OUR STORIES

"The stories we heard are no longer far-off media sound bites. The stories have faces, tears, smiles, scars, dances, hugs, heart and soul language that have now become part of our stories. We are all one humanity. Our voices will be heard in all parts of this planet, and we will break down the walls that divide us, so that we can build peace together." - Joan Godard (BL4P Facilitator)

Wednesday, 13 December 2017 / Published in 2017, BL4P Participant Stories, BL4P Turkey, Forgiveness

Hate is Heavy on the Heart

“I chose to be brave. I chose to forgive. If I wanted to teach my daughter how to love people, I shouldn’t have hate in my heart” Our dear friend Lana, peace leader in her family and community, shares her powerful story of grief, forgiveness, and healing at the BL4P Turkey Peace Camp in July,
Friday, 08 December 2017 / Published in 2017, BL4P Participant Stories, BL4P Peace Camps, BL4P Turkey, Video

Big Family

  We are Family! Our world is a hostile place for most of us, with power and hatred being exerted to inflict pain and divide people. BL4P seeks to be a gathering together, a place where love unites and forgiveness brings peace and hope. We are a grand, diverse family and there is so much
Saturday, 18 February 2017 / Published in 2016, BL4P Peace Camps, Video

Waves of Hope

The image of Alan Kurdi’s body washed up on a Turkish beach horrified us all. One year later, we invited refugee children to enjoy a care-free afternoon on another beach just a few hundred kilometres away. Their bright faces give us hope for the future of Syria, and help us to believe that one day
Saturday, 18 February 2017 / Published in 2017, Antakya, Blog, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Kirikhan, Local Chapters - Turkey, Peacebuilding Activities, Reyhanli

Celebrating a New Chapter

BL4P local chapters recently gathered in Gaziantep for a day of community service activities and to encourage one another. The day’s biggest event was hosting nearly 200 Syrian orphans from nearby schools for fun activities including songs and dances. Smiles lit up the room as children and peace-builders shared this very special day together. It
Wednesday, 01 February 2017 / Published in 2016, BL4P Participant Stories, BL4P Peace Camps, Video

Derik | Home

In August 2016, Derik was a participant in the first BL4P camp. He’s a Syrian refugee living and studying in Turkey, and also one of the kindest, gentlest souls you could meet.  The media team – which he would later join – asked him the question: “If you could go back to a peaceful Aleppo,
Wednesday, 30 November 2016 / Published in 2016, Antakya, Local Chapters - Turkey

Building Peace in Antakya

Team Antakya, one of our BL4P local chapters, recently visited a nursing home and rehabilitation centre for the elderly, bringing smiles to many faces through music, conversations, and playing games with the residents. Turks and Syrians spreading the word together that ‘peace is possible’.  
Tuesday, 01 November 2016 / Published in 2016, Kirikhan, Local Chapters - Turkey

Spreading the Word ‘Peace’

It’s been over three months since the first BL4P camp took place in southeastern Turkey, and momentum from this groundbreaking initiative continues to build. Grassroots BL4P teams, called ‘local chapters’ are now meeting in four cities, with the newest one from Kirikhan formed this past week. The goal of each team is to continue to
Friday, 30 September 2016 / Published in 2016, BL4P Participant Stories, BL4P Peace Camps, BL4P Turkey, Blog, Video

Dania | Never Home

“My home was just beyond those mountains”. Dania points out to me the dark mounds of rock and dirt in the distance. “That is where my parents are, waiting to see me again”. A sad smile stretches across her face. Her hands clasp around her legs, hot denim drawn up against her chest. We begin
Tuesday, 27 September 2016 / Published in 2016, BL4P Participant Stories, BL4P Peace Camps, BL4P Turkey, Blog

It Was Girls’ Night

It was girls’ night at the camp. As we began crowding into one of the larger suites in the hotel, our Turkish, Syrian and Iraqi friends tossed bags of candy onto the growing heap on the floor and onto the beds, many of their headscarves and hijabs. “Let’s dance”, once of the girls shouted dragging
Thursday, 15 September 2016 / Published in 2016, BL4P Participant Stories, BL4P Peace Camps, Blog

Being Here is Enough

The media has given us images of the horrors of war in Syria. We have seen on our screens what has happened to millions of people whose lives have been turned into a “before” and “after” existence. We have even seen the vacant, traumatized stares from children and adults. It moves us to tears, to
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