Peace People, N.Ireland delegation Ms. Ann Patterson and Nobel Peace Laureate, Mairead Maguire, will join an International delegation visiting Iran and Syria from 4th – 16th April, 2014.
They have accepted the invitation to Tehran under the Peace and Humanitarian mission to Syria entitled ‘Peace Pilgrimage to Syria’.
Their programme in Tehran starts 6th April for four days, during which time they will visit three Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, and Qom. The International delegation will be l8 people from many countries, including Pakistan, Australia, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, Lebanon, etc..
The International delegation will join a large Iranian delegation in Tehran, and travel together to Damascus bringing medicines and humanitarian aid to the people of Syria. In Damascus they will join with pilgrims from the United Kingdom and other countries, organized by ‘Peace Pilgrimage to Syria’ and hosted by in Syria by Mussalaha Peace and Reconciliation Movement and other friends. They will spend 4 days in Syria, visiting cities, refugee’s camps, and Religious Shrines, etc., where they will be join local communities working and praying for peace and reconciliation in Syria. They will return via Beirut after their Iran/Syria visits.
Before leaving for Iran to-day Mairead Maguire said:
‘We are the human family and like all families it is important to reach out to each other in friendship and fraternity, especially to the poor, displaced and refugees who are suffering so much. As peace pilgrims from all over the world, from all faith traditions and none, we reject war and all violence, and believe that through dialogue and nonviolence, that peace and reconciliation can be achieved in Syria and in other parts of the Middle East. We pray our visit of friendship to both the Iranian and Syrian people will give hope and solidarity to all those in the entire Middle East that peace is possible. We are honoured and happy to have been invited by our Iranian friends, to join them in their Peace Pilgrimage to Syria and look forward to visiting both Iran and Syria’