Get faith to faith with the Peace
Council
Nearly forty members, trustees or guests of the Peace Council
visit Northern Ireland from 16th - 20th June. The Peace Council
is an international interfaith body committed to peacemaking
including practical projects in different parts of the world;
information is available on their website at www.peacecouncil.org
During the visit they will be meeting a wide variety of different
groups, many in private sessions for members, but the following
events are open:
· Belfast; 'Peace-building - a Quaker
and Buddhist perspective', Friends Meeting House, Frederick
Street, 7.30 pm Monday 16th June, all welcome.
· Newry; Community discussion on 'Northern
Ireland's divided society - the need for a shared vision',
Newry Arts Centre, Weds 18th June, 2.00 - 3.30 pm, ph 41738997
for details.
· Larne; Interdenominational service
with Peace Councillor input, Drumalis, 2.30 pm, Weds 18th
June, ph 28267823 for details.
· Omagh; Peace councillors speak at Tara
Counselling Centre, 11 Holmview Terrace at 11 am, all welcome,
details 8225 0024.
· Belfast; 'Come to the quiet', Buddhist,
Muslim and Christian voices speak on prayer, St.Clements,
11 am - 4 pm, Weds 18th June, suggested donation £20,
concessions available, book by 16th June, ph 90776500.
· Belfast; Inter-Faith Celebration, St
Anne's Cathedral, Thursday 19th June 8pm, with contributions
from a number of different faiths. The visit is organised
in cooperation with a wide variety of different groups and
local councils. For details in general, contact Peace People,
224 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 6GE, ph 90 663465 or mobile
0773 614 7713, e-mail info@peacepeople.com
Spin in to the Resource/Info
space at Giro's, Belfast
Giro's new Info-shop Resource Space is now open four days
a week with lots of different resources, the info-shop has
material on anarchism, environmentalism, gender, queer issues,
peace activism, prisoner support, DIY culture etc. It also
has materials for creating props, art materials and costumes.
It's also a place to meet to dream and scheme. It's open Wednesday
12 - 8 pm and Thursday - Saturday 12 - 4 pm. Giros is an entirely
volunteer run collective with other activities including the
Belfast Musicians Collective, Giros café, concerts,
dark room etc. There is a need for volunteers to run the Space,
donations of books, videos, leaflets etc, and free stuff for
the Free Shop. Infoshop/Resource Space, Giros, 1-5 Donegall
Lane, Belfast BT1 2LZ, phone 028 - 90315629 (direct) / 90244640
(Giros upstairs), and e-mail infoshopbelfast@yahoo.com
CAJ a look at this
CAJ/Committee on the Administration of Justice reports a busy
period in its work for the passage of a Bill of Rights, with
Canadian Supreme Court Justice Beverly McLachlin talking to
an audience of politicians and community activists about the
tensions (or lack of them, in fact!) between elected politicians
and judges in the implementation of the Canadian Charter of
Rights. A major event was organised at the Wellington Park
Hotel to discuss whether the equality mainstreaming duty (section
75 of the NI Act) is working, and how could it be made to
have a greater impact in ensuring effective equality. On policing,
the organisation has had a range of meetings with senior PSNI
officers, with the Ombudsman, with the Oversight Commissioner,
and is following closely the creation of the new District
Policing Partnerships. Concerns around plastic bullets, new
decisions regarding the deployment of CS spray, and human
rights training are of particular concern, and some of the
key findings about the work of all these new institutions
will be issued in a circular in the near future. Our fourth
priority area is criminal justice which requires a careful
monitoring of all the recent exposes around allegations of
collusion, and a longer-term approach as to the best way to
devolve criminal justice. Subs to CAJ are £17or £5
unwaged, or £12 to receive the informative monthly Just
News bulletin only. For further info: CAJ, 45/47 Donegall
Street, Belfast BT1 2BR, ph 028 - 90961122, web www.caj.org.uk
Catch the LIVE event
at Glencree: 'After the Conflict....'
The LIVE programme (Let's Involve the Victims Experience)
is hosting their international convention at Glencree the
last weekend of June. The Theme is "After the Conflict:
The opportunities in Diversity", with speakers and workshops
representative from different areas of society including political
representatives, church and youth, and covering areas such
as victims issues and international conflict. It runs from
the evening of Friday 26th to Sunday lunch time. This event
is free of charge but accommodation is strictly limited. Contact
ASAP: Hilary Doyle or Jacinta DePaor by e-mail at LIVE@glencree-cfr.ie
or phone 01 - 282 9711; LIVE Programme, Glencree Centre for
Reconciliation, Glencree, Co Wicklow.
Demonstrate at Shannon
There is a national demonstration at Shannon Airport on Saturday
21st June; march to Shannon terminal, assembling Shannon town
centre at 2 pm. On arrival there will be a couple of speakers,
an open mike, and music, ending around 6 pm. Aer Rianta has
admitted that over 50,000 US troops passed through Shannon
airport in the first four months of this year. Irish government
complicity with the US killing machine continues and the illegal
occupation of Iraq is being actively assisted. The anti-war
movement needs to refocus on this complicity and, in practical
terms, that means highlighting the abuse of Shannon airport.
Organised by Cork Anti-War Movement, phone 087 - 1258325.
I pardon you, he said
dramatically
The President of the USA recently pardoned five Catholic Worker
activists in Ireland who faces charges of criminal damage
against a US war plane at Shannon airport... his was reported
in some of the Republic's media (23rd/24th May) but deserves
wider attention. The 'President' was Martin Sheen, best known
currently for his role as President in the West Wing series,
and the event for the 'Pitstop Ploughshares' Five took place
at the Yanks Bar, Borrisokane, Co Tipperary. Support still
needed; contact 086 1512013, e-mail pitstopploughshares@hotmail.com
or visit www.ploughsharesireland.org
Take part in a four
'states', under 25 residential
Ten young people from 19 - 25 years old from Israel, Palestine,
Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland will have the opportunity
to spend 6 days together on an EUMED programme organised by
Community Dialogue NI and the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.
The dates are 31st August - 5th September this year and it
will provide an opportunity to engage in facilitated discussions,
conflict resolution workshops, and social and cultural activities
and visits. All in price of £35. Places limited, for
further information contact Margaret Geelan by e-mail before
4th July; geelanfamily@hotmail.com
Get to grips with alternatives to violence at
a personal level
It is hoped to run an open Basic (first level) Alternatives
to Violence Project (AVP) course the last weekend of June
in Belfast, depending on numbers; Friday evening 27th - Sunday
afternoon 29th June. For details contact ASAP by e-mail to
avpbelfast@hotmail.com or phone 028 - 90249293 or 0771 - 5110517.
Green (verb) things
1. The 'officially' useful 'Environment Bulletin'
in the Republic is a good checklist of official environmental
matters, and sometimes also voluntary groups, as in its websites
guide in the April 2003 issue. See www.environ.ie (use search
for 'Environment Bulletin') or you can request inclusion on
the mailing list to Doreen Kirwan/Kay Lee, Environmental Awareness
Section, Department of the Environment and Local Government,
Custom House, Dublin 1, ph 01 - 888 2486, e-mail editor@environ.irlgov.ie
2. Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland run an extensive
training programme for those interested in practical ways
to improve their environment. Typical fees are £35 a
day, some concessions. Contact Sharon Austin, Conservation
Volunteers Northern Ireland, Dendron Lodge, Clandeboye Estate,
Bangor, Co Down BT19 1RN, ph 028 - 91 852 817, e-mail s.Austin@btcv.org.uk
The website is at www.cvni.org.uk
Get your Monitor Tool-Kit
out
"A Monitor's Tool-Kit - A practice and skills development
programme" was put together by Eldred de Klerk for the
Community Development Centre, North Belfast in 2001 but not
distributed due to the latter's closure. It includes material
on assumptions, roles and functions, community conflict, negotiating
and mediating under stress etc. Available by e-mail, 76 pages
in Rich Text Format. Contact: Neil Jarman, Institute for Conflict
Research, Unit 14, North City Business Centre, 2 Duncairn
Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GG, e-mail deputy@conflictresearch.org.uk
or ph 028 - 9074 2682. ICR website is at www.conflictresearch.org.uk
See the Belfast evaluation
of Iraq wars actions
A four-page report is now available from an evaluation meeting
in Belfast of actions in opposition to the Iraq war. The evaluation
was held jointly by the Justice Not Terror Coalition and Giro's.
The report is available free on demand, preferably by e-mail,
or exchange with like reports from elsewhere. Contact: JNTC,
e-mail jntc@post.com or phone 028 - 9064 7106 or 9024 9293.
Be a WRI admin/finance
worker
The War Resisters International seeks a part-time (2.5 days
per week) for central London office. A commitment to pacifism
essential. £18,492 pro rata. Deadline for applications
13 June, start 1 July 03. ph. 020 7278 4040, http://wri-irg.org
More information at http://www.wri-irg.org/news/2003/adminjob.htm
Amaze your family and friends this
summer
The Northern Ireland peace process might often seem to be
going around in circles, so an appropriate monument to it
is the hedge Peacemaze at Castlewellan Forest Park, Castlewellan,
Co Down, 32 miles south of Belfast. It is officially the largest
hedge maze in the world (6,000 yew trees, over 3 kms of path)
and was planted to mark the route to peace taken by the people
of Northern Ireland following the Good Friday Agreement of
1998. Don't hedge your bets, yew can check it out in person
(suitable for adults and children) or on the web at www.peacemaze.com
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