| The Forgiveness Project |
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| Harmonious Living Administrator | |
| Wednesday, 15 March 2006 | |
The Forgiveness Project is a young charitable organisation - with no political or religious affiliations - working at a local, national and international level to promote conflict resolution and restorative practices as alternatives to the endless cycles of conflict, violence and crime that are the hallmarks of our time. At a time when scenes of atrocity, conflict and crime fill our TV screens and newspapers, when tit-for-tat killings, attacks and counter-attacks seem to grab all the headlines, The Forgiveness Project aims to tell the quieter, less publicised stories of reconciliation. The stories of people who have discovered that the only way to move on in life is to lay aside hatred and blame. Set up by a small team working purely independently with no religious or organisational affiliation, The Forgiveness Project consists of a touring exhibition (The F Word) that will build on an evolving collection of narratives. THE F WORD: images of forgiveness is the brainchild of journalist Marina Cantacuzino and photographer Brian Moody who in January 2004, tired of a climate where revenge and retaliation dominated the headlines, resolved to present the public with an alternative view. Travelling to places including the United States, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Romania, Rwanda, Israel and Palestine, as well as the UK, they collected the stories of people whose lives had been shattered by violence, tragedy and injustice - and who had chosen to take the challenging and often painful journey towards forgiveness. The exhibition's subjects include Berth and Francis Climbié, parents of 7-year old Victoria Climbié who was abused and murdered by her aunt; Marian Partington, whose sister was murdered by Frederick West; Pat Magee, the man behind the IRA Brighton bomb and Jo Berry, whose father was killed in the blast; Duma Kumalo, one of the Sharpville Six, wrongly imprisoned for a murder he didn't commit; and Andrew Rice, whose brother David was killed in the World Trade Centre bombing. To read some of the stories and see the images visit the forgiveness project website. The Forgivenss Festival in South Africa The F Word exhibition is currently being housed in the Unity Gallery, Vrededorp. Apart from the moving, powerful stories and pictures that are featured in the exhibition, Soul Circle and the Unity Gallery are hosting a number of events as part of the Forgiveness Festival. Visit www.soulcircle.co.za for more information. |
This is the powerful story of the author's struggle with Multiple Sclerosis and how a healer's unusual prescription of mindful altruism - to 'give away 29 gifts in 29 days' - ignited her energy, her happiness, and invited more abundance into her life.
