Asia-Pacific women meet for peace

Asia-Pacific women meet for peace

HANOI (AFP): A group of 150 women from the Asia Pacific region have issued a declaration for peace following a three-day conference in the Vietnamese capital, organizers said on Sunday.

The decade-long project, which will be launched in 2001, will focus on ending war, conflict, poverty and violence and inequality against women and children, they said.

As well as their efforts to wipe out social inequality in the region, the declaration also sought the promotion of Asian- Pacific culture around the world. The women have defined their role as seeking peace and non-violence in the Asia Pacific region five years after a global conference for women in Beijing.

A peace initiative was also adopted by delegates at the conference, entitled "Asian Women for Culture and Peace" and opened by UNESCO director general Koichiro Matsuura on Tuesday.