[This is a supplement to Nonviolence News 251 with mainly time-limited or immediate information, not a full issue (the next one will appear at the start of September]
New international treaty prohibits nuclear weapons
On 7th July at the United Nations in New York, negotiations which started back in March came to a climax with the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. With only one vote against and 122 in favour, the outcome showed the determination of the vast majority of the world's states to increase the momentum towards the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Although the negotiating conference was boycotted by the nuclear weapons possessors and many of their allies, the treaty has been hailed by campaigners as a significant step in de-legitimising nuclear arms by declaring it illegal to "develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices", to threaten their use, or to assist others in their development. This explicit prohibition closes a loophole in the 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty, which has been exploited by nuclear-armed states to avoid their disarmament obligations under that treaty. irishcnd.blogspot.co.uk and www.icanw.org More information in September issue.
Hiroshima Day in Dublin
The annual commemoration for the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bomb will take place on Sunday, 6th August, the 72nd anniversary of the bombing, at 1.10 p.m. at the memorial cherry tree in Merrion Square park, Dublin 2. The ceremony will take place at the memorial cherry tree planted by Irish CND in 1980. Ms Midori Yamamitsu, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Japanese Embassy in Ireland, and Cllr Larry O'Toole, representing the Lord Mayor of Dublin, will speak at the ceremony. There will be short contributions of poetry and music from Irish and Japanese artists (weather permitting) and the laying of a wreath at the memorial tree. Representatives of several other embassies will also be in attendance.
An estimated 80,000 people were directly killed by the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, with casualties reaching 140,000 within a year. Approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons remain in the world today. While this is less than the Cold War peak, it is still enough to destroy life on earth as we know it many times over. www.irishcnd.blogspot.ie and www.facebook.com
Casement's human rights legacy, Belfast event Front Line Defenders is collaborating with Christopher McAteer, Moving on Music's 2017/8 Emerging Artist, to present an event in the MAC Belfast at 7pm on 27th August reflecting on Roger Casement's human rights legacy in the modern world. There will be selected scenes from his 2014 opera Casement, alongside a discussion between human rights defenders, Ilot Alphonse Muthaka and María D'jalma Torres Sánchez, from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru respectively.
The discussion will be moderated by Casement expert and gay rights campaigner, Cllr Jeffrey Dudgeon. María D'jalma Torres Sánchez works on the rights of indigenous peoples to self-determination. Ilot Alphonse Muthaka fights for women's rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through mobilising men to support women's leadership and act as role models for positive masculinity. Admittance to this event is free but attenders are asked to consider a small contribution to the work of Front Line Defenders and www.facebook.com/FrontLineDefenders
Roger Casement Summer School, Dún Laoghaire
Focusing on Roger Casement's human rights record and its implications at home and abroad, this inaugural summer school runs from Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th August in the dlr Lexicon, Moran Park, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, with a variety of programme including talks and discussion, film, music, song and poetry. Speakers include Patrick Casement, Angus Mitchell, Margaret O'Callaghan, Ilot Alphonse Muthaka (Democratic Republic of Congo), Brendan Tobin, Maria D'Jalma Torres Sánchez (Peru), Bartholemew Ryan and Lucky Khambule, with closing remarks by Roger Cole. Admission €35. Contact 01 2859111 or 01 2302311, Facebook 'dlr roger casement summer school' and e-mail dlrrogercasementsummerschool@gmail.com
Alternatives to Violence Project workshops
The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) is a training programme enabling participants to deal with potentially violent situations in new and creative ways. Workshops are non-residential, run by trained AVP facilitators and experiential. Upcoming workshops include Dóchas Centre (women) 11th-13th August, basic workshop; Loughan House, 11th-13th August, basic workshop; Shelton Abbey, 15th-17th August, basic workshop; Mountjoy 18th-20th August, basic workshop TBC (to be confirmed);. Wheatfield, 15th-17th September, second level workshop. TBC; Portlaoise, September, basic workshop, date TBC; Training day for active facilitators, date TBC (3rd or 24th) October; Limerick, 6th-8th October, Male awareness TBC; Cork, 6th-8th October, Basic (or Second Level) workshop; Mountjoy, October, second level, date TBC. In the community; CDI, Tallaght, Dublin, basic workshop for volunteers waiting for their prison clearance, 13th-15th October, TBC. See avpireland.ie and also Nonviolent News 251.
Mediation Bill passed by Dáil
President of the MII/Mediators' Institute of Ireland Sabine Walsh has said "We are delighted that the Dáil has passed the Mediation Bill [13th July 2017] and that most of our concerns with the draft Bill have been addressed. The Bill has been in gestation for over seven years and the MII has been campaigning for such a Bill almost since the Institute's foundation 25 years ago. This is a significant milestone for the development of mediation in Ireland and an official recognition by the State of the contribution mediation can make to the improvement of dispute resolution systems in Ireland."
"The Bill will make mediation more available and deliver better resolutions, at a lower cost, to those who are involved in disputes," said Ms. Walsh. "Enactment of the Bill has the potential to divert many civil and commercial disputes from our courts and deliver major savings to individuals and the public purse.Whilst the MII recognises that the Seanad now has the important task of considering and scrutinising the Bill, we would encourage Seanadóirí to expedite its passage as soon as possible so that potential of the Bill can begin to be realised through its enactment."www.themii.ie
Tomorrow's Peacebuilders awards
Tomorrow's Peacebuilders awards, which are organised by Peace Direct, offer global recognition for grassroots peace activists in conflict affected countries. This is the fifth year of the awards and 963 organisations from 91 countries entered in the first four years. Previous winners have demonstrated the range of innovative local approaches to peace – former fighters coming together for peace in Israel-Palestine, overcoming prejudice in the Philippines, showing co-existence is possible in Colombia, and much more.
Three grassroots organisations will win a prize of $10,000 and online promotion of their work. The categories this year are: women-led peacebuilding, youth peacebuilding, and inter-religious peacebuilding. The deadline for entries is 6th September; entry forms and further details are onlinewww.peacedirect.org/tp
Corrymeela: Storywork, Moses learning to speak
A Summer School on storytelling for reconciliation, facilitated by Pádraig Ó Tuama and Sara Cook, takes place at the Corrymeela Centre, Ballycastle, from 20th – 24th August. This course will explore methodologies of narrative practice that are relevant for teamwork, community development and conflict situations. Cost: £599 (this rate comes with the offer for a single–occupancy room for £100 extra); if you wish to apply for a subsidised rate of £350, you may apply, and if there is success in raising other funds you will be let know. See www.corrymeela.org
Internationally renowned Jewish scholar Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg will consider the life of a human being born into genocide, nurtured in fear and trauma and wrestling with a complex and insecure identity yet also called to lead an emerging community into a new future. Drawing on the biblical accounts of Moses, alongside postmodern literary criticism, art history, psychotherapy, trauma and conflict studies as well as classical Jewish rabbinic midrash, she presents Moses as a survivor and the living metaphor of his people. Organised by Corrymeela and taking place at Conor Lecture Theatre, Ulster University, Belfast, at 7pm on 5th September, tickets £6, see www.corrymeela.org
The next issue of Nonviolent News will be for September with a deadline of 31st August.
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