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Luncheon Honors Palestinian, Israeli, and Bosnian Refugees

New York, NY

Women's Commission proud to announce the recipients of the 2002 Voices of Courage Awards

New York, NY, May 2, 2002 – The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children has announced that it will honor Israeli, Palestinian, Bosniak and Serb peace-builders at this year's Voices of Courage Awards luncheon. Pulitzer-prize winning novelist and columnist Anna Quindlen will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon.

Awardees include Julia Resnitsky, 16, an Israeli, and Bushra Jawabri, 20, a Palestinian. Other honorees are Zejneba Sarajlic, a Bosniak, and Stanojka Avramovic, a Bosnian Serb.

Recipients were chosen for their courage and work toward lasting peace. All recipients are passionate advocates for peace who support ethnic diversity, peace building and non-violent conflict resolution activities.

"While conflict continues in the Middle East, both Julia and Bushra have devoted themselves to working toward peace," says Mary Diaz, Executive Director of the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children. "As adolescents caught in the midst of a decades-long conflict, Julia and Bushra's hope to break the cycle of violence and war is a brave vision of combating the climate of fear, mistrust and prejudice that pervade their lives."

Now, more than ever, world peace depends on finding lasting solutions to conflicts around the world. The Women's Commission will continue to press for women's participation at the peace table, in humanitarian programs, peace support operations and peace building.

Zejneba Sarajlic and Stanojka Avramovic have devoted themselves to facilitating the return of displaced families to their homes.

"These women are courageously building peace and reconciliation in a region where return of the ethnic minorities is still fraught with extreme tension and animosity and convey a strong belief in co-existence between various ethnic groups in their homeland," said Ms. Diaz.

In recognition of these efforts toward peace, a luncheon will be held at the Roosevelt Hotel, Madison Ave. at 45^th Street, New York City on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 at 12:00 p.m.

NOTE: Interviews can be arranged for Bushra Jawabri and Julia Resnitsky during the week of May 6 to May 10 and for all honorees prior to the luncheon on May 13 and 14.

Contact: Diana Quick, 212.551.3087, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to arrange interviews.