• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: AWE0183

Abraham, Vivienne

(1920 – 2003)
  • Nationality Australian
  • Born 2 February, 1920, Melbourne Victoria Australia
  • Died 30 March, 2003

Summary

Vivienne Abraham was active in the Australian peace movement for several decades. She was Honorary Secretary of the Peace Pledge Union (1946-52), acting editor and editor of the ‘Peacemaker’ and Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (1982-89).

Details

Vivienne Abraham graduated in Law at the University of Melbourne, having studied from 1937 until 1966. With her sister Shirley, born 28 February 1922, Abraham was active in a number of peace, pacifist and conscientious objector support groups from the 1940s to 1989. She was active in the Melbourne Jewish Youth Council during World War II, and Honorary Secretary of the Australian Peace Pledge Union (in Victoria) from 1946-1952. She served as Honorary Secretary to the acting editor of the Federal Pacifist Council of Australia journal The Peacemaker from 1947-1949, before becoming editor from 1953-1955.

She moved to Sydney in 1955, and lived in Israel and Lebanon in 1961-62. With friend and fellow pacifist G. A. Bishop, Abraham represented the Federal Pacifist Council of Australia at a conference in Lebanon during this time.

From 1964 Abraham again edited The Peacemaker, this time jointly with her sister Shirley until 1968, and alone form 1969 until the final issue of the journal in 1971.

From 1982-1989 Abraham was Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (Australian Section).

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