“Women of the World Unite” is the motto of Israeli-Canadian singer, songwriter and peace activist Yael Deckelbaum, uniting women and men all over the world in order to transcend all frontiers and to build together a future of Peace.

She also wrote the song “Prayer of the Mothers” in support of the Israeli-Palestine women’s movement for peace Women Wage Peace. It went round the world and became the hymn of the March of Hope, during which thousands of Israeli and Palestinian women marched together through the desert last year.

In the same way as women and mothers gathered after the last Gaza war in 2014 and founded Women Wage Peace, whose members now number over 11,000 beyond all political, religious, ethnic, social and geographical borders, a movement for peace and nonviolence can grow also worldwide she says.

That this should be led by women makes perfect sense as they all have, regardless of their background, one big common wish: a peaceful future for their children, for all children. And this wish is stronger and more powerful than anything else. Peace is possible when women get together and the positive energy that this creates can change the whole world.

Yael Deckelbaum is now coming to Berlin in order to participate in the Women’s March Berlin on June 16th. On the eve of the march a concert with Yael, Palestinian singer Miriam Toukan and other artists will take place. More information can be found here.

In the run-up to the event Pressenza has conducted an interview with Yael on peace, hope and the role of music which we reproduce below. In her video message she calls upon all women and artists to participate in her new musical project “Women of the World Unite” to support together the positive change that is happening worldwide.

* * *

Interview with Yael Deckelbaum

The march of Hope in fact brought hope, also to Europe, that there will be a solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, if only enough people demand it. Does hope or despair grow in Israel and Palestine?
Every woman who was present in the march, Palestinian or Israeli, had a life changing experience. An experience that melted the walls of fear that separate us and which has brought forward a new horizon.

Every person touched by this healing energy can’t help but regain hope. Our mission is to continue spreading the news so that many more people get to learn and understand this new language that transcends the status quo of political despair and teaches us to march forward in a new path. It is my faith that this movement will continue to grow and with it, peoples’ hope and belief will grow.

What connects Israeli and Palestinian women in Women Wage Peace and how did this develop in the last years?

The connection is a fundamental shared value of motherhood, the care for the future of our children. The movement started after another military action following an abduction and assassination of 3 teenagers. A group of mothers gathered together and said enough is enough we are not going to continue to collaborate with a system that sends our kids to war. They started a 50 day fast in front of the Israeli prime minister’s home and demanded to meet with the PM and this is how it started 2 and a half years ago.

How well known is Women Wage Peace? And how accepted is it in Israeli and Palestinian society?

Many women and men are joining the movement and have a lot of faith in the power of the movement to actually be the key to finally tilt the situation in a direction of a viable agreement between the two sides in the conflict. Many women from all over the world know about the movement, Women Wage Peace is in Morocco, Brazil and more are being launched. Many are inspired by the movement and want to work together for peace. There are many leaders around the world who are exposed to WWP. It’s starting to be taken seriously even by the leaders of Israel and Palestine.

What are your hopes for the events in Berlin?

My hope for the event in Berlin is to meet many, many people. Every time that music and people meet there’s always a potential for igniting the hope and also motivating people towards action. I believe the power of music can actually shift hearts and bring us to a position of motivation and activity on the ground in order to transform the world into a place that is better for humans and not so involved in conflicts and military actions. My hope is to meet many people and realize together the potential of humanity to make a big change and a big shift, and I hope to pass this contagious positive energy to many people and to see and invite a lot of the people to join the next big march for peace in October. There will be a huge march and I would like to invite you all to march with WWP in Israel and Palestine.

To what extent can music bring or support peace?

I believe that activism without music is like a ship without wind. The power of music is critical in order to shift our reality and consciousness, it’s a very important tool.

It’s known in history that many big artists like Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, John Lennon they have all inspired revolutions for peace and some of them have stopped wars.

I believe that music is the way to inspire revolutions and it is happening. I encourage many musicians to use their music in order to speak out from the heart, be loyal and faithful to their hearts desire. I believe that’s the way to shift realty and transfer and share a message that the media can’t spread and isn’t spreading today, I believe that through music, the message will spread from heart to heart and it won’t be possible to stop that.

More information on Yael Deckelbaum: http://www.yaeldeckelbaum.com/en/home