The world today saw a historic milestone: a landmark meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea. This comes 65 years after a ceasefire that ended the direct hostilities of the Korean War but left the peninsula divided. After more than six decades of families separated and of the threat of renewed violence, the two leaders have pledged to work towards a peace agreement and nuclear disarmament.
There is momentum for peace now, and we must keep it going, because the threat of backsliding into violence is clear and present.
Trump's erratic and aggressive stance has worsened tensions and drawn us closer to the possibility of nuclear war, even as he plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the coming weeks. And he's staffed a "war cabinet" filled with the likes of National Security Advisor John Bolton and newly-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — both hawks on North Korea who refuse to take the threat of US attacks off the table.
That's why I'm joining an international delegation of women peace activists heading to Korea in May.
I'm mobilizing MADRE's 35 year experience of standing with women peacebuilders worldwide. We know that the best and only path to peace is through diplomacy and that we must absolutely denounce any notion of a US first strike. I'll bring with me the solidarity and hopes of our partners around the world — women war survivors from Colombia to Syria to Iraq — standing with Korean women and families who still believe that lasting peace is possible.
I'll be in touch soon with more information.
With hope,
Yifat
