Since our post on the Colombia peace accords one week ago today, things have taken a dramatic turn, and then turned yet again. Here is a very brief overview linking many articles that can provide further background. On Sunday, October 2, Colombians went to the polls to vote on the peace accords signed by the…
On the International Day of Peace, September 21, Mennonite Central Committee U.S., along with other organizations, sponsored a “Global Day of Action and Prayer for Syria.” In addition to events that day in New York City, local congregations were encouraged to use the materials to pray and act for peace. As we have worked at…
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK/North Korea) is probably one of the most mysterious and least visited places in the world for North Americans. Even for many U.S. policymakers, DPRK is often seen through a political cloud of fear and presented as an unknowable and unpredictable enemy. For the U.S. government, the label of…
Across the globe, the importance of young people and their involvement in a sustainable future is both evident and indispensable. People under 30 now make up the majority of the world’s population. About 600 million of these young people live in areas affected by conflict and instability. Last year, the United Nations Security Council adopted…
When I visited the Middle East last year, I was surprised to hear many people say that the United States created the Islamic State group and continues to support it. At first glance, the statement seems ridiculous. Out of all the lively debates about Middle East policy here in Washington, D.C., public officials agree on…
Rebecca Babirye just completed her internship focusing on foreign policy and reflects here on her time in the MCC Washington Office. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4) From the very…
Read more Reflections on bringing God’s kingdom to Washington
The word on everybody’s lips right now when speaking of Colombia is “peace.” There are encouraging signs and broad support for a negotiated peace accord between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Churches and civil society groups in Colombia and the United States have long worked toward such an outcome. For…
MCC Washington Memo 