What’s on soon: from Whangarei to Dunedin
Over the past weekend and up until the 3 Oct there are events and marches around the country for peace and non-violence. This posting comes from Peace Movement Aotearoa.
Information about the International Day of Peace and the International Day of Prayer for Peace (21 September), and event listings, are available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/ipd09.htm
* Whangarei
~ Monday, 21 September: Hotshot coffee-break for climate change and peace, an event marking the International Day of Peace and the Global Climate Wake-Up Call. Sign on to the global petition for climate change, with resources from campaigning groups and white poppies available, the hotshot coffee-break will conclude with a Prayer for Peace. From 10.35am to 12 noon, at the Mokoba Cafe, Quayside, Town Basin; for more information please contact email hinerau22@gmail.com
* Waiheke Island
~ Sunday, 20 to Saturday, 26 September: Waiheke Island Walk for Peace, and Nuclear Abolition Flame Vigil, the Walk for Peace is to mark the International Day of Peace and promote the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Gather from 10am at the Peace Rock in Ostend, the walk leaves at 11am and goes to Alison Park. Peace Walkers will carry the Nuclear Abolition Flame, which will then return to the Nuclear Abolition Flame Vigil at Peace Rock until 26 September; the flame will then be taken to Auckland for the opening events of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence on 27 September. Organised by the Waiheke Island Peace Group, for more information contact email peaceseat22@yahoo.com
* Auckland
~ Monday 21 September: Fifth Flowers on the Ocean of Peace Ceremony, you are invited to commemorate the International Day of Peace by participating in ‘Flowers on the Ocean of Peace’. Starts 4pm, at the Orewa Beach Surf Club, all welcome. Organised by the local United Nations Association branch, sponsored by Flowers by Joanne, for more information contact email rhyl@ihug.co.nz
~ Monday, 21 September: Does non-violence work? Come along to the screening of ‘A Force More Powerful’ Part I, three short films (3 x 30 minutes) on how non-violent resistance has overcome violent repression * Nashville, 1960: students organized to break the demeaning segregation laws * India, 1930: Gandhi defied the British monopoly on salt production, and eventually gains India’s independence * South Africa, 1980-1993: apartheid overcome by thoughtful planning and sacrifice. Starts 7.30pm, at The Peace Place, 22 Emily Place, City, admission by koha / donation; for more information please contact email pmopnz@yahoo.com.au Screening of Part II is on Monday, 28 September.
~ Friday, 25 September: Action for Children & Youth Aotearoa AGM, with guest speaker Ced Simpson talking about schools and human rights – the collaborative initiative to ensure New Zealand schools and ECE services contribute to implementation of article 42 of UNCROC (making its principles and provisions “widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike”) and the educational impact we can expect. Light refreshments from 5.30pm, meeting and speaker from 6pm to 8pm, Parnell Room, Ground Floor Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland. All welcome, but if you are planning on attending, please RSVP asap to email judith.mcm@xtra.co.nz for catering purposes.
~ Sunday, 27 September: Auckland Peace Heritage Walk, an International Day of Peace and World March for Peace and Nonviolence event. The walk starts with a “Wake up For Peace” flash mob in QEII Square, visits a number of peace heritage sites around the central city, and ends at St-Matthew-in-the-City with a celebration including music and presentations on the theme of peace. Starts 10am in QEll Square by the Ahi K sculpture, with the celebration at St Matthews from 12.30pm to 2.30pm; more information is available at http://www.fusecreative.co.nz/worldmarch/events_auck.html
~ Monday, 28 September: Does non-violence work? Come along to the screening of ‘A Force More Powerful’ Part II, three short films (3 x 30 minutes) on how non-violent resistance has overcome violent repression * Denmark, 1940: a country organized to resist the Nazi invasion without violence * Poland, 1981: shipyard workers organize for just pay and overcome their own repressive government and begin the downfall of the Soviet Empire * Chile, 1988: a nation organizes to overthrow the dictator Pinochet. Starts 7.30pm, at The Peace Place, 22 Emily Place, City, admission by koha / donation; for more information please contact email pmopnz@yahoo.com.au
~ Saturday, 3 October - Rally for Justice and Peace in Palestine, come and support justice and peace based on an end to 40 years of Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (including East Jerusalem), the right of return for Palestinian refugees, sharing Jerusalem, vacating all settlement colonies in Israeli occupied Palestine, and stopping Israel’s annexation / apartheid wall in occupied Palestine. Starts 2pm, QEII Square, Customs Street and Queen Street intersection, outside Downtown Shopping Centre. Organised by the Palestine Human Rights Campaign, for more information contact email wakim.fam@xtra.co.nz
* Whanganui
~ Sunday, 20 September – ‘Reconciliation, Truth, and Bridgebuilding’ is the theme of this year’s Whanganui International Day of Peace Celebration – a panel led discussion from 2 to 5pm at the Quaker Settlement, 76 Virginia Road; the programme is available at http://www.wanganui.com/activitieslbr-ga-events/3-conferences/195-international-day-of-peace-more-information?6eea1a9fe9982ea59848074023d19e08=5be85223f5a3e652274de1591c6bd851Organised by Operation Peace through Unity and the United Nations Association of New Zealand, Whanganui Branch, for more information contact email peaceday09@gmail.com or optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz
~ Monday, 21 September: launch of the Whanganui contributory walk to the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, starts 12 noon at the peace sculpture ‘Handspan’, Queens Park, with further send-off activities at Majestic Square approximately from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, before proceeding up Victoria Avenue. The walk will then proceed to reach Wellington on 2 October, see details below, for the launch of World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Organised by Operation Peace through Unity, for more information contact email optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz
* Whanganui to Wellington
~ Monday, 21 to Tuesday, 29 September – Walk for Peace and Reconciliation, starts in Whanganui on the International Day of Peace (see listing in Whanganui section above), the route is: * 21 September, Whanganui to Ratana; * 22 September, Ratana to Bulls; * 23 September, Bulls to Foxton Flats; * 24 September, Foxton Flats to Levin; * 25 September, Levin to Otaki; * 26 September, Otaki to Waikanae; * 27 September, Waikanae to Paekakariki; * 28 September, Paekakariki to Porirua; * 29 September, Porirua to Wellington. Organised by Operation Peace through Unity, for more information contact email optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz
* Wellington
~ Sunday, 20 September: Wellington Global Mala 2009 – the Global Mala Project is the seed of a world-wide experiment into the power of meditation in action, the yoga worlds offering to further the UN International Peace Day. The purpose of the Global Mala is to unite the global yoga community from every continent, school or approach to form a mala around the earth. Starts at 1pm, at Capital E – Wellington Global Mala 2009 will be offering live music, kirtan, the opportunity to do 108 sun salutations (you know you want to and WE know you CAN!), meditation, 108 OMs, activities for the kids, free chai at around 4.30pm; more information is available at http://pranaflownz.com/wellington-global-mala/
~ Monday, 28 to Friday, 29 September: Gandhi exhibition, “photographs, taken by D.R.D Wadia, display a range of moods and qualities of Gandhi, helping us to see him with very human concerns and feelings and imperfections – and as someone who reached beyond these to inspire us all in the pursuit of peace, compassion, integrity and justice”, at the Wellington central library. Organised by the Peace Foundation Wellington Office, for more information contact email alynw@world-net.co.nz
~ Thursday, 1 October: End NZ support for the ‘war on terrorism’ peace vigil, 5pm to 6pm at the Cenotaph (corner Lambton Quay and Bowen Street). The vigils are held on the first Thursday of each month; for more information contact Peace Movement Aotearoa email pma@xtra.co.nz
~ Thursday, 1 October: Political, radical, interactive bible study for peace, with shared food around 6pm (after the peace vigil, details above), bible study at 7pm. In the bus at the US Embassy, corner Fitzherbert Terrace and Murphy Street, Thorndon; organised by the Wellington Waihopai Ploughshares Support Group.
~ Thursday, 1 to Saturday, 3 October: World March for Peace and Nonviolence events in Wellington, details are available at http://www.fusecreative.co.nz/worldmarch/events_well.html
* Christchurch
~ Sunday, 20 September: Diana Madgin of Quakers will lead a 2 hour walk the day before the International Day of Peace; starts at 2pm at the Fire Fighters Memorial, if you arrive a little later go to the Elsie Locke Park outside the Centennial Pool on Oxford Terrace. Please bring your sun hat, camera and a water bottle; if it rains the walk will be postponed until Sunday 27 September with all arrangements remaining the same. For more information please contact email dmw14@ext.canterbury.ac.nz
~ Monday, 21 September: Peace walk, followed by soup and bread rolls, then Natasha Barnes, a researcher at the University of Canterbury, will speak about Small Arms and Nuclear Disarmament. * 5pm to 5.30pm gather in the Elsie Locke Park, behind the Centennial Pool on Oxford Terrace, and proceed to Latimer Square and then to Canterbury Womens House, 190 Worcester Street * 6pm, speaker at Canterbury Women’s House. Groups are making simple ‘WMD-WeMustDisarm’ banners to carry on the Peace Walk. Organised by the United Nations Association Canterbury Branch, for more information contact email njb103@student.canterbury.ac.nz
~ Wednesday, 23 September: ‘Soldiers of Peace’, premier screening in Aotearoa New Zealand of the powerful documentary narrated by Michael Douglas as a fundraiser for the World March for Peace and nonviolence. “‘Soldiers of Peace’ travels around the globe revealing the inspiring every day people who are proving that peace is a more viable alternative to war in these turbulent times. Through tolerance and understanding, the film illustrates the connections between individual acts of enterprise and heroism, and the systemic changes we now need, if we are to survive the 21st Century. Featuring interviews with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Hans Blix, Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Richard Branson amongst many others, ‘Soldiers Of Peace’ takes us on an inspiring journey across 14 countries and shows us we really can make a difference. In a world dominated by the negative – this film offers the life affirmative message that peace can be achieved.” Starts 8pm at the Regent on Worcester, tickets are $15 and bookings are essential – to book please contact email tseringimports@yahoo.co.nz or tel (03) 385 9590, payment by credit card, direct debit, cheque or cash, and tickets will be posted out to you or available for collection as you prefer. Organised and sponsored by Friend of Tibet Christchurch and The Tibetan Yak Ltd, a printable flyer for this event is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/sop0909.pdf
~ Saturday, 26 September: Pot luck meal to celebrate Eid, the end of Ramadan, and an evening of fun and friendship with like-minded people. Starts 6pm, at the WEA, 59 Gloucester Street, please bring $5 (or more) as a donation for Gaza. Organised by Justice for Palestine, if you are planning on attending please RSVP to email mandlgriffiths@clear.net.nz
~ Sunday, 27 September: ‘Soldiers of Peace’, screening of the powerful documentary narrated by Michael Douglas as a fundraiser for the World March for Peace and nonviolence. “‘Soldiers of Peace’ travels around the globe revealing the inspiring every day people who are proving that peace is a more viable alternative to war in these turbulent times. Through tolerance and understanding, the film illustrates the connections between individual acts of enterprise and heroism, and the systemic changes we now need, if we are to survive the 21st Century. Featuring interviews with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Hans Blix, Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Richard Branson amongst many others, ‘Soldiers Of Peace’ takes us on an inspiring journey across 14 countries and shows us we really can make a difference. In a world dominated by the negative – this film offers the life affirmative message that peace can be achieved.” Starts 2pm at the Regent on Worcester, tickets are $15 and bookings are essential – to book please contact email tseringimports@yahoo.co.nz or tel (03) 385 9590, payment by credit card, direct debit, cheque or cash, and tickets will be posted out to you or available for collection as you prefer. Organised and sponsored by Friend of Tibet Christchurch and The Tibetan Yak Ltd, a printable flyer for this event is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/sop0909.pdf
* DUNEDIN
Wednesday, 23 September: ‘Enlarging the Boundaries of Compassion: Opportunities and Challenges for Peace Research in the 21st Century’, inaugural professorial lecture by Kevin Clements, Chair of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. Starts 5.30pm, College of Education Auditorium, Union Street East, University of Otago. If you are planning on attending, please RSVP for catering purposes to email peaceandconflict@otago.ac.nz or tel (03) 479 4546. A printable flyer for this event is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/cpcs0909a.pdf
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