Amnesty International: Shaping human rights
Amnesty Ireland's annual conference will take place at the University of Limerick on 17 - 18 June with the title 'Shaping the Human Rights Agenda' - topics include the new human rights commission, policing and human rights, responding to refugees, working to end impunity etc. Also included this year is a Fairer World Fair, an exhibition by a number of Irish organisations involved in human rights work as well as Amnesty's special interest networks. If interested in attending, contact below. Irish Amnesty has 9,500 members plus another 4,000 supporters; there are almost forty local groups and another 155 student and youth groups - about the latter contact the Student and Youth Officer at the contacts below.

For the record the local groups are in; Athlone, Carlow, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel, Clonakilty, Cork City, Drogheda, Dublin - Cabinteely/Ballybrack, Dublin Central, Drimnagh, Dundrum/Ballinteer, Dublin North East, Rathgar, Sandymount, Tallaght, Temple Bar, Dublin West, Dublin 8, Dundalk, Dun Laoghaire/Blackrock, Enniscorthy, Galway, Kells, Kilkenny, Kiltegan, Letterkenny, Limerick, Mitchelstown, Navan, Nenagh, Schull, Sligo, Swords, Tralee, Tramore, Tullamore, Waterford, Wexford, and Youghal. Amnesty's well presented website at www.amnesty.ie includes the names of local group coordinators and some of the meeting times and venues for local groups as well as news, campaigns info (e.g. Saudi Arabia, or interesting photo exhibit on the USA), networks and publications. Included is info on the situation of refugees in Ireland. Individual membership is £25 (£34 household) or £7 unwaged individual; donations welcome. Contact; Amnesty International Irish Section, Sean MacBride House, 48 Fleet Street, Dublin 2, Tel: 01 - 6776361, fax 677 6392, e-mail info@amnesty.iol.ie website www.amnesty.ie Amnesty in Norn Iron can be contacted at 80a Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AD, Tel: 028 9066 6216.

Changes at ISE Peace Studies: Hail (Iain) and Farewell (Bill)
Farewell and greetings to Bill McSweeney who is retiring as Lecturer in Peace Studies and Coordinator of the International Peace Studies Programme at the Irish School of Ecumenics (ISE) in Dublin; he is well known outside ISE for his research and work on Irish neutrality. But welcome to his replacement, Iain Atack, who takes up his post at the start of October and has been a part-time lecturer there for some time. Iain Atack's areas of teaching and research includes nonviolence and the ethics of nonviolence and he is also well known for his former work with Peace Brigades International. International Peace Studies, ISE, Milltown Park, Dublin 6, Tel: 01 - 260 1144, fax 260 1158, e-mail tcdpeace@indigo.ie or visit the website at http://indigo.ie/~tcdpeace

An Crann Brought to Book: Troubles Stories
On 14th June, An Crann The Tree is launching a new publication entitled 'Bear in Mind: Stories of the Troubles', a collection of people's personal experiences of the Troubles. It consists of poetry, prose and interview from approximately 75 contributors with a range of different perspectives, experiences and political views - it is an embodiment of An Crann's commitment to the ethos of inclusiveness and the power of storytelling. Available in bookshops and from the An Crann office for £7.95. Phone An Crann on 028 9024 0209 or e-mail AnCrann1@compuserve.com Office/Postal address; 10 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.

Pluralism
There were 20 referenda in Yugoslavia; like the 1973 border poll here, none of them helped any process of peace, and five of them helped to start four wars. The latest volume from The de Borda Institute is entitled "From Belfast to the Balkans - Was 'Democracy' Part of the Problem', and it will be launched at INCORE in Derry on Wednesday 21st June at 2 pm with Mary Russell and Christine Bell from here, and Haris Bijedic from Bosnia. ISBN 0 9506028 7 6. 96 pages, A5, £6 in bookshops. The de Borda Institute has also been active in Dublin where it recently gave its third presentation to the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution. With the advent of electronic voting, Ireland may yet follow New Zealand and Sweden and adopt multi-option voting techniques, not least on the topic of abortion. More info available on www.members.tripod.co.uk/deBordaInstitute or contact at 028 - 9071 1795 (no, not 1798), 36 Ballysillan Road, Belfast BT14 7QQ.

Transforming the United Nations
PANA (Peace And Neutrality Alliance) along with Irish Committee for UNICEF and the Irish UNA have organised 'The Transforming the United Nations Conference' on Saturday 8th July from 9.45 am - 5.30 in Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. Speakers are Mary Robinson, Denis Halliday, Paddy McGuinness, Justin Kilcullen, Mary Lawlor, Maura Quinn, Joe Murray, Caitriona Lawlor, Tom Hyland, Roger Col; chairs are Charlie Bird and Brian Looney. Conference fee is £25 waged, £5 unwaged, £50 org/corporate, lunch £16 optional. Cheques payable to 'UN Conference Account' c/o PANA, 52 Silchester Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin, Tel: 01 - 2806878, or ditto to AFrI, address next item. PANA have also printed a Neutrality Amendment Bill to enshrine neutrality into the Constitution and hope to make it into an issue at the next election.

Irish Centre For Human Rights, Galway
Prof William Schabas has been appointed director of the new Irish Centre for Human Rights based at the Faculty of Law at the National University of Ireland, Galway; he was previously professor of human rights law in Montreal and has extensive international experience. He is the first Professor of Human Rights Law in the Republic. He intends the Centre to be proactive on international and national issues including defence of vulnerable groups. A masters degree in international human rights will be introduced in Galway in September. Irish Centre for Human Rights, Tel: 091 - 750464, fax 091 - 750575, e-mail humanrights@nuigalway.ie [Source; ICCL News, Tel: 01 - 878 3136/7].

Learning For Liberation - AFRI Scoil Chois Clai/Hedge School
We briefly carried info on this in NN79. It will take place on Saturday 10th June from 10 am until late at The Mill, Naas, Co Kildare (Liffey Arts Research Centre, Victoria Bridge). Guests and facilitators include Anita Freire, Pat Clarke, Annette Honan, Michael Doorly, Liz Waters, Catherine Joyce, Vicky Donnelly, Sharon Murphy and John Maguire. The format will include small groups and experiential exercises and a celebration of music and story in the evening. Cost £20 inc meals (concessions/extra £ welcome!); 125 places available. Queries/bookings; AfrI, Grand Canal House, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6, Tel: 01 - 4968595. E-mail afri@iol.ie

Mediation Network: Very Moving
The Mediation Network for Northern Ireland office in Belfast has moved up the road to bigger premises (a couple of doors from Corrymeela House in fact). The address is now 10 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT. Other details remain the same; ph. 028 9043 8614, fax 028 9031 4430, e-mail info@mediation-network.org.uk and web www.mediation-network.org.uk

Cwlwm Cymod Cymru – Corrymeela
The first Corrymeela Link in Wales was launched in March at Hen Gapel John Hughes Pontrobert. It will be known by the Welsh title above emphasising the Celtic connection through the use of the word 'Cwlwm' meaning knot (there, admit it, you did 'knot' think you'd be learning Welsh when you started reading this issue of Nonviolent News, did you - Ed). The Centre for Christian Unity and Renewal at Pontrobert is, like Corrymeela, committed to reconciliation. Contact; Nia Rhosier, Ty Hen Gapel, Pontrobert, Meifod, Maldwyn, SY22 6JA, Cymru. Tel: 01938 500631. Corrymeela's office address is; 8 Upper Crescent, Belfast BT7 1NT. Tel: 028 9050 8080. www.corrymeela.org

Pax Christi Summer Youth Hostel in London
Once again Pax Christi will be operating a summer youth hostel in London, this year from 23rd July to 19th August. At £10 a night B&B you won't find better value but it's more than a place to stay, the project is run by international volunteers (applications welcome) and seeks to raise awareness on peace and justice issues as well as providing a unique welcome and atmosphere. The coordinator is Suzanne Skrimshire (it was good having Suzanne in Belfast for the last couple of years - Ed. Who's this Ed guy? - Ed). Hostel venue; Our Lady's Hall, Falkland Road, London NW5 (Kentish Town). Info; London/0208 203 48 84 in office hours.

It's Dynamite: Irony of the Month
Derry provided the greatest irony of the month when US arms manufacturer Raytheon - recently established as software producer in Derry - praised Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume, leader of the SDLP, for helping it secure British Ministry of Defence contracts. The praise was given at the ceremony granting Hume freedom of the city of Derry. It's doubly ironic that the 'peace process' should mean the further integration of (Northern) Ireland into the western military-industrial complex. Contact; Foyle Ethical Investment Coalition, c/o 10 Clarendon Street, Derry BT48 7ET, phone 028 7137 7970. Meanwhile it was good to see the news that the Presbyterian Church has sold its British Aerospace shares and a report to the General Assembly recommends the avoidance, inter alia, of investments substantially concerned with the arms trade.

INNATE Networking
The last Belfast INNATE networking group meeting before the summer break will take place on Monday 19th June at Quaker House, 7 University Avenue, Belfast. Anyone interested welcome; an opportunity to gossip, dissect and plan. Queries to INNATE at 028 - 90 64 71 06.