Felicia Goosen contributes to the 16+ Voices on Peace Publication:

Felicia Goosen, Executive Director and Founder of the FG Wellness Life Foundation, was featured as a contributing voice in 16+ Voices on Peace, a landmark peace building publication developed by the Lady of Peace Community Foundation (LOPECO), in partnership with key institutions, including UN Women (Southern Africa Multi-Country Office) and DIRCO, alongside international diplomatic and civil society partners, the publication demonstrates a strong multi-sectoral and global approach to peace building.

The publication was created to commemorate a historic convergence of global milestones: 25 years of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security; 10 years of UNSCR 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security; and 34 years of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. Its purpose is to amplify diverse lived experiences and reflections on peace, highlighting how peace is built, sustained, and protected in everyday life.

The 16+ Voices ebook was launched on the 10th of December at the Tambo Building during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, 16+ Voices on Peace brings together reflections from women, men, youth, and children across South Africa and the region. The publication highlights that peace is not an abstract idea, but a shared responsibility shaped daily through healing, justice, inclusion, and dignity — in homes, schools, communities, and institutions.

Felicia Goosen contributed alongside respected leaders, diplomats, and peace builders such as H.E. Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; Amb. Maude Dhlomo, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO); Dr Hazel Gooding, UN Women Deputy Representative for the Southern Africa Multi-Country Office; and Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. The publication also includes contributions from senior government leaders, Members of Parliament, and Khoisan leaders.

The collaboration of these voices reflects a strong intergenerational and multi-sectoral commitment to sustainable peace. As H.E. Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah powerfully stated: “Lasting peace cannot be built without the voices, hands, and leadership of women and girls working together with men and boys at every level of society.”

In the 16+ Voices publication, Felicia emphasized the importance of inner healing as the foundation of lasting peace. She stated: “Peace begins within — it is healing wounds we did not cause and breaking cycles we did not start. True peace is the presence of healed hearts, transformed minds, empowered women, and resilient youth leading with hope.”

Felicia’s message aligns with the broader reflections shared throughout the 16+ Voices e-book. Ebhodaghe Iyere concluded this sentiment by stating: “Peace flourishes where harmony, justice, and healing meet through mentorship that nurtures body, spirit, and soul.”

Together, these voices reinforce the understanding that unhealed trauma and unresolved pain can influence individual behaviour, relationships, and entire communities. Without intentional healing and inclusive leadership, peace cannot be sustained.

An Invitation to Live Peace Daily

16+ Voices on Peace is not merely a publication; it is both an invitation and a reminder. An invitation to lead with empathy in our homes, communities, and workplaces, and a reminder that peace does not begin in policy documents alone, but in everyday choices.

Felicia believes that lasting peace begins with personal accountability, intentional healing, and courageous leadership. She encourages individuals, families, and communities to take practical steps toward peace by choosing empathy over silence, healing over denial, and hope over fear because peace does not begin elsewhere; it begins with us.