RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW! This is the second year VOW is holding another in the series of the Sparking Change summer workshops at the Hub and Hearth Retreat Center in Orangeville, Ontario. This year’s theme questions whether we can imagine a different future and build a nonviolent economy. In 2025 the Sparking Change focused on nonviolence in social movements, inviting groups …
TORONTO CITY HALL: The Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition (HNDC) will mark the 81st Anniversary Commemoration of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 2026 at the City Hall Peace Garden on Nathan Phillips Square.Nuclear weapons are the most inhumane and indiscriminate weapons ever created. They violate international law, cause severe environmental damage, undermine national and global security, …
VOW–WILPF Canada Luncheon & Conversation Building the Women’s Peace Movement Together Wednesday, July 15 at 12:30pm VOW hosted a luncheon with Ellen of WILPF-Canada and Joy of IPPNW-Canada in Toronto. We shared good food and stories about our lives in the peace movement. We also discussed our 1000 women+ campaign to rally Canadian women to oppose the Carney government’s massive …
The latest ICAN report shows that countries spent $119 billion on nuclear weapons in 2025—weapons that can never solve the challenges people face every day. Nuclear weapons are the ultimate symbol of misplaced priorities. As governments pour billions into weapons and military expansion, essential services face cuts. VOW’s 1000+ Women for Peace campaign calls for those resources to be invested …
🗓 Wednesday, July 15th 2026 ⏰ 12:30pm ET📍 Toronto, ON 📧 RSVP with Lyn Adamson Canadian Voice of Women for Peace are inviting you to join us for a Summer Peace Lunch in Toronto with special guest Ellen Woodsworth, Co-Chair of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Canada, on Wednesday, July 15th at 12:30pm ET. Please contact Lyn Adamson (lyn.adamson9@gmail.com) with “RSVP PEACE LUNCH” as the subject line to RSVP and …
Please join VOW’s Senior Research and Advocate, Tamara Lorincz, on Thursday, June 4th from 12:00pm-1:30pm for a live webinar during Toronto Climate Week in partnership with the University of Toronto’s MSc in Sustainability Management program! Register here Conflict & Climate Military activity and its vast supply chains are estimated to account for approximately 5.5% of global peacetime greenhouse gas emissions, yet …
Why This Matters We call on the federal government to cut military spending and cancel the defence industrial strategy. We want the federal government to adequately invest in housing, health care, education, the Calls to Action of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and the MMWIG Inquiry, public transit, international aid, supporting those with disabilities, and increasing the budget for WAGE. These …
By: Hannah Hadikin (VOW Co-Chair) Our planet is precious, and this is something most of us can agree on, no matter where we come from, what language we speak or cultures we treasure. At the same time, many people feel sadness, disappointment, and even heartache when they look at the state of the natural world. In the northern hemisphere, spring has Mother …
We are deeply grateful to our incredible delegates who joined us on Tuesday, April 7 to share their experiences from the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70). Through thoughtful reflection, they offered insight into their engagements at the conference and the key learnings they are carrying forward. A message that resonated throughout the …
We are deeply grateful, humbled, and inspired by the connections made at our 2026 Peace Awards Gala. This event holds profound meaning: it is a moment to celebrate exceptional women and gender-diverse peacebuilders across Canada, to raise crucial funds for VOW’s ongoing peace work, and to recognize, and to hear from, extraordinary feminist voices, including the privilege of welcoming honorary …
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW)60 Lowther AvenueToronto, OntarioM5R 1C7 Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) Canadac/o PO Box 11466, Vancouver RPORiver District, BCV5S 0J3 February 28, 2026 STATEMENT WILPF and VOW denounce Prime Minister Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anand’s Statement on “On the situation in the Middle East” and we condemn illegal U.S.-Israel aggression against …
VOW and WILPF-Canada have sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand to urge them to show leadership on nuclear disarmament. We reminded them that Canada must fulfill its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The 11th Review Conference of the Parties will take place at the United …
VOW and WILPF-Canada sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand to call on them to send urgently needed fuel and supplies to Cuba. This is in solidarity with the Canada Network on Cuba and the National Day of Action for Cuba on February 21. We denounce the Trump administration’s cruel and …
On Saturday, March 7, 2026, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) invites you to Friends House, Toronto, or online via Zoom, for our annual Peace Awards Ceremony in honour of International Women’s Day. REGISTER NOW: https://forms.gle/Uoqek14VUATC4WbS7 This year, we proudly introduce our 2026 Peace Award recipients — leaders whose courage, creativity, and commitment are shaping a more just and …
With the New START Treaty reaching its expiration this week, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace joined other Canadian civil society organizations—representing thousands of leaders across medicine, academia, gender equity, youth leadership, education, and related fields—in a collective effort to submit a joint letter with recommendations to strengthen Canada’s diplomatic and preventive security capacity. Please read our joint letter to …
VOW members attended the Canadian premiere of the new documentary “Earth’s Greatest Enemy” by journalist & filmmaker Abby Martin in Toronto on January 23rd. Scroll through for a recap of this amazing night! First, VOW members joined to share a meal together! We then headed to the screening! While there, we set up a table with WILPF Canada and passed …
Pictured from left to right: Marissa Hum, Marney Eisenbarth-Cuff, Nancy Covington, Lia Holla The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) participated in the recent Civil Society Consultations on Disarmament, Non-proliferation, Arms Control, and Space convened by Global Affairs Canada. Representing VOW were Alley McDonald, VOW National Coordinator, and Lia Holla, VOW Member and Representative. During the consultations, VOW raised …
VOW sent a letter in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and to condemn the illegal U.S. air strikes and kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife to Prime Minister Carney and Minister of Foreign Affairs Anand. We also collected signatures on an open letter to Ambassador Pete Hoekstra to say “Hands Off Venezuela!” and sent it off to the U.S. …
We encourage signing:https://actionnetwork.org/letters/demand-justice-demand-the-ymca-reinstate-ms-rana-zamans-peace-medal?source=direct_link&
Nomination Deadline: January 10, 2026 We’re delighted to welcome you to Canadian Voice of Women for Peace Annual 2026 Peace Awards Ceremony—a special evening dedicated to celebrating the remarkable women who are leading the way in peacebuilding across Canada. This cherished event honours their extraordinary contributions, and supports VOW’s 66 year legacy of women’s peace work. VOW’s Peace Awards Ceremony honours the …
This season of giving is your chance to be part of a legacy. For 65 years, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) has been a critical organization dedicated to building cultures of peace through education, advocacy, and amplifying the voices of women. We’ve been, and continue to be, dedicated, passionate and committed in our advocacy for peace, disarmament, and non-violence, working to …
VOW Board Director Linda Kalafatides and VOW National Coordinator Alley McDonald were exceptionally grateful for, and invigorated by, the opportunity to attend the 5th Youth Nuclear Peace Summit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. We extend our deep appreciation to Science for Peace for providing funds towards our disarmament education workshop facilitators to travel to Winnipeg, and …
We are so grateful to everyone who joined us—both in person and online—for the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace Annual General Meeting (AGM). Your presence, energy, and support continue to strengthen our shared commitment to building a culture of peace. Welcoming Our New Board of Directors During the AGM, members voted in our new Board of Directors. We are …
VOW’s 2025 Annual General meeting is hybrid, and will take place online nationwide and in-person in Toronto on Saturday, October 25th. AGM Participation:The VOW AGM is open to anyone to attend. For those who attend in-person, refreshments will be served. REGISTER HERE: https://tinyurl.com/w44v3p47 If you are joining us in-person, please arrive for 2:15pm-5pm ET at Friends House 60 Lowther Ave, Toronto, …
The 80 km Peace Walk from Pugwash to Truro, Nova Scotia commemorated the80th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in every step by sharing the urgent callfor nuclear disarmament. War has not, nor will it ever be, an answer to conflict and weapons of massdestruction and militarization limit what we can do together to heal the land and carefor one another. …
Cross-Canada Day of Action to call on the Carney government: Put people over profit. Build a green, sustainable future, not more pipelines. Fund our communities, not the war machine. Cut military spending. Uphold Indigenous sovereignty. Stop sending weapons to Ukraine. Stop sending weapons to Israel. End the genocide in Gaza. The world needs peace, disarmament & cooperation. #DrawTheLine #climateaction #peace …
Continuing “Walking Together for Peace” begun in September 2024 in Nova Scotia Supporting the UN International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons A core group of planners and walkers are seeking more people ready to join a 20 km walk from Scarborough to the Peace Garden at Toronto City Hall. The goal is to bring awareness …
By: Lyn Adamson, Co-Chair, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace It is horrifying to watch the images coming out of Gaza: starving babies, the killing of civilians waiting in lines for food, and the forcing into a small enclosure, with 88% of Gaza now off limits to Palestinians. The fact that all the powers in this world have not intervened …
TORONTO CITY HALL: The Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition (HNDC) will mark the 80th Anniversary Commemoration of the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 2025. I urge everyone around the world to create opportunities in your own countries to listen to the testimonies of A-bomb survivors, and to feel, with deep sensitivity, the true inhumanity of nuclear weapons. …
29th August to 1st September, 2025 In these challenging times we need to build strong social movements in Canada. In response to new levels of repression of civil society globally, we are compelled to become vigilant and resistant to the abuse of power. New creative means for outreach and engagement are needed to strengthen social movements. Sparking Change: Imagining a Different …
A fundraiser for Canadian Voice of Women for Peace’s Disarmament Education Program.The Disarmament Education Program is an initiative of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace in partnership with International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War – Canada 📅 Saturday, July 19th, 2025🕐 1:00–3:00 PM ET / 2:00–4:00 PM AT / 10:00 AM–12:00 PM PT📍 Virtual 🎟️ Register Now! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/LW1kPTIfSk6dJwpPb58VmQ …
Imagine an episode of Cross Country Checkup dedicated entirely to peacebuilding—highlighting the powerful stories and strategies shaping our communities and our world.Now, let’s make it happen together! 📻 🔊 Here’s what we need: Your Voice! We’re calling on all peacebuilders to write a letter asking for a special peacebuilding episode.This is our chance to amplify the important work happening across …
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace joined a broad coalition of committed individuals, organizations, members, and allies from Canada’s Women, Peace and Security community in underscoring the urgent need for sustained feminist leadership and accountability in Canada’s peace and security efforts. Together, we are calling for the prioritization of the appointment of a Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Ambassador. Below …
Photo Credit: 2025 NPT Briefing Book by Reaching Critical Will-WILPF From 28 April to 9 May, the Third Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) will convene in New York. This is a pivotal moment for campaigners, parliamentarians, and civil society to expose the widening gap between disarmament rhetoric and the dangerous reality of nuclear proliferation. Reaching Critical …
The elimination of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality is a major step backward for gender equity in Canada. This position has been essential in ensuring women’s rights are represented at the highest levels of decision-making for over 50 years. With an election approaching, now is the time to act—decision-makers are listening, and we must make it clear that …
New York UNHQ – It is unacceptable that the new Canadian Prime Minister has eliminated the position of Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth (WAGE) in his newly announced cabinet. This regressive step undermines decades of progress toward gender equality and political representation in Canada. Even in a lean cabinet, which purports to be responding to specific economic pressures, the absence …
In 2025, the global community will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995). The sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025. We are thrilled to announce VOW and IPPNWC’s joint delegation …
By VOW Co-Chair Hannah Hadikin United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reminds us: “In today’s troubled world, building peace is a conscious, bold, and even radical act. It is humanity’s greatest responsibility that belongs to us all – individually and collectively.” Troubled world indeed. Reflections on the year past, bring very little cheer. Resolutions seem futile, bright lights appear to have lost their …
We are excited to share that Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, in partnership with the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada (IPPNWC), has been selected as one of the finalists for the 2025 PACEY Award in the Beyond Europe Youth Project category! Our project, Institutionalizing Disarmament Education at the Secondary Level, was one of 117 inspiring youth projects nominated from around …
On October 24, 2024, Canada’s four leading nuclear disarmament organizations—the Canadian Pugwash Group, the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Canadians for a Nuclear Weapons Convention, and Project Ploughshares—convened an expert Roundtable on “Nuclear Disarmament in Times of Unprecedented Risk.” This was held in response to rapidly escalating nuclear threats. The convening organizations share the profound conviction that Canada must …
VOW’s 2024 AGM will take place online nationwide and in-person in Toronto on Saturday, November 30th from 1:30 to 4:30pm ET. Plan to participate and join VOW in organizing for peace! Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with like-minded advocates, participate in decision-making, and hear from our inspiring guest speakers. The VOW Annual General Meeting (AGM) is open for all …
You are invited to participate in the sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), scheduled for March 10th-21st, 2024, at United Nations Headquarters in New York. This is your chance to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality on a global scale! Why Join Us? Ready to Apply? We are currently accepting applications for active leadership and …
Speakers: Dimitri Lascaris, journalist & lawyer, Tamara Lorincz, academic & activist, and more! Join these free, public events to discuss the genocide in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, Canada’s roles in these crises and what we can do for peace and justice. All welcome. Dimitri Lascaris is a lawyer based in Montreal. He is also a freelance journalist and the …
While wars in Gaza and Ukraine are dominating media attention the past year, we cannot forget the people of Sudan who are also enduring an unimaginable crisis, caught in the throes of a devastating conflict that has spiraled into genocide and widespread starvation. Families are torn apart, communities are shattered, and countless lives are lost as violence escalates daily. The …
September 8 2024 – September 21 2024 Pugwash to Halifax “We have to learn to think in a new way. We have to learn to ask ourselves, not what steps can be taken to give military victory to whatever group we prefer, for there no longer are such steps; the question we have to ask ourselves is: what steps …
By Jill Carr-Harris Walking Together for Peace was a historic event. It was a 200-kilometer, two-week walk by a core group of 25 people led by local Mi’ kmaq women water walkers –known as the Grassroots Grandmothers. The walk traversed from Pugwash southward through Truro to Halifax on secondary roads, ironically, through a province that has many veterans and a …
By: Hannah Hadikin (VOW Co-Chair) It is a time in the world when citizens have lost trust in their governments. A time when none of the leaders in the whole Western world have’ Building World Peace and Not Guns’ on their agendas. A time when more money is spent on militarization than on investments in a culture of peace. A time when the unthinkable …
Saturday, September 21, 2024 Full Details: www.Walk4Peace.ca/PeaceDay Press Release: Mi’kmaq Grandmothers Lead Peace Activists on a 200km #Walk4Peace Ahead of UN Summit of the Future#Walking Together for Peace Initiative Summary We are pleased to provide you with the latest updates on the Walking Together for Peace initiative in Mi’kma’ki/Nova Scotia, Kanata/Canada. Your support is invaluable in amplifying our advocacy efforts, and …
In 1995 Pugwash Canada and Joseph Rotblat were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Nearly 30 years later we are walking for peace from Pugwash to Halifax to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. This peace walk aims to re-awaken courage and inspiration for nonviolent conflict resolution, advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote reallocation of defence spending …
VOW and WILPF have written and sent letters to Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly to express our opposition to Israel’s horrific genocide in Gaza and our grave concern about the immense suffering of the Palestinian people. We also appealed to them to reduce the risk of nuclear escalation through disarmament and dialogue and cancelling the F-35 …
Join the Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition for a series of events from August 2nd to 8th at Toronto City Hall, including a photographic exhibition and the 79th Anniversary Commemoration of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings on August 6th. The Hiroshima Nagasaki Day Coalition invites you to a week of commemorative, reflective, and engaging events at Toronto City Hall, beginning with …
Read our letter below to learn more about the Walking Together for Peace initiative, the history, the people involved, and how you can be involved with the movement! Scroll down to find our interest forms for individuals and organizations to engage with our initiative! Join the movement and support creating a culture of peace! Click here to visit our invitation …
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace is currently seeking an experienced bookkeeper to volunteer with our organization and assist our Treasurer, a professional accountant, in keeping the day to day books up to date. Experience with QuickBooks required. The anticipated time commitment is less than 3 hours a month. Share your skills to support VOW’s mission for peace! Please consider …
Join the movement for peace! Click here to learn more & fill out our interest form to get involved with Walking Together for Peace. September 8th – 21st, 2024 Dear Friends, You are invited to join Voice of Women for Peace, Science for Peace and Jai Jagat in a grassroots initiative. From September 9 to September 21, 2024 a core …
“Voice of Women, like Janis Alton, guide peace movement, says John Stewart Peacemaker Alton continues long Mississauga tradition In recognition of Alton’s stalwart work, she was recently awarded the Ursula Franklin Award. By: John Stewart of The Mississauga News If Helen Tucker was Mississauga’s dynamo of peace, then Janis Alton is its soft-spoken sentinel. Alton, 86, was first mesmerized by …
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom-Canada (WILPF-Canada) have sent a joint letter to Governor General Mary Simon calling on her to oppose the federal government’s $38.6 billion plan to militarize the north through the new defence policy update entitled, Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence. …
Written by Hannah Hadikin-VOW’s Co-Chair May 2024 Mothers’ Day will be remembered as a very special day. The day the ‘On to Ottawa Peace Caravan’ set out to travel across the country. Two women’s peace groups, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, (WILPF), calling for peace enroute to Ottawa and CANSEC. Canadians from coast to coast …
JOIN US! SATURDAY MAY 25, 6:30-8:30 pm 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5R 1C7 Near Bedford and Bloor, 2 blocks north of St. George Station With optional art-making from 5 – 6 pm Refreshments 6 – 6:30 pm With Peacemakers: LYN ADAMSON, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace CATHY WALKER, Strong Hearted Woman Of Mohawk & European descent Founder of …
We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming 🕊Mother’s Day Peace Awards Ceremony🕊, a celebration of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to creating a more peaceful world. The event will take place on Saturday, May 11th at 6pm at Friends House (with a virtual option available). This evening will include a dinner, special keynote speaker, silent auction, opportunity …
Make Art, Not Bombs As part of the Canada Wide Peace Caravan 2024, members of Nova Scotia Voice of Women of Peace and World BEYOND War will present workshops en route to CANSEC, the largest weapons trade show in Canada. We will meet in Ottawa with our sisters in peace activism from WILPF, who are travelling from Vancouver and with …
Join us! The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and The International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada will be facilitating this interactive workshop that will explore the transformative power of feminist disarmament education as a means to achieving security and gender equality. Attendees will learn about feminist disarmament education, the Women Peace and Security agenda and gain …
Canadian Voice of Women joins in the world-wide call for an end to the persecution of Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange facing a 175-year prison term in the United States if extradited by Britain. In a letter today to President Joe Biden, sent jointly with The Centre for Free Expression, VOW called on the American President to drop his government’s pursuit of Mr. Assange. …
The war on Gaza continues. Last Friday the International Court of Justice concluded that Israel is plausibly committing genocide. This charge will be pursued. In the meantime the ICJ called for interim provisional measures to ensure that genocidal acts are prevented and that aid is delivered. In the days that followed hundreds more Palestinians have been killed and injured. There …
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace is opposed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a Western-patriarchal institution of violence. Over the course of our history, VOW has passed at least two resolutions calling for Canada to withdraw and for the alliance to be abolished. In 2019, we launched a monthly protest against NATO outside the NATO Association of …
The Peace Protector Uniform was an interactive display located on a pier in Halifax during Nocturne 2023 and it included a reconstructed military uniform, a recruitment office run by Raging Grannies and an activity table. The military uniform will continue as a display piece. COME VISIT: The uniform is on display at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax from January …
At the Kelowna Peace Group peace rally November 5th, 2023, at city hall, followed by a march to join the University students organized rally in downtown Kelowna. Article written by Hannah Hadikin (VOW Co-Chair) Every woman has the right to the protection of all human rights. Human rights were enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights—a …
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 …
Members Tamara Lorincz, Marla Slavner & Kasha Sequoia Slavner are heading to the COP 28 Climate Summit in Dubai, UAE. Tamara was selected to join the Climate Action Network-Canada (CAN-Rac) delegation as the VOW representative. Our organization is a member of CAN-Rac. They are bringing the messages for “peace for climate justice,” “cut military spending for climate finance”, “cancel the …
Kasha and Marla, long time VOW members, have been selected as Media to attend COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates between November 30th-December 10th. Kasha and Marla have been working diligently to document the evolution of bringing peace into the talks at COP for the past 2 years. They have been working with the PEACE@COP28 coalition, a community of …
You are invited to participate in the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) which is scheduled to be held from March 11th-22nd, 2024 at United Nations Headquarters, New York. The theme of the UN CSW and will consider the priority theme of “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and …
SAVE THE DATE! VOW’s 2023 AGM will take place online nationwide and in-person in Toronto on Saturday, November 25th from 1:00 to 4:30pm ET. Plan to participate and join VOW in organizing for peace! Please Register Here! We will welcome and hear from our valued guest speaker, Jill Carr-Harris, followed by a review of VOW’s board activities, financial report, staff reports, …
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) calls on the Canadian government to show leadership within the global community by: (i) calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas (ii) restoring access to water, food, medicine, and electricity for Gaza civilians, and assisting Egypt in safely opening the Rafah crossing for delivery of essential resources; and (iii) making …
VOW and WILPF-Canada jointly made a submission to the UN Human Rights Council for its Universal Periodic Review of Canada. Our submissions are in English and French. Canada will be reviewed on November 10, 2023 in the morning Geneva time. You can learn more about Canada’s upcoming review here: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/ca-index In our submission, we argue among other things that the federal …
Join us in the urgent call for peace as an alternative to war profiteering and war preparation. Let’s turn the focus of our collaborative resources towards healing, regenerative solutions for humanitarian and climate disasters. Together we can free ourselves from our dependence on war and militarism. Wear a white poppy from September 21, the International Day of Peace, until December …
Rally for Peace Now! End the War in Ukraine! Join VOW members in Waterloo Public Square (75 King Street) in Waterloo, Ontario on Tuesday, October 3rd from 5:30pm-6:00pm for our action to end the war on Ukraine! We encourage you to join us, bring your signs, and advocate for a culture of peace together! Organized by the Canadian Voice of …
This past weekend, VOW held a retreat to help us dream about, and plan for, VOW’s strengthened future as a voice for peace. We appreciate all of our members, and those interested in becoming involved with VOW, for joining us from across Canada. Everyone contributed such insightful ideas, creativity and peacemaking energies! VOW has planned campaigns and actions for the …
Please download, review, and share VOW & WILPF Canada’s fact sheet for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
This year marks the 78th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Despite the catastrophic health and environmental consequences, the threat of nuclear weapons has persisted with the tragic war in Ukraine, with nuclear weapon tests, NATO’s nuclear weapons exercises, and nuclear weapons modernization. Please take a minute to write to party leaders letter calling on the Canadian …
90 Seconds to Midnight: Nuclear Weapons & Climate Change Join us for an eye-opening event, 90 Seconds to Midnight: Nuclear Weapons & Climate Change. Discover the connections between nuclear weapons and climate change, and their impact on our planet’s survival. This in-person event will take place at the Peace Garden on the west end of Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto City Hall. Prepare …
“Oppenheimer is a blockbuster case against the creation and use of nuclear weapons.”- CODEPINK While conversations about the use of nuclear weapons are incredibly prevalent throughout the world (e.g., Russia’s threat to use nuclear weapons, NATO’s failure to reduce nuclear risks at the Vilnius Summit, and continued nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula), what really seems to be drawing the …
When: Aug 8, 2023 04:30-6:00 pm PT /7:30-9:00 pm ET Come to listen to VOW and WILPF’s peace campaigner, Sarah Rohleder, and her fellow youth activists talk about their incredible trip to Hiroshima, Japan to attend the ICAN G7 Youth Summit on Nuclear Disarmament in April. Listen to what youth are doing to abolish nuclear weapons. They will also discuss …
Date: Wednesday, July 26th Time: 12:00pm to 2:00pm Location: Friends House, 60 Lowther Avenue, Toronto Join us for a lunchtime presentation with crew members of Veterans for Peace’s Golden Rule Peace Boat. They will sail into Toronto and give a talk to the community. 👉Please pre-register with Lyn Adamson, co-chair of VOW, so we have enough food and chairs: lyn.adamson9@gmail.com Contributions to the …
VOW’s 2023 Strawberry Social & Fundraiser was a success! We want to thank all of you who were able to attend, donate, volunteer, and support VOW in celebrating our 63rd anniversary as a feminist peace organization. We created a meaningful space to come together thanks to our wonderful board member, Janis Alton, and her generosity to hold the event on …
(Left) L’Artists pour la Paix Members: Pierre & Sylvie; (Right) International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War-Canada Members: John, Lia, & Nancy (taking the photo), & Canadian Voice of Women for Peace Members: Alley & Tamara At the end of June, Alley and Tamara travelled to Ottawa to attend Global Affairs Canada’s (GAC) full-day civil society consultations on disarmament, …
Tamara went on a week-long trip to British Columbia in June. She spoke on “The Climate Impacts of War and Militarism” at the annual peace conference organized by the Boundary Peace Initiative in Grand Forks. She also gave presentations entitled “Making Space for Peace to end the War in Ukraine” in Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria. At each speaking engagement, Tamara …
With financial support from generous funders including the family of Ann Gertler, Tamara represented VOW and WILPF Canada at the “International Summit for Peace in Ukraine” in Vienna from June 9-12. The day before the summit, Tamara participated in the 3-hour meeting of WILPF members at the Women’s House. The summit began with a peace concert followed by a two-day intensive …
VOW welcomes you and your guests to join us for our 2023 Strawberry Social & Fundraiser! Join us in celebrating VOW’s 63rd Anniversary on Sunday, July 16th from 2pm-4pm EDT. Come bid at our silent auction, eat strawberry shortcake, buy from our book sale, go on a walking tour, enjoy performances, listen to guest speakers, and so much more! Also, meet our new national …
Photo Credit: Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network By: Sarah Rohleder This past March 25-27 protests were held across Canada to mark 8 years of the Saudi-led intervention in the war in Yemen. In six cities across the country rallies, marches, and solidarity actions were held in objection to Canada’s profiting off of the war through their arms deal with Saudi …
Written in collaboration by Canadian Voice of Women for Peace & Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Canada ________________________________________________________________________________ “From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says, “Disarm, disarm! The sword is not the balance of justice.” -Julia Ward Howe, American author and peace activist, 1819-1910 In 1870, Julia Ward Howe …
Hello! My name is Alley McDonald, and I am honoured to be the new National Coordinator of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace. I am a peace practitioner with previous experiences working with feminist and peace focused organizations that represent my values, and I am grateful to be able to continue this work with VOW. I recently graduated from the Masters …
Photo Credit: Jacqueline Burgoyne By Marney Cuff; MRT(R),MSW-POLICY, VOW Lead for the UNCSW67 _______________________________________________________________________ Earlier this year (March 6 to 17) women from across the globe came together for the first in-person Commission on the Status of Women 67 at United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan since 2019. During COVID pandemic years the CSW was held as a completely virtual event. …
We invite you to join us on Sunday January 29th, 2023 for “Youth Fighting for a Nuclear Free Future” a webinar event hosted by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) and Reverse the Trend (RTT). The event will feature Georgina Oroi, a youth campaigner for RTT Pacific, Francine Anmontha the Social media coordinator for RTT Pacific and Avinashpall Singh …
Please sign and share our parliamentary e-petition e-4217 to call on the Government of Canada to cancel its plan to purchase 88 new F-35 fighter jets for $70 billion over their life-cycle. The federal government should invest in a just transition, housing and health care not a new fleet of warplanes. Deadline is March 6.
VOW joins the peace community in mourning Dr. Mary-Wynne Ashford who died suddenly on November 19th and who was a supporter of VOW’s work and an honorary board member. Read more about Mary-Wynne and leave a tribute comment at marywynneashford.ca.
First-Hand Observations from COP 27, Russia and Eastern EuropeTamara Lorincz, PhD candidate and member of the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF-Canada)Wednesday, December 7, 20224:30 PST/7:30 ET Register Online: Action Network On Wednesday, December 7th, Tamara will share her insights as an observer delegate at the 27th Conference of the …
From November 25th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until December 10th (Human Rights Day) is the Global 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence and VOW will be posting informational posts on social media throughout the 16 days. The posts will cover a variety of topics from violence against women in Canada, to violence against …
By Sarah Rohleder, VOW Peace Campaign Intern — Over the past few weeks activists have been working to highlight the intersection of militarization and climate change that governments around the world seem eager to forget about. This link is evident in many countries across the world as they are facing the devastating effects of climate change in addition to the …
VOW and WILPF Canada recently sent a letter to the Minister of Environment & Climate Change expressing concerns about carbon-intensive military procurement and rising military expenditures in the midst of a climate emergency and calling for for ending the war, cutting military spending for climate finance, demilitarization for decarbonization and gender-responsive climate action. “VOW and WILPF also want to bring to your …
The sixty-seventh Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place from 6 to 17 March 2023 at the UN Headquarters in New York City, and the call for applications has officially started. Apply by December 15th 2022 to attend with VOW! 2023 is set to be the first year of in-person UNCSW Conference since before the pandemic! The …
By Anjali Rao, VOW Student Intern — Last Saturday, October 29, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW) hosted its Youth Panel and Annual General Meeting to gather members from all across the country to check in on our movement. Over Zoom, we had the pleasure of hearing from our exceptional youth panel, many VOW members, and the VOW …
At the Annual General Meeting on October 29th, VOW members received the most recent Annual Report which reviews and summarizes VOW’s mission-focused activities and administrative operations over the past year. VOW’s main activities are organized by theme: Advocacy Action, Peace Education & Outreach, and United Nations Engagement. Read all the details!
Our fall fundraising campaign continues with all donations matched if they are received before December 31st! We are immensely grateful to long-time VOW member and former Canadian Senator Nancy Ruth who has committed to match $6,000 in new donations to VOW. Can you help us meet that goal? Nancy will double your gift. We must raise $6,000 for a strong …
Did you miss the Youth Panel on Peace, Disarmament & Climate Justice that VOW hosted on October 29th? These four inspiring presentations were the opening to our 2022 Annual General Meeting. You can watch the panel on VOW’s YouTube channel now to hear how Kasha Sequoia Slavner, Sarah Rohleder, Anjali Rao and Lia Holla are sharing their knowledge, challenging the …
October is Women’s History Month! VOW went back into the archives and found this amazing 1987 article “Persistent Voices: Twenty Five Years of the Voice of Women” written by Kay MacPherson, VOW’s national coordinator. The article describes VOW’s baby tooth campaign for nuclear disarmament, War Toys collection, peace delegation to the Soviet Union and the knitting project for Vietnamese children …
Register to attend and please spread the word! On Saturday October 29th, 10am PT / 1pm ET, VOW is hosting a Youth Panel on Peace, Disarmament & Climate Justice at our upcoming Annual General Meeting, moderated by Tamara Lorincz, VOW Senior Researcher & Campaigner and featuring: Lia Holla, Executive Coordinator, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada Kasha Sequoia …
October 15th to 23rd is the #FundPeaceNotWar Canada Week of Action, where we will demand no new fighter jets, warships or drones! We need billions for housing, health care, jobs and climate, NOT for war profiteering! So far, rallies have been confirmed in: Waterloo, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, South Georgian Bay, Vancouver, Hamilton, Calgary and Winnipeg. For more information and for …
Register to attend and please spread the word! On Saturday October 29th, 10am PT / 1pm ET, VOW is hosting a Youth Panel on Peace, Disarmament & Climate Justice at our upcoming Annual General Meeting, moderated by Tamara Lorincz, VOW Senior Researcher & Campaigner and featuring: Lia Holla, Executive Coordinator, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada Kasha Sequoia …
Once again we are calling on the government to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This latest appeal was penned by our new Peace Campaign Intern, Sarah Rohleder, on the occasion of the 8th International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, September 26th, which is more important than ever given the current heightened …
By Sarah Rohleder, VOW Disarmament Campaign Intern — This past International Day of Peace, we were invited to recognize the racism within our own communities that threaten peace and security, with the theme “End racism. Build peace.” For we cannot adequately handle other issues until we face the inequality permeating in our own societies. To address these issues, we must …
VOW and the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom (WILPF) Canada recently held a meeting with Senator Mobina Jaffer and met in August with Senator Marilou McPhedran. We discussed our concerns about the rise of military spending in Canada, the federal government sending weapons to Ukraine and prolonging the war, and Canada’s failure to join the Treaty on the …
VOW and other members of the Canada-Wide Peace & Justice Network have published a statement and call to action for International Peace Day 2022. You can read the statement online and find a listing of Peace Day events happening in the week around September 21st all across Canada! CEASEFIRES AND NEGOTIATIONS NOW! DISARM NOW! BAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS! On United Nations …
VOW and WILPF Canada members recently had a virtual meeting with Senator Marilou McPhedran to discuss our concerns about the federal government continuing to send weapons to Ukraine that is prolonging the tragic war. We also highlighted Canada’s failure to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and our concerns about buying fighter jets and increasing military spending. We …
VOW and WILPF Canada recently wrote to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and other Members of Parliament and Senators. The letters requested meetings and advocated for Canada to end the war in Ukraine, ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, reduce military spending, prioritize diplomacy and disarmament, and promote the Women Peace and Security agenda. “We are concerned that …
Add your name to the petition to cancel the dangerous, provocative and destructive international Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval war practice and create a demilitarized Pan-Pacific Zone of Peace. VOW is one of many peace and justice organizations supporting this campaign. The petition page has lots of background and some links to videos and as well news from activists in the area.
Looking for details of something you remember seeing in a VOW e-newsletter? Find the most recent newsletter as well as past editions in our archive list of VOW monthly newsletters. (But do make sure you’re signed up to receive the newsletters in your email inbox! Use the sign-up form on this site.)
The Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and Science for Peace are looking to hire a PAID peace campaign intern! This peace campaign internship is a part-time (10 hrs/week for $20/hr), 5-month internship contract through the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW). Deadline to apply is August 1, 2022. Apply online. The peace campaign intern will help work on our “Disarmament” …
VOW, together with individual members and organizational members of the Canada-Wide Peace and Justice Network, urges people across Canada to join us to protest the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and demand an end to the war in Ukraine between June 24 to June 30. We will be holding “Stop the Weapons, Stop the War, Stop NATO” rallies across Canada …
Time is running out for the Canadian government to send a delegation to the historic first meeting of states parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The meeting will take place in Vienna, Austria from June 21st to the 23rd. Canada has no plans to attend and has not signed or ratified the treaty but could …
On June 8th, Ottawa City Council officially voted unanimously in favour of supporting the TPNW! Ottawa joins 17 other Canadian cities as part of the ICAN Cities Appeal, including Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, and by many other cities around the world. Nuclear weapons put all our cities at risk. Has your city signed on? Check the ICAN website to find out and if not, you could use …
Hundreds strong, protestors blocked access to all entrances to the CANSEC weapons show in Ottawa on June 1, 2022 in solidarity with everyone killed and displaced by the weapons sold there. It was impossible for anyone to attend their weapons fair without directly confronting the violence and bloodshed they are complicit in. See more photos and links to media coverage.
We are honoured to have received two original poems this spring, penned by VOW members, decades apart. One written recently by VOW Board of Directors member Ainun Afroza and another sent to us by VOW member Joy West-Eklund and written in 1958 by her late mother, Theresa Harries, who was a founding member of Calgary Voice of Women. Absence Of …
“Humanity remains one misunderstanding, one misstep, one miscalculation, one pushed button away from annihilation,” said the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres on September 26, 2021, the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. We have already come close to disaster several times. We can’t always be lucky. Nuclear disarmament is an emergency. Nevertheless, following US instructions to NATO member countries, Canada …
VOW members joined World Beyond War and other activists for an anti-war and anti-NATO demonstration at Spadina Avenue & Bloor Street West. May 7th was an international day of action for peace in Ukraine, with events around the world. Co-Chair Lyn Adamson spoke at the Toronto rally on behalf of VOW. Photos below thanks to Marla Slavner and Murray Lumley.
THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the weekend action to share visual messages for peace honouring of mothers and grandmothers working for peace and connecting with the anti-war roots of Mother’s Day! VOW members and peace activists took photos with their signs from east to west – some with a friend or family member and others at larger community …
Join us to honour mothers and grandmothers who continue to protect and preserve a planet entrusted to their care. Voice of Women for Peace invites peace activists across Canada and the globe to ‘choose your peace’ as we walk on May 7th and 8th. Walk with a friend or loved one or join us from home and take a photo. You …
WikiLeaks editor and publisher Julian Assange is facing a 175 year sentence for publishing truthful information in the public interest. His extradition is being sought by the current US administration for publishing US government documents which exposed war crimes and human rights abuses. The UK Supreme Court has now overruled a lower court decision and has sent Assange’s extradition request …
From Nova Scotia VOW ~ “Peace Knot Bombs” is a collective textile art work made by over 50 women from across Turtle Island. Initiated in Nova Scotia, the resulting banner memoralizes victims of military violence inflicted upon communities and families due to endless and accelerating armed conflicts. In a post Covid world, we hope to display the banner and raise …
VOW has joined organizations around the world in signing on to this year’s appeal for the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), April 13th to May 12th. The statement begins: “This year, the world reaped the horrors of its investments in tools of war. The violence being perpetrated on people around the world at the hands of militarized …
Written by VOW Member kathrin winkler ~ Nova Scotia’s Maritime pride in her shipbuilding heritage has been called on to promote a new legacy for Lunenburg, according to CBC’s Brett Ruskin. The article entitled “Handcrafting history continues in Lunenburg as aerospace company builds parts for F-35 jet” implies that making jet parts in Lunenburg connects to the great Maritime tradition …
On April 6, 2022, a coalition of women’s, peace, labour, and civil society organizations sent an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh expressing their united rejection of proposed increases to Canada’s military spending toward NATO’s 2% of GDP target. Find the letter & full list of signatories below:
Economies of Female: Expanding Care Work and Regeneration Through Disarmament. See the recording of our webinar below Canadian Voice of Women for Peace’s United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 66 Parallel Event. An inspiring discussion on how disarmament can transform our economies forward through diverting funds from carbon intensive weapons to climate change mitigation, regeneration and women’s empowerment. …
This petition initiated by the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Day Coalition, Échec à la Guerre and the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace. Petition is sponsored by Member of Parliament Alexandre Boulerice of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie of the New Democratic Party Caucus. Petition to the Government of Canada Whereas: The accidental detonation of a single nuclear weapon would be catastrophic; Even a …
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace is looking for a new National Coordinator! Position: National Coordinator Preferred start date: March 14, 2022 but reasonably flexible. We will be reviewing applications on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Hours: 20 hours/week with flexible hours for candidates in Toronto (hybrid). 16 hours/week with flexible hours for candidates outside of Toronto …
