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September 21, is the day declared by the United Nations General Assembly, as the International Day of Peace, a day devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.

For the World Council of Churches (WCC) family (for which SCMZ is part to) the day has been declared the International Day of Prayer for Peace. The International Day of Prayer for Peace offers an opportunity for church communities in all places to pray and act together to nurture lasting peace in the hearts of people, their families, communities and societies. The Day of Prayer is one of the initiatives of the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence.

SCMZ joins the UN community and WCC in commemorating international peace day. As an ecumenical body and progressive civic movement SCMZ always advocates peace with justice and non violence. The commemoration is more relevant to Zimbabweans as it comes at a time the nation state has institutionalized violence. The day is coming in the background of state systematic repression of dissent, the arrest, torture, murder and illegal harassment of human rights defenders.

As the nation approaches the watershed 2008 General Elections and in line with the WCC's action plan for the Decade to Overcome Violence as a movement we commit ourselves to:

• reinforce a culture of peace through education
• promote economically and socially sustainable development
• promote the respect of all human rights
• ensure the equality between women and men
• support democratic participation
• develop comprehension, tolerance and solidarity
• support participative communication and the freedom of movement of information and knowledge

"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." Mathew 5 v 9

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