The recent terrorist atrocities in Mumbai have caused grief for many. The following poem was sent to us by Mala Vazirani, written by Mala's daughter Niharikaa, aged 17. Niharikaa has not been able to sleep properly since the attacks - her very close friend's mother was shot and is recuperating in hospital.

At the beginning of  2008 Victor Kung (General Secretary of Tainan Family EQ Association), and Ren-Jou and Grace Liu, attended an Initiatives of Change Global Consultation held in Asia Plateau, India. On returning home, they initiated a programme called Family, I Care - Bringing Love Home!

Afghan author, poet and interpreter Shabibi Shah gave a personal insight into her courageous life story at the launch of the latest edition of her book Where do I Belong? She answered questions put to her by journalist Mary Lean at a Greencoat Forum held in the London Centre for Initiatives of Change on 11 November.

The Times, London, on its Saturday ‘Faith’ page, 8 November, carried an article by Michael Smith, following his IofC website commentary on the financial crisis.

The fifth in a series of eight dialogues for parliamentarians, mayors, chairpersons and traditional leaders has just taken place in Kono, in Sierra Leone’s eastern region. Diamond-rich Kono district was at the heart of the country’s brutal civil war, 1991-2002, which left 50,000 dead. In the last 18 months it has continued to see bitter disputes, unrest and violence.

A new report is available of a visit to Northern Ireland and England by a group of six young professionals from Iraq on a cultural exchange programme, 6 -19 September 2008, with a focus on leadership and community-building training.

In Bo, over the weekend of 17-19 October, the third in a series of eight intensive and interactive dialogues was held for elected Honourable Members of Parliament, Mayors, Chairpersons and Traditional Leaders.

Ghanaians will go to the polls on 7th December, 2008. Initiatives of Change/MRA Ghana has embarked upon a Clean Election Campaign (CEC), with the campaign theme 'Win Honourably, Lose Graciously', reported by Dr. Ben Garbrah.

A new website, which includes the 2008 Report, statement and speeches plus the latest on the 2009 Forum, has been launched following the first Caux Forum for Human Security (CFHS) being initiated in July 2008 by Mohamed Sahnoun. It brought together 300 peacemakers from 52 countries. They included those working at the 'grassroots' and leaders in their respective fields.

Summer 2008 marked the 100th anniversary of a transforming experience of Frank Buchman, founder of IofC. A very diverse group of seventeen people journeyed from Keswick in the UK, to Sweden, Germany and Caux, Switzerland. In this new DVD they explore the essence of Buchman’s spiritual journey, what developed from it, and its significance for today.