Quaker group marks centennial with ‘Waging Peace’ exhibit
PHILADELPHIA — The American Friends Service Committee is celebrating 100 years of nonviolent activism with an exhibition, “Waging Peace,” that showcases the group’s accomplishments while also illustrating work that remains to be done.
General Secretary Shan Cretin hopes both aspects of the exhibit inspire visitors.
“We don’t want to just be looking backward, (but) a lot of the issues that are so urgent today — how we treat immigrants, racial justice issues — are issues we have been working on for nearly our entire history,” Cretin said. “We don’t believe peace is a destination. We believe it’s a path. We always have to be working toward peace and justice in our lives.”
Founded by Quakers during World War I, the organization has been promoting peace and justice as an expression of faith in action. The centennial exhibit, on display at the African American Museum of Philadelphia through April 30, is divided into four categories: “Ending Discrimination,” ”Addressing Prisons,” ”Just Economies,” and “Immigrants Rights.”