Irish Network for Nonviolent Action Training and Education

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16 Ravensdene Park, 
Belfast BT6 0DA, 
Northern Ireland.
Tel: +44-(0)28 9064 7106 
Fax: +44-(0)28 9064 7106
innate@ntlworld.com
 

 

Annual Report 2001 – 2002: 
An annual rapport from INNATE

INNATE has two forms of existence. One is as a informal network with primarily an information function and occasional gatherings at conferences and meetings. The other is as a Belfast-based group which carries out the above function and also works as an action group.

2001 was a good year for INNATE, relatively speaking, with positive inputs on a variety of issues and much achieved by the few people actively involved - thanks particularly to Gordon, Mark, Mark (yes, mark the two Marks), Christy and Cara. As I always say in this annual report - additional involvement is welcome and can make a big difference in what can be done (and, no, we try not to make you secretary and chief bottle washer at your first meeting.......i.e. to allow those involved to define their level of engagement). INNATE is entirely voluntary with no one paid for work done.

The springtime of 2001 saw a conference on the arms trade organised by INNATE in Belfast, focusing particularly on the Belfast involvement seeing as Derry (Foyle Ethical Investment Campaign) and Dublin/the Republic (AFrI/Action from Ireland) are relatively well covered (by the respective groups mentioned in brackets). The conference was successful but the subsequent setting up of BLEIC - Belfast and Lisburn Ethical Investment Campaign - has been slow and it remains to be seen if it is viable. Expressions of interest and involvement in this area are welcome. The biggest bomb factory in Belfast, after all, has won many awards (Thales, aka Shorts Missile Systems) and there are a number of other, smaller bomb part factories.

In November we were delighted to be a co-host (with Healing Through Remembering) of a seminar on 'Dealing with the Past - Chile: a case study of human rights and human wrongs' with input provided by Roberta Bacic. This gave people an opportunity to get to grips with a generally unfamiliar peace process.

INNATE played a significant role in the take off of AVP, the Alternatives to Violence Programme, in Northern Ireland (it has been in existence and well built up in the Republic over half a dozen years now). AVP is still at an early stage but its three-stage or weekend programme, run in both community and prison workshops, and focusing on alternatives to violence at a personal level has a valuable contribution to make. The strategy here is to get enough people through to third (facilitator) level that workshops can in future be run without having to engage facilitators from Dublin. Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/avpbelfast

INNATE also ran the meeting out of which the Justice Not Terror Coalition in Belfast emerged, responding to 11th September in the USA and the war in Afghanistan. This grouping has now more or less run its course (it ran a weekly vigil at City Hall in Belfast, among other things) but still hopes to do documentation work on the war and respond to future developments. Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/justice-not-terror

So far as the information function of INNATE is concerned, ten issues of Nonviolent News were produced during the year. Although it began towards the end of 2000, the e-mail edition - the same content as the web edition - is a much expanded version with editorials and a topical/political/satirical column written by Billy King. The paper edition of Nonviolent News is always 2 pages; the e-mail/web edition runs up to around 8 pages. Subscribers can receive one or both editions (paper and/or e-mail) according to choice. The INNATE website provides several years back issues of Nonviolent News and a whole variety of other material. INNATE also tries to provide suitable information to individual enquirers about nonviolence and related issues or about particular organisations.

The big challenge of 2002 is the War Resisters International Triennial conference which takes place in DCU/Dublin City University, Dublin from 3rd - 10th August this year, 2002. This is an amazing opportunity to interact with peace and nonviolent activists from around the world. I hope that the maximum number of people from Ireland will attend and for those Dublin-resident or or with friends they can stay with in Dublin there is also a non-resident option, which would work out cheaper. There will also be a home stay programme which will maximise the interaction between locals and internationals - you will be hearing more about all this, not least overleaf in an accompanying financial appeal (if you wish to make a donation you can do it at the same time, and with the same cheque, as your INNATE sub!).

We welcome feedback on what we do and the service we provide. We always welcome suggestions for things that might be done. And we look forward to welcoming you, wherever you are, if you feel you might be able to help.

With greetings,
Rob Fairmichael,
Coordinator, INNATE,
February 2002

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War Resisters International Triennial Conference, 
Dublin City University
3 - 10 August 2002
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Site published by Mark McCann, 28th April 1998 (Last updated 10th April 2002)