I just write to thank one and all, and especially the friends in Bethlehem, Tuzla, Boston and Durban, for the messages of support we received for our protest action and peace prayer on the 30th of Novermber 2002. We read your messages during the action and pass on the greeting of all organizers to you. For the size of our town, we had quite a good attendance - with 200 people, as well as good press coverage. It was the first time that Peace to the City Braunschweig had come out against the Iraq-War in this way, and we were encouraged that representatives from the unions, the churches and the regional peace movement spoke out against the war and "in solidarity with the other America"!

The action has sparked off continued actions each Saturday in the town square of Braunschweig, and will surely grow if the situation grows worse. We would love to learn from similar protest actions you are involved in, in order to highlight them in the media and the local churches.

Next Sunday, we'll have a special worship service in the reception hall of the regional train station as the light from the church of the Nativity is brought to our city. We hope to have a representative from Bethlehem speak at the function. Any written message (from Ghassan or George) would be most welcome so that we can pray and speak specifically to the current issues.

The Braunschweig model of violence prevention in schools has received national attention and, out of over 280 contenders, won the best practice award of the Alliance for Tolence, Berlin . A letter of thanks was even issued by the National Ministry of Justice. We shall have a special function to celebrate this award early next year.

We continue to pray for our network partners and wish you all a peaceful Christmas and a new year that sees more, not less justice than the passing one.

in the love and peace of Jesus, the King of Peace,

Klaus Burckhardt