Day of Reflection on
Northern Ireland
The Day of Reflection website - www.dayofreflection.com -
is now live. The website contains all the latest information
regarding the forthcoming initial Day of Private Reflection
on Thursday, 21st June 2007. It has full details on background,
Healing Through Remembering, ideas for participation, resources,
FAQs etc. We encourage you to visit the site, send us on details
of how you plan to mark this initial Day of Private Reflection,
post any comments and feedback about the initiative and forward
the link to the website onto anyone else you think may be
interested. Elaine Armstrong, Healing Through Remembering,
Alexander House, 17a Ormeau Avenue, Belfast BT2 8HD, ph 028-9023-8844,
e-mail elaine@healingthroughremembering.org
web http://www.healingthroughremembering.org
Sustainable disarmament
for sustainable development
Dr Tony Kemspter, who is an accomplished commentator and musician,
and among many other positions a Vice President of the International
Peace Bureau (IPB, http://www.ipb.org)
is once again providing programme for and through INNATE.
Programme includes the following, on the IPB theme of ‘Sustainable
disarmament for sustainable development’ unless otherwise
stated:
Tuesday 23rd May, pm, meeting International
Peace Walkers;
Wednesday 23rd May, 11 am, main theme at
Irish School of Ecumenics (ISE), Belfast, contact ISE for
details (ph 9077 0061, e-mail poolea@tcd.ie);
Wednesday 23rd May at 7.30 pm, South Belfast
Friends Meeting House (Quakers), 22 Marlborough Park North,
Belfast, discussion on “Peacekeeping and conflict
intervention in military and nonviolent traditions”
with a veteran military peacekeeper and Tony Kemspter (contact
INNATE for further details, co-hosted by Quaker Peace Committee)
- Thursday 24th May 10 am, main theme with CADA (aid and
development related bodies) in Belfast, contact INNATE for
information;
Thursday evening, potluck supper at Kilcranny
House, Coleraine, music and conversation with Tony Kempster
(contact Kilcranny House,
info@kilcrannyhouse.org. ph 028 7032 1816);
Friday 25th May, 2pm, Irish School of Ecumenics,
Dublin, main theme, contact ISE for details (peacesec@tcd.ie
or 01 2601144 ext 113)
Friends of the Earth
Island Gathering
Friends of the Earth will be hosting its Island Gathering
at the Tí Chulainn Cultural Centre in Mullaghbane,
near Newry, on 19 and 20 May 2007. The theme of this year’s
event will be climate change and the need for legislation
to curb UK and Ireland CO2 emissions. Highlights include a
keynote address by ecological architect and TV presenter Duncan
Stewart, a panel discussion on the role of faith in environmentalism
chaired by BBC Northern Ireland’s William Crawley, updates
on current national campaigns in both the UK and Ireland from
Friends of the Earth directors John Woods and Oisín
Coghlan as well workshops and training sessions on how to
campaign more effectively and lobby your local MP/TD. BBC
Radio Ulster’s religion and ethics programme, Sunday
Sequence, will be broadcast live from the Gathering on the
morning of Sunday 20th May. Tickets cost €60/£40
for residential delegates and €30/£20 for non-residential.
All meals will be provided. Places are limited so booking
early is advised. Those interested in attending should contact
Colette Stewart on 028 90233488 or email colette.stewart@foe.co.uk.
Interfaith Peace Walk:
Towards a nuclear free future
On Sunday May 13th Footprints for Peace, an Australian grassroots
peace group, will begin an 86 day Interfaith Peace Walk “towards
a nuclear free future” from Dublin to London. The walk
will follow a route along the East Coast of Ireland from Dublin
to Belfast. Taking a ferry across to Scotland, the walk will
continue up to Faslane Trident Nuclear Submarine Base, down
to Sellafield in Cumbria before heading to Menwith Hill and
Fylingdales (near Leeds) which is an American Spy Base. Finally
the walk will continue to Aldermaston Nuclear Facility, before
reaching London for the anniversary of Hiroshima on August
6th. Along the way the walk will work with local communities
to raise public awareness about the suffering and coercion
that communities and environment throughout the world face
by the nuclear industry. This is an open walk, accessible
for all and focused on creating a family atmosphere. We would
like people to come and walk with us – for a single
step, a whole day or a few weeks. If you cannot walk there
are many ways you can support this walk. For more information
please contact Marcus & Kerrie-Ann on 07881425531 (UK)
/ 0870687899 (Ireland) or ka@footprintsforpeace.net or http://www.footprintsforpeace.net
(the info’s all there!)
Dublin public meeting, Wednesday 9th May at
8.30 pm in the Boardroom of Buswells hotel, Molesworth Street.
Peace Walk launch with Deputy Lord
Mayor Aodhan O’Riordan and Proinnsias de Rossa MEP,
Sunday 13th May 9.30 am at GPO, O’Connell Street,
Dublin – bring colour and creativity.
Stopover points are as follows (leaving
the following morning at 9 am, except Dundalk and Belfast):
Swords 13th May, Skerries 14th, Drogheda 15th. Ardee 16th,
Dundalk 17th, Newry 19th, Banbridge 20th, Lisburn 21st,
Belfast 22nd. Look out for local events (including civic
receptions in Newry, Lisburn, Belfast) and music event at
South Belfast Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, 22 Marlborough
Park North, at 7pm Tuesday 22nd.
Thursday 24th, 9 am, International
Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament, walk from City
Hall, Belfast, 9 am, to Stormont. 7.30 pm Showing of docu-drama
‘Nuclear Secrets – Vanunu and the Bomb’
(benefit for Moredechai Vanunu, co-hosted Peace People)
at Frederick Street Friends Meeting House, Belfast.
Peace and Reconciliation
Group, Derry, training
Advanced Conflict Resolution and Mediation Skills (10 day
course) OCN Level 3, Credits 9, starts on 18th May running
through to late June, course fee £300 (need to have
done appropriate intermediate course); Exploring Diversity:
Facilitating Community Relations Work (10 day course), OCN
Level 3, Credits 12, starts on 12th September running into
mid-November, course fee £300. Further details: 028
- 71 369206, by email at info@peaceprg.co.uk
or at 18/20 Bishop Street, L/Derry, BT48 6PW.
Religion and the Other
A Day of Reflection led by John D’Arcy May at Quaker
House, Stocking Lane, Dublin on Saturday 26th May 2007, 10.00
am - 4.00 pm. We intensify the Problem of relating to the
Other when the Other to be acknowledged, the Stranger to be
welcomed, the Enemy to be reconciled, are religiously different
from us. Why is this? What gives religion its power to exacerbate
conflict, but also to transform it? This is Dublin Peace Committee’s
third seminar. For more information: Sean McCrum, phone: 01
(00 353 1 from North) - 679 3279, email: smccrum@eircom.net
CAJ – Bill of
rights
CAJ is busy as usual on a variety of fronts - equality, criminal
justice and policing, but most especially on the Bill of Rights,
where exciting new developments are underway. The Round Table
Forum, promised in 2003 (sic!), has at last been established
with Australian human rights expert Chris Sidoti as its independent
chair. Composed half of politicians, and half of civil society
representatives, the Forum will begin its work in coming weeks.
It will want to build on earlier phases of the consultation,
but is also being urged to engage with the many people who
are unaware that there is even a debate underway! To assist
in such work, CAJ has (re)issued a Bill of Rights information
pack for use at local level. The pack is a stand-alone introduction
to the debate, is very user-friendly and is free. For order
form, see CAJ website or http://www.caj.org.uk
CAJ, 45/47 Donegall Street, Belfast BT1 2BR, ph 028 –
9096 1122.
Amnesty International
NI – Protect the Human, stories
l3rd – 19th May: 12 Venues within the Cathedral Quarter,
Belfast; Amnesty International are bringing the popular Protect
the Human photo exhibition to Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter
Arts Festival. Well-known figures from the worlds of literature,
music, film and sport have joined the world's first virtual
demonstration to promote the values of Amnesty International.
The exhibition will be showing in 12 venues through out the
Cathedral Quarter and the public will be asked to follow the
trail and fill out the action card so that they can receive
Amnesty's monthly e-zine.
l10th May, 7.30pm, Unemployed Resource Centre,
Donegall St, Belfast; Campaigners from Guatemala and Mexico
tell their powerful stories about seeking justice for women
who have been brutally murdered or assaulted in these two
countries. Amnesty International, 397 Ormeau Rd, Belfast BT7
3GP, ph 028 90 643000.
Trade unions and the
Iraq war – Belfast
Anti War Ireland, Belfast are hosting a public meeting on
'Trade Unions and the Iraq War' at 7.30pm Thursday 17th May,
Transport House, High Street, Belfast. Meeting held by Anti
War Ireland, Belfast awibelfast@googlemail.com
New reps for Quaker
House, Belfast
Anne Bennett has finished her period as representative with
Quaker House, Belfast (farewell and thanks – Ed). Tim
Foley and Olive Hobson have been appointed to the post as
a job share, starting in June; Olive and Tim both live in
Portadown and work part-time for Mediation Northern Ireland
as associates. They wish to continue Anne’s work in
addressing racism, sectarianism, dealing with the past and
promoting reconciliation, and are keen to consult widely in
order to focus the work and would be glad to hear from you.
Quaker House, 40 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8BA. ph 028-
90249293, e-mail. representative@quakerhousebelfast.org
Designing an all-inclusive
democracy
“Designing an All-Inclusive Democracy - Consensual Voting
Procedures for Use in Parliaments, Councils and Committees”
is a new and comprehensive book edited by Peter Emerson to
be published by Springer in June; the launch will be by Elizabeth
Meehan in the Long Room at Stormont on 20th June. 188 pages,
includes CD-Rom. € 74.95 or £ 57.50, ISBN-10: 3-540-33163-8,
ISBN-13: 978-3-540-33163-6. Contact: De Borda Institute, 36
Ballysillan Road, Belfast BT14 7QQ, ph 028 9071 1795 http://www.deborda.org
Shared future: Ballymena…..in
Navan
Meath Peace Group public talk: Monday 21st May at 8pm, Newgrange
Hotel, Navan:
‘Towards a Shared Future: Ballymena’. Speakers:
Jackie Patton (Community Relations Officer, Ballymena), Delia
Close, Vice-chair, District Policing Partnership, Ballymena,
and Ronnie Hassard (Principal of Ballymena Academy) This is
the 3rd talk in our series on the ‘Shared Future’
policy; transcripts of previous talks available on http://www.meathpeacegroup.org;
contact Julitta Clancy on 01 8259438 or email meathpeace@hotmail.com
Afri Famine Walk, Doolough-Louisburgh
The theme this year is Voices in the Wilderness: Erris…
Fossil Fuels…Global Warming. Walk Leaders are Mark Garavan
(spokesperson, Shell to Sea), Gary White Deer (painter, chanter,
Irish-Choctaw Famine Link), Dr. Janie White Deer (educational
administrator and consultant), John Hoban (muscician and artist)
and children from Louisburgh National School. The walk goes
from Doolough to Louisburgh, Co. Mayo beginning at 2pm on
Saturday 26th May 2007, beginning at 2pm. Organised by Afri
and Louisburgh Community Project. Afri, 134 Phibsborough Road,
Dublin 7, ph 01 – 8827581/8827563, e-mail afri@iol.ie
and website http://www.afri.ie
At Ease
'At Ease' - a small, voluntary, independent, London-based
support line & advocacy link for young people and others
in the Brish armed forces is holding an info workshop about
their work with the possibility of supporting them in Northern
Ireland. Gwyn Gwyntopher, experienced 'At Ease' advice &
advocacy worker
Saturday 5th May 2pm in PeaceHouse/Fredheim, 224 Lisburn Rd,
Belfast. All welcome; contact: Mark 0798 354 9472.
Peace Movements in the
Cold War and Beyond
The Cold War Studies Centre (CWSC) at the London School of
Economics (LSE) together with the Centre for the Study of
Global Governance (LSE) and Free University of Amsterdam are
requesting support for an international conference entitled
‘Peace Movements in the Cold War and Beyond’ taking
place from 31st January to 2nd February 2008 at the LSE in
London. The objective of this conference is to discuss and
highlight the significance of peace movements during the Cold
War era in order to draw conclusions for the analysis of contemporary
socio-political reality and the evaluation and resolution
of its conflicts and to encourage research and teaching on
the history of peace movements. Further
information here.
New presidents for Pax
Christi International
Pax Christi International (PCI) has elected Archbishop Laurent
Monsengwo and Marie Dennis as the new Presidents of Pax Christi
International at their Annual General Assembly taking place
28th April 2007 in Antwerp, Belgium. Their 3 years mandate
as co-presidents begins at the Triennial World Assembly of
Pax Christi International, which will take place from 30 October
to 4 November 2007 in Torhout/Bruges. The present International
President, H.B. Michel Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem,
will remain in office until then. See http://www.paxchristi.net
Guidelines on Freedom
of Peaceful Assembly
A new document has been produced by ODIHR on guidelines for
freedom of assembly (103 pages); the Institute for Conflict
Research’s Neil Jarman was chair of the panel responsible
for the drafting of the report, and Michael Hamilton (University
of Ulster) was secretary. Published by the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Al. Ujazdowskie
19, 00-557 Warsaw, Poland, http://www.osce.org/odihr
and is available in pdf format. ICR, Unit 14 North City Business
Centre, 2 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GG, ph 028 90 742
682, web http://www.conflictresearch.org.uk
Global Peacebuilders
project and directory
The Global Peacebuilders project will bring together the sheer
diversity of organisations and practitioners working in peacebuilding,
conflict resolution, conflict transformation and community
relations around the world by putting together a large online
and searchable database of organisations and their work profiles
into one central site. Included will be
- Multi-lingual online database of organisations and practitioners
working around peacebuilding, conflict transformation and
peace and reconciliation across the world
- Publication of a unique best practice catalogue of examples
and lessons learned in the fields of peacebuilding, conflict
transformation and peace and reconciliation
- International conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, bringing
together speakers, leaders, facilitators and researchers in
the fields of peacebuilding, conflict transformation and peace
and reconciliation from around the world.
If interested in joining in, contributing, or learning more,
contact: Sarah Maitland, the Global Peacebuilders Project
Coordinator on: 028 - 9031 5111, e-mail sarah@springboard-opps.org
and web http://www.springboard-opps.org
Children in Crossfire
– Belfast fundraiser
Friday 1st June from 8pm – 1 am sees Bap Kennedy, Peter
PcLoughlin, John D’Arcy, Mike Gaston, Sarah Bell and
Heather McIldowney, with DJ, Gary McIldowmey, at Crescent
Arts Centre, Belfast. Tickets £15 from Crescent Arts
centre and Carlin Records, Newry; further info 07711643995.
Community festival of
resistance to Shell
Rossport Solidarity Camp 3rd Summer Gathering takes place
the June Bank Holiday weekend, 1-4th June; come and celebrate
all the successes of the Shell to Sea campaign. Music, workshops,
discussions & children's events. All welcome – but
help neded to organise musics and bands, workshops, speakers
and discussion, children’s events, and general help
and clearing up. For more info ph 0857629614, see also http://struggle.ws/rsc/
Overland to Israel &
Palestine
‘Small Steps’ is small group of people from the
UK who are travelling to Israel and the Palestinian territories
overland this summer (end of July) with the intention to learn
about non-violence, the world, ourselves, what individuals
can do to effect social change and life in both Israel and
The Palestinian Territories. See http://www.small-steps.net
or contact Small Steps at info@small-steps.net or by calling
Dan Bevan +44 (0)7799 176061 or Jodie Turner +44 (0)7747 420396.
Nonviolent News e-mailed, suggested donation £5 or €8
minimum. SUBS are on a calendar year basis so ARE
NOW DUE for 2007 and can be paid by PayPal on the
website as well as by British or Irish cheques.
INNATE networking group meets on 16th
May and 13th June at 7 pm in Corrymeela House, 8 Upper Crescent,
Belfast. All welcome. A warm thank you to Anne Bennett for
all her involvement(s) while in Belfast.
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