Helen Caldicott

Overview

Helen Caldicott born Melbourne, Australia August 7, 1938. Physician led international opposition to nuclear tests 1971; co-founded Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament (WAND) 1980; active in Physicians for Social Responsibility which won Nobel Prize 1985.

Quotations

"As a doctor, as well as a mother and a world citizen, I wish to practice the ultimate form of preventive medicine by ridding the earth of these technologies that propagate disease, suffering, and death." (Nuclear Madness, 1978; photo wic.org)

Christine Christopherson

Overview

Christine Christopherson born Darwin, Australia October 15, 1959. Aboriginal artist. Arrested for trespassing on aboriginal land at Jabiluka uranium mine, 1999; jailed 12 days and compensated.

Quotations

“Our imprisonment demonstrates the fear of governments and mining companies, a fear born of a refusal to recognise the past. Ultimately we are going to jail because we have a different history. . . Jail is our predestined outcome." (Open letter, February 26, 1999, mirarr.net; photo burragong international artists)

Helen Clark

Overview

Helen Clark born Hamilton, New Zealand February 26, 1950. Professor of political science; leader of peace and disarmament movement. Opposed the Vietnam War; promoted nuclear-free zone. Prime Minister of New Zealand, 1999-2008; opposed US invasion of Iraq, 2003; first female head of UN Development Programme, 2009.

Quotations

"The more we appreciate the importance of diplomacy, mediation, and peaceful resolution of conflict, so that others do not suffer the way in which soldiers and civilians suffered here." (at Ypres, site of WWI battle, June 9, 2012; photo UN)

Freda Mary Cook

Overview

Freda Mary Pym Cook born Alvescott, Oxford, England November 9, 1896 (d. 1990). New Zealand's leader against Vietnam War, Apartheid and imperialism; Socialist.

Quotations

"New Zealand for New Zealanders/Vietnam for Vietnamese" (poster 1971 at US Woodbourne base; photo 1948 Dict. NZ Bio.)

Whina Cooper

Overview

Whina Cooper (née Te Karaka) born Hokianga, North Island, New Zealand December 9, 1895 (d. 1994). "Mother of the Nation" Maori leader of hikoi, nonviolent march against loss of lands, 1975; first president Maori Women’s Welfare League, 1951.

Quotations

"Before I close my eyes, to see our Maori people understand the two races in New Zealand will love. . . that's what you want, that love between two people." (obituary, Independent, March 24, 1994; photo 1975 wikicommons pd)

Stella Cornelius

Overview

Stella Cornelius (née Cohen) born Sydney, Australia December 4, 1919 (d. 2011). Australian promoter of peace and conflict resolution; UN Peace Messenger; raised peace activist daughter Helena Cornelius. Founded Peace and Conflict Resolution Program of UN Association of Australia (UNAA), 1973; helped establish Media Peace Awards, 1978; founded Conflict Resolution Network, 1986, National Consultative Committee on Peace and Disarmament, 1986, and Macquarie University Centre for Conflict Resolution, 1988. Nobel Peace Prize nominee, 2005.

Quotations

"From the very first, we said in order to do our work properly we must be interested in peacemaking, peacebuilding, peacekeeping. Not just nation to nation, not indeed just group to group, but person to person." (McGrath interview, 1982; photo Sydney Morning Herald)