Madrid Spain Holds
a Focus of Peace

IIWP's representative, Marcos Cujina, worked with local officials and ministers to create two wonderful events in light of ongoing terrorist activity in Spain. The first was a three-hour peace seminar. The second a peace pole dedication in the city as a cosponsored event with "The World Peace Prayer Society" (WPPS). Continuing his work to this day, he shares his experience in the short article below.

Peace Workshop In Madrid

Early on the morning of November 4th as I drove to the peace workshop when I remembered four years had gone by since the first IIWP "From Issue to Process: The Choices that Lead to Peace" seminar in Spain. Since that time, many people had died in Spain due to attacks by the terrorist group ETA. Several days before the seminar began a bomb had killed more people in Madrid. Only God knew that more people were to be injured days after the seminar had concluded near our hotel.

When I came around the corner of the hotel, I noticed that the name of the street was "The Virgin of Peace". Wow!! Even more striking was that the name of the hotel was "The Bridge of Peace Hotel". This was obviously no simple coincidence.

The Peace Seminar began on time and we called forward the Spirit of peace. , It was then that I realized that the hotel was next to a mortuary building and just a few hundred yards away from the biggest mosque in Spain. I was amazed to learn that our hotel had been attacked some years ago by the terrorist group ETA, causing great damage to the building. It was clear to me that we were be there to replace hatred with compassion, againstness with peace. We were to bring healing to all those whom had been weeping the loss of a relative and to bring comfort and peace to the thousands of Muslims that attend their religious ceremonies a few hundred yards away. Spirit always knows better. My tears flowed as I laughed and cried, blessed and released from my nervousness. In that very second, something changed inside of me and I was no longer in charge. Peace was present inside of me.

When the seminar concluded, the 22 participants' eyes sparkled with innocence and laughter. Peace was present in the room and in our hearts because that had been our choice. The process helped people realign with their loving and caring. When we concluded it was obvious that the group had elected to stop the againstness inwardly, and no matter what the circumstances were in the world on that morning.