The role of the DOV Office of the World Council of Churches
The DOV Office of the World Council of Churches serves as a catalyst for the Decade. Its role is not in operating programs but rather in
- Awareness building - to understand violence and learn non-violence
- Information sharing - to highlight and give profile to initiatives that prevent and overcome violence
- Network building - to facilitate links and cooperation among various actors and initiatives
This is being done primarily through the following means:
Web Site - The DOV's main instrument of information sharing and communication (approx. 200,000 hits per month).
Annual DOV Focus in a particular region to mobilize and sensitize churches of that region for the DOV, mainly through Regional Ecumenical Organizations and National Councils of Churches. The Focus has a theme and logo, highlights work in the region and encourages churches to more intentional collaboration on the issues related to violence.
International Day of Prayer for Peace - since 2004, the WCC's call to prayer for peace on the International Day of Peace on September 21 finds increasing resonance in churches and movements around the world.
e-News - this is a free periodic electronic update for subscribers in four languages. The aim is to send information or links every other week.
Newsletter - a printed publication for the DOV Network, published twice a year in four languages.
Occasional publications or videos - The DOV study guide "Why Violence? Why not Peace?" exists in a dozen languages and has been circulated well over 60,000 times, partly through the internet. A recent video is Religion, Power and Violence, an educational resource on inter-religious considerations.
The DOV office encourages churches to join local and national violence prevention efforts as promoted by the World Health Organization's Violence Prevention Alliance. Preventing violence as a public health priority is an integral and practical part of overcoming violence.
