On the 4th and 5th of February, 2017 seven enthusiastic women joined to go through for the first ever intensive Creators of Peace Circle in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. At the end of the two days experience a team was created where the participants agreed first and foremost to care for each other and develop together an avenue to give back to their community in their diverse walks of their lives.

CoP Ambassador Daphrose Ntarataze, CoP's new President Amina Dikedi-Ajakaiye, Executive Officer Kate Monkhouse and women from Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Switzerland and host country Cameroon gathered in the capital city of Yaounde for a three-day gathering that focused on the renewal of spirit and resources of the African Francophone CoP teams.

The two-week crowd-funding campaign using the GlobalGiving online platform begins today at 9:00am EDT US (1:00pm GMT) and ends at midnight on March 31, 2017.

The CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation is looking for a F&B Manager who will act as Head of Department and will coordinate F&B services before and during the Caux Forum 2017, from May 20 to August 20 2017.

The CAUX-Initiatives of Change Foundation is looking for a Deputy Hospitality Manager Assistant to support the Hospitality Manager before and during the Caux Forum 2017, from May 20 to August 20 2017.

The Caux Artists Program is an interdisciplinary course focusing on VOCAL ARTS (opera, music theatre and jazz), taking place in Caux, Switzerland, 26 June – 10 July. They are now accepting applications for 12 - 16 young performing artists from around the world. Scholarship funds are available so apply early - first come, first served! Application deadline is 31 March.

Asia Plateau, the Initiatives of Change (IofC) international conference centre in Panchgani, India will be 50 years on 20 January 2018. Fifty people are invited to give ‘a year of selfless service’ to reach out in five intergenerational teams, to many corners of India - and beyond. Teams of convinced, and convincing people who help 5000 people put at least one thing right in 2018 to serve society better!

Initiatives of Change (IofC)/Moral Re-Armament (MRA) Zimbabwe recently held its first national youth conference in Gweru on 1-5 February with the aim to mobilize and empower young people, and ‘move from a group to a team’. Young people came together to learn more deeply about Initiatives of Change, to build their skills, and to strengthen friendships with the intention of working together for a just, peaceful and sustainable Zimbabwe. The conference was created and delivered by youth for youth.

The CAUX-IofC Foundation is sorry to announce the passing of Pierre Spoerri, one of its former council members, in Zurich, on 22 February 2017.

This report on the work of Creators of Peace in Zimbabwe has been complied by Talia Smith, UK, who accompanied the CoP team on the ground in February this year. Photos by Adelaide Mhunduru.