This is a call out to individuals from communities all across Aotearoa to join in organising an ongoing project which aims to start a Peoples Movement actively addressing the Root Causes of Climate Change

Join us at Parihaka for a weekend of tasting and devouring, information, discussions and workshops on climate chaos and climate justice. The bases of the gathering is to share skills, up skill and take action. Some of the workshops are on topics such as permaculture, collective organising and direct action strategies. For more information please contact: climatecampnz[at]riseup.net http://www.climatecamp.org.nz/HOME.html

What is a Climate Camp?

Climate Camps have been successfully held in several countries. Each camp has generally covered the following themes: direct action, education, direct democracy, sustainable living and building a movement to effectively tackle climate change by both resisting climate damaging activities and developing sustainable solutions. The camps are a place for anyone to take action on climate change; for anyone who’s fed up with empty government rhetoric and corporate spin; for anyone who’s worried that the small steps we’ve been encouraged to make in our personal lives aren’t enough to match the scale of the problem; and for anyone who’s worried about our future and wants to do something about it.

How is this organised?

Previous camps have been organised in a community based and collaborative way. Before and during camp regional groups [Auckland group / Whangarei group / nelson group / Christchurch group / new groups] work and organise by making decisions together and sending prooposals to one another. This is different from coming as a representative of an organisation, and is far more democratic, sustainable and conducive to building a peoples movement. There are already many regional and issue based working groups up and running that you can join, maybe there’s one in your area, if not feel free to get in touch and start one up yourself.

Hope to see you at Parihaka!

Canon Oestreicher is an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians, in spite of having a German Jewish father.. At the age of seven he experienced first hand the Nazi pogrom of Kristallnacht that forced his parents to go into hiding. He and his parents were fortunate to be among the 1000 Jews allowed to immigrate into New Zealand in 1939 for the price of £2000. His grandmother, who hoped to follow, was not so fortunate. She died in the holocaust.

Living in Dunedin he suffered from the stigma of being both a “Hun and a Jew” although his family were practicing Quakers. While studying politics at Otago University he became an Anglican. After post-graduate study in Germany he was ordained a priest, serving most of his ministry in England. In 1985 he was elected the Bishop of Wellington, but his election was not sanctioned by New Zealand’s bishops at the time because of his views were considered too radical. In retrospect, Canon Oestreicher has expressed relief at this outcome. He has used these years to continue his focus on reconciliation and peace issues.

In addition to his work on behalf the Palestinian peoples he has been a strong advocate of for nuclear disarmament and has worked bringing reconciliation between the people of Dresden who suffered the greatest loss of life of any city and the English whose RAF firebombed them during World War II. He recently represented Coventry Cathedral at the opening of the rebuilt Frauenkirche, Dresden’s famous cathedral, destroyed during the bombing.

Canon Oestreicher will preach at the 10:00am Good Friday Service on 10 April and at the 8:00am and 10:00am services on Easter Sunday, 12 April.

On April 11 he will be interviewed on Kim Hill’s National Radio morning show. -

• The second biggest killer of children under five worldwide is the lack of clean and accessible drinking water.
• Nearly 5,000 children die every day as a result of water-related diseases including cholera, typhoid and malaria.
• Just $1 can provide a child with safe drinking water for 30 days.  

What’s the Tap Project about?

This is the second year that New Zealand has taken part in The Tap Project (also running in the US) and already a record 300+ restaurants and cafes across the country have signed up to participate, including a number of major chains (all listed on our website: www.tapproject.org.nz).  

In the lead up to World Water Day on 22 March, the campaign celebrates the clean and plentiful tap water Kiwis are lucky enough to enjoy, while helping UNICEF provide safe drinking water for the world’s poorest children, with this year’s proceeds going to specific projects in Laos. 

Five easy ways to get involved

It’s really easy for everyone to get involved and a great way to make a life-saving difference to the futures of thousands of children.

1. Dine out or have a coffee at participating establishments and make a donation whilst there – all venues listed at www.tapproject.org.nz/restaurants.html
2. Make a donation online at www.tapproject.org.nz or by texting TAP to 833 ($3 automatic donation)
3. Join the Facebook group and help spread the word about the Tap Project. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11175254404
4. Get your school or workplace involved by running water-themed events or activities, e.g. donations for drinking water from the water cooler. Download free education resources at www.tapproject.org.nz
5. Come to UNICEF’s World Water Day events:  On World Water Day - Sunday 22 March, local councillors will join a water challenge to coincide with Wellington’s dragon boat festival. On Sunday 5 April, an attempt will be made in Auckland to break the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simultaneous squirting of water pistols.   

Celebrity support

Many New Zealand celebrities are supporting the campaign, including Mike McRoberts, Alison Mau, Jay Reeves and Amber Peebles.

Further Information:

• For news, videos, online donation and useful info and links: www.tapproject.org.nz
• Media enquiries: david@unicef.org.nz (David Youngmeyer)
• General enquiries: carolyn@unicef.org.nz (Carolyn Shivanandan)
• UNICEF NZ: www.unicef.org.nz

For those of you who may be interested in exploring the issues of faith and anarchism, activism, power, community, indigeniety, feminism - nau mai haere mai ki to matou hui o te whakapono me te rangatiratanga.

The 3rd annual South Pacific Christian Anarchist conference will be held this 11-13 July 2008 at Onuku Marae, Banks Peninsula, Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand. Previous hui in 2006 and 2007 were hosted by christian anarchists in Tauranga, Aotearoa NZ, and Brisbane, Australia. This year’s conference has a particular kaupapa guiding it, around women’s role in activism, peace making and community building.

A link to our website, with information and a downloadable poster, is here: http://anz.jesusradicals.com/index.html

Questions and contributions to the ongoing planning of our hui, are welcome.

Noho ora mai, kia tau te rangimarie ki a koutou

Jo