April 2009

Dear friends and supporters of Inter Pares,

It is my pleasure to send you the Inter Pares 2008 Annual Report. Entitled The World We Desire, the report shares some of the work that you have invested in and the ways in which Inter Pares and our colleagues around the world have been promoting social justice over the past year. I hope you enjoy reading it, and that it helps bring to life the amazing people and organizations that you support.

If you received our recent message, you will have also heard about Inter Pares' Mother's Day campaign, "Take Back the Day," in which we celebrate the day's origins in women's activism. If you would like to pay tribute to women in your life by continuing this legacy of social change, please visit www.takebacktheday.ca the day to order cards (print cards must be ordered by May 4th to arrive by May 10th).

I have been reflecting lately on the activism of women, including mothers, as I have recently returned from maternity leave to become Inter Pares' new Executive Director. Our dear colleague Molly Kane has bidden us adieu after fifteen years, including twelve years as Executive Director, and is exploring new ways to contribute to the movement for social justice. While I have been with the organization since 2001, managing Inter Pares' Burma program for several years, becoming Executive Director this April is a new challenge I welcome.

As a mother to two young children, combining my activism with family commitments is a daily affair. I am inspired by the many, many women with whom we collaborate, who work for social justice every day: the mothers in Manila's shantytowns who provide healthcare to their neighbours and fight for reproductive rights; the women in Kenya and other African countries who have lived through conflict, and who are building more peaceful communities; the mothers of the disappeared in Latin America who are clamouring for justice; the women in every country - including Canada - who are working to promote equality for all women in their societies.

Around the world, mothers are part of a sea of women who are working for change, and are integrating their roles as parents into their struggles for more just societies. They affirm for me that raising compassionate and generous children is an integral part of building the world we want. I am heartened too by the men who are part of these struggles, whose commitment to ending sexism and supporting women's leadership reminds us that "women's issues" are everyone's issues. They play a crucial role in building a more inclusive and peaceful future for all.

Please accept our gratitude for your own role in building this future, through your support to Inter Pares and in your own community.

Sincerely,



Rita Morbia

P.S. Remember to share the gift of peace with the special women in your life - visit www.takebacktheday.ca.