Is forgiveness necessary to attain peace? The folks who run the Forgiveness Project believe it is. According to their web site, "The Forgiveness Project works at a local, national and international level to help build a future free of conflict and violence by healing the wounds of the past."

Norm Kember, a member of Christian Peacemaker Teams, writes about forgiveness from his perspective as one of four hostages taken during the war in Iraq in 2005. Fellow hostage, Tom Fox, was murdered, while Kember and two others survived. Kember reflects the irony of being rescued by British military forces.

In 1991, Michael Watson collapsed at the end of a world championship boxing match. He spent 40 days in a coma, emerging partially paralyzed from a blood clot in his brain.  In 2002, his opponent, Chris Eubank, accompanied Watson on the final leg of the London Marathon - a race that took Watson six days to complete.

The Forgiveness Project collects stories from ordinary people who have experienced extraordinary hurt - but have found the courage and compassion to forgive. Some are people faith, many are not. Some have suffered deep personal losses: the murders of family members, others beatings and assaults. Seom are convicted criminals who have faced their victims. Each one has a unique and moving story to share.