Operation Dove

HOW IT STARTED

Operation Dove started in 1992 during the war in Yugoslavia. We wanted to try to live in a nonviolent way in the midst of war areas and share our life with all those who were forced to undergo violence as a result of conflict and war. We lived on different fronts, helping families to be reunited and protecting ethnic minorities with our presence. We made dialogue possible between the fighting parts and amongst different churches. We helped to recreate an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence and reconciliation. Since 1995 we have ‘exported’ this way of ‘entering into wars’ into Albania, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Congo, Chiapas (Mexico), Chechnya (Russia), Israel and Palestine.

More than 1,500 people from different parts of Italy have been involved in the initiatives and have carried out projects of Operation Dove. We cooperate and have cooperated with many international organisations (e.g. UNHCR and OSCE), centres for the protection of human rights, local and international NGOs, church leaders, associations and local groups.

We firmly believe that, by living with the victims of war, unexpected paths towards peace can start.