"Flowers for Peace and
Democracy"
Women, let
flowers be our symbol!
Flowers
for Remembrance
Flowers
for Peace
Flowers
for blossoming Truth and Justice.
In the
memory of all those who died, especially innocent women and children, and
in the hope we may have Peace, Reconciliation, Truth and Justice in
Kenya,
Please
JOIN US ON TUESDAY 22ND JANUARY to lay flowers of remembrance in NAIROBI, ELDORET
& AROUND THE WORLD!
Our
beautiful country is bleeding. We must
restore sanity to our land. It is time for the women of
Kenya to unite across social, political and ethnic lines to heal our country and
make a statement.
We call
on all women - mothers, sisters and daughters of our Nation, their
families and friends, both here and abroad - to join us in a peaceful,
apolitical statement through flowers in memory of all the Kenyans who've been
killed, wounded, raped or lost their homes, and to call urgently for
reconciliation, justice and peace.
Ten women,
representing the diversity of Kenya, will launch the event by laying flowers and
messages in Nairobi. In Eldoret, Lft. General (ret.) Ishmael Opande
will bring flowers to the Town Hall and the burnt church. Across the world the
Kenyan diaspora will join us by laying flowers and messages outside Kenyan
embassies.
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD - Everyone is
Welcome!!
We give
thanks to the flower farmers who have donated 10,000 flowers, and to the women
who have sent messages from across the country and from inside the IDP
camps. Flowers will be handed out and messages can be written on site, but
if possible, we'd like each woman that joins us to bring her own flower and
message. In a steady flow – like a river of peace – women and their
families will arrive in twos and threes throughout the day, and all through the
week, to leave their flowers in remembrance and move on. There will
be no political protest, no violence, and no tear gas, just a vast, gathering
monument of flowers with a powerful message of silent
commemoration.
* *
*
The
solution to Kenya's current crisis cannot be left in the hands of politicians
alone. We have to stop this terrible slide of destruction, loss, chaos and
death. By standing tall as Kenyan nationals, proud of each other, proud to
be from the same country and proud of our unique ethnic diversity, we must come
together urgently to heal our communities and stop the
violence.
Communal
remembrance through flowers is a powerful yet peaceful symbol for Kenyans to
unite behind. Flowers are non-political, non-tribal, and non-violent.
Their numbers can build without becoming threatening, while their message
becomes ever more potent. They are also a mainstay of our economy.
As they wither they will symbolise all that we stand to lose. We are not a
warring nation. Unlike our neighbours we have never experienced the true
horror and loss of civil war.
Let us
learn from them and pull back from the brink before it is too late.
THANK YOU
for joining us!
Date:
Tuesday
22nd January 2008
Time:
Starting at 10 a.m., but continues all day and through the
week.
Location:
1. Nairobi - we are waiting for final confirmation from
the Police and will let you know on Monday 21st Jan by
noon!
a.
Outside the Kenyatta memorial on Parliament
road.
b.
Or, Freedom Corner – Uhuru
Park
c.
Or, Gardens outside Serena
Hotel
2. Eldoret
a.
The burnt church
b.
Town Hall
3. Kenyan embassies in London, Washington, France,
etc.
Other
Events:
1. Night
Vigil organised by Concerned Youths for Peace at the Nairobi Cinema - Friday
25th January from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Thanks
to:
Tambuzi
Ltd. - Nanyuki
Finlays
Flowers - Kericho
Harvest
Flowers - Naivasha
Homegrown
- Naivasha
Bila Shaka
Flowers - Naivasha
Concerned
Citizens for Peace
Peacenet
Kenya
Global
Campaign Against Poverty
Save the
Elephants