University of Toronto and has for many years been a moving force in efforts to ensure peace and social justice. She was awarded the Pearson Peace Medal in 2002. Her statement that: "Peace is not just the absense of war. It is the presence of justice and the absence of fear," is quoted often. Ursula Franklin has been an eminent member of VOW and has a school named after her in Toronto. Read more about Ursula.

Kay MacPherson served humanitarian causes most of her life. A peace activist for decades, she was jailed in France in 1964 along with other peace demonstrators who had tried to present a statement to the Secretary General of NATO during a conference in Paris, France. The demonstrators were opposing plans for a multilateral nuclear force. Kay served as the National VOW President from 1964-7 and remained on the VOW National Board until her passing in 2000. Read more about Kay MacPherson.

As a Grade 8 student, Setsuko Thurlow experience the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. She saw her city disappear, flattened by the blast, burned by the heat and contaminated by radiation. Out of this catastrophe, Setsuko emerged with a new appreciation of the value of each and every human life. She speaks to grops in schools, universities, churches and communities about the consequences of nuclear war. Learn more about efforts to abolish nuclear weapons.

When WWI broke out in 1914, peace efforts were overwhelmed by patriotism. in 1915, Canadian Women joined others for a women's peace congress in The Hague. A plan for "continuous mediation without armistice", develped by Julia Grace Wales, was adopted and delegates met with many govenments to promote this method of ending war. Read more about Julia Wales Grace. To host the VOW Women "Building Peace, Making History" Exhibit featuring Julia Wales Grace and other Canadian peace women, please click here.

Teacher, feminist, social justice activist, Agnes MacPhail devoted most of her life to public service. Macphail was the first woman elected to the House of Commons in 1921. Defeated federally in 1940, likely because of her pacifist views, she was elected to the Ontario legislature in 1943. Macphail worked all her life for world peace and represented Canada at the League of Nations in Geneva in 1929, the first woman to serve on the Disarmament Committee. Read more about Agnes Macphail.

Artist/songwriter Sarah Kariuki was born and raised in Uthiru, Kenya. Her songs are performed in the Swahili language. Sarah has been involved in peace and conflict resolution activities and working with the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) and the Girl Child Network Kenya Organization, spearheaded the Girl-Child Kenya Project to raise funds to construct bathroom facilities for four girls' schools in Northern Kenya. Read more about Sarah and hear her uplifting music online.

The Raging Grannies is a network of "Gaggles" across Canada and around the world. Orginally founded in Victoria, BC. in 1987, they protest and celebrate in song. The Grannies compose many of their own songs and write new lyrics for old favourites. The Grannies work for peace, social justice, human rights and environmental protection. Pictured left to right; Kay Laidlaw, Phyllis Creighton, Maria Kasstan, Sistah Lois and Joan Harvey. Read more about the Ranging Grannies and how to get involved.

Helen Chilas is the National Coordinator with the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW). Jo Rodriques is a member of VOW's national working group to promote UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace & Security. They joined more than 5000 women from around the world in March 2008 at the United Nations for the 52nd Commission on the Status of Women and helped to write the UN Statement on the International Women in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution. Learn more about the United Nations and VOW's UN work.

(From left to right). Jocelyn Kelly participated at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Jean Lee has been involved in the peace movement for many years including participating in a 10-country tour in Europe in 1963 culminating in the International Women's Democratic Peace Congress in Moscow. Lyn Adamson works with the organization Non-Violent Peaceforce, which puts teams in conflict zones. Pamela Stewart is an Ontario Council member with VOW and a member of the Quaker Peace & Social Justice Committee. Learn about International Women's Day.