HTR launch report on
Days of Reflection and Remembrance
On the 30th March Healing Through Remembering will launch
the second in a series of reports on issues of dealing with
the past. The report entitled "International Experiences
of Days of Reflection and Remembrance" details 13 days
of reflection or remembrance from around the world, both country
specific days such as Chile's "National Unity Day"
and worldwide days such as Human Rights Day, Holocaust Memorial
Day and Peace One Day. The launch, on 30th March from 6.00
pm – 7.30 pm at Healing Through Remembering, Alexander
House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, will feature three guest speakers
each presenting briefly on one of the days included in the
report and will be followed by a wine reception. All are welcome.
As space is limited, if you would like to attend please RSVP
to Elaine Hamilton at Healing Through Remembering via email
- rsvp@healingthroughremembering.org
or phone 028 - 9023 8844.
Irish Centre for Human
Rights
There is a lunchtime Seminar on "Human Rights in Irish
Foreign Policy - a practical guide" by Éamonn
Mac Aodha, Director, Human Rights Unit, Department of Foreign
Affairs on Thursday, 9th March 2006 from 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm
in the Conference Room, Irish Centre for Human Rights, Galway.
‘Taking CEDAW Seriously’ (Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women), supported by
the Women’s Human Rights Alliance, NUI Galway and Irish
Council for Civil Liberties; further details from WHRA at
091-764372 or e-mail womenshumanrights@eircom.net
Meanwhile Professor William A. Schabas, Professor of Human
Rights Law, NUI Galway and director of the Irish Centre for
Human Rights, has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada,
Canada's highest civilian honour. ICHR, NUI Galway, Galway,
ph 091 – 493948, e-mail humanrights@nuigalway.ie
and web: http://www.nuigalway.ie/human_rights
Iraq war 3rd anniversary
- The big demo to mark the global protest against war and
occupation is on Saturday 18th March at 2 pm at Parnell Square,
Dublin, under the label “US troops out of Iraq and Shannon
– No war on Iran – Stop CIA torture flights”.
It is supported by a wide raft of groups and parties including
Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM), Peace and Neutrality Alliance
(PANA), NGO Peace Alliance, SIPTU, ATGWU, Irish Palestine
Solidarity Campaign, Labour Party, Green Party, Sinn Féin,
Socialist Workers Party, and Federation of Student Islamic
Societies. See IAWM website at http://irishantiwar.org
- Meanwhile PANA together with the IAWM will
be holding ‘fly in’ demos at Aldergrove, Baldonell
and Shannon airports on Sunday 12th of March between 2 –
4 pm. People should turn up as near to the terminals as possible
or contact the following: Aldergrove - Dave Hyland, ph 028-302
66633; Baldonnell - Richard Boyd Barrett, ph 087-6329511;
Shannon - Ed Horgan, ph 085-1026633.
- Justice Not Terror Coalition (jntcx@bonbon.net)
based in Belfast is planning nonviolent action during the
week of 18th – 20th March in support of the Global Call
to Non-violent Civil Resistance to End the US-led Occupation
of Iraq http://www.aglobalcall.org
Other planned dates are: May 1, August 9, September 11 and
December 10. Anyone to leaflet, liaise, lie-in, lie down welcome.
Open weekly planning meetings at Peace House, 224 Lisburn
Road, Belfast, Tuesdays at 7.30pm. Contact ph 0771 511 0517.
Chernobyl Children’s
Project International
Marking the 20th Anniversary of the horrific Chernobyl tragedy,
Chernobyl Children’s Project International founder,
Adi Roche, has written a book called "Chernobyl Heart
- 20 Years On". As the Founder of Chernobyl Children’s
Project International, Adi Roche has worked for the past 15
years to provide humanitarian aid to the children of Belarus,
Western Russia and the Ukraine; the project has initiated
over 16 developmental and aid programmes and delivered humanitarian
and medical aid valued at over €60M to the areas most
affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. A rest and recuperation
program has enabled more than 13,000 sick children to come
to Ireland for medical treatment and recuperation over the
past 15 summers. The book is for sale in most bookshops for
€20. It can also be purchased direct from the CCPI office
by emailing adiroche@chernobyl-ireland.com
or order online from http://www.chernobyl-international.com
Phone 021-4312999. You can make secure donations via the website,
or donate via bank transfer or cheque. Postal address; CCPI,
Ballycurreeen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Army recruitment fair
leafleted
During the Troubles, many things went by the board in Northern
Ireland. Now for possibly the first time in many years, potential
recruits to the British army have been leafleted calling on
them to ‘think twice’, look at the realities of
army life, and consider alternatives for training or serving
their country. The recruitment fair at Kinnegar army base,
Holywood, Co Down which took place on 12th February was leafleted
by people associated with INNATE who, as well as handing out
their own leaflet, also gave out leaflets from At Ease advising
young people who join before 18 of their limited rights about
leaving before age 22 (see http://www.atease.org.uk).
While the army base called the police, the leafleting took
place on public property and the police visit to the leafleters
was short and polite. The INNATE leaflet is available on request
from INNATE (contacts at end); if you would be interested
in future leafleting, please also contact INNATE.
Kinder House, Killough,
Co Down
Kinder House is an independent, not for profit organisation
(its history linked with Dutch Pax Christi) which provides
a self-catering venue for residential work, particularly community
relations, and group development work with adults, young people
and families. It is based in the picturesque seaside village
of Killough, 6 miles from Downpatrick. There are a variety
of facilities and it can accommodate up to 27 people. Prices
per head range from £12 per person per night for very
small groups short stay to under £9 pppn for larger
groups staying a week. Kinder House, 32 Castle Street, Killough
BT30 7QQ, or phone Vincent Bent at 078 – 43013955.
INCORE International
Summer School, June 12-16 2006
The Annual INCORE Summer School is an intensive week of discussion,
reflection, learning and networking, facilitated by leading
academics and practitioners. The courses reflect the state
of the art in conflict resolution thinking and practice, bringing
people involved in conflict management together to enhance
their practice and to avail of cutting-edge learning. The
School provides a unique forum for policy makers, practitioners,
researchers, members of the media and military to meet, creating
a multi-disciplinary dialogue. This year three courses are
offered: 1) The Management of Peace Processes 2) Evaluation
and Impact Assessment of Peacebuilding Programmes 3) Reconciliation.
The 2006 Summer School will open on June 12 with a day-long
introductory course on Northern Ireland’s history, culture
and conflict. More
information on the 2005 School, including how to apply.The
application deadline is 10th March.
Meath Peace Group: Devolution,
war, 1916
Forthcoming Meath Peace Group meetings include: Monday 27th
March, Devolution and Cross-Border Cooperation; Monday 10th
April, The Legacy of War; Tuesday 25th April, 1916 [That’s
an event in 2006 about 1916, not an event in April 1916! –
Ed].. All take place at St Columban’s College, Dalgan
Park, (4 miles south of) Navan at 8 pm and all are welcome.
Queries can be made to 01 – 6259438, e-mail meathpeace@hotmail.com
and the website is at http://www.meathpeacegroup.org
ARAN, Dublin
ARAN (Animal Rights Action Network) has several events taking
place in Dublin during March. 1) On 8th March at 12 noon it
is at the Arts Council, 70 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, to protest
at Arts Council support for animal circuses in Ireland. 2)
On 12 noon on 15th March, at the top of Henry Street (opposite
the Spire) there’ll be an action to highlight the message
‘Bird Flu Kills – Go Vegetarian’ involving
coffins and nude bodies. 3) On 23rd March from 12 noon –
2pm at the Canadian Embassy, 65 St Stephen’s Green [he
is indeed – Ed], there will be a rally in support of
the international day of action against the Canadian seal
hunt. ARAN, John Carmody/National Events Organiser, 20 Vale
Avenue, Carew Park, Limerick, ph 087 – 6275579.
Training of Trainers in International Conflict
Transformation
You’re too late to sign up for Kurve Wustrow’s
training of trainers in international conflict transformation,
running from March to September, but keep an eye out for it
next time, or other programme there. Centre for Education
and Networking in Nonviolent Action KURVE Wustrow, Kirchstr
14, 29 462 Wustrow, Germany. Ph +49 5843-987131, e-mail training@kurvewustrow.org
and web http://www.kurvewustrow.org
PBI seek international
observers
…..for Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Indonesia and Nepal.
The aim is to help create a breathing space in conflict
zones so that the civilian population may organise to defend
its rights without fear of reprisals and violence. PBI is
an independent organisation not affiliated to any religious
or political institutions. You must be over 25 and fluent
in the language of the country you attend to be an international
observer and be able to make the minimum time commitment of
12-18 months. PBI is holding an orientation weekend for potential
volunteers from Thursday 11th of May to Sunday
14th of May at Jordans Youth Hostel, Beaconsfield, England.
The orientation weekend will serve as a good general introduction
to PBI, its philosophy, aims and work. The weekend runs from
Thursday evening until Sunday afternoon and has a cost of
£60 waged, £50 low-waged and £40 un-waged.
If you are interested, please
fill out the application and booking forms (http://www.peacebrigades.org/britain/britorient.html)
and send them to us together with a cheque made payable to
PBI UK (see address below). For an information pack please
visit our website: http://www.peacebrigades.org/britain/britinfopack.html
Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK Section,
1b Waterlow Road, London N19 5NJ ph: 020 7 281 5370, e-mail:
pbiuk@gn.apc.org Web:
http://www.peacebrigades.org
Milan Rai for Belfast
It is hoped to have Milan Rai speak about aspects of the post-Iraq
war situation during April in Belfast; check with INNATE or
watch this space. Author of “War Plan Iraq” and
“Regime Unchanged”, his latest book is “7/7:
The London Bombings, Islam and the Iraq War”, which
Tony Benn, Ziauddin Sardar and 7/7 survivor Rachel North have
all praised (you can see their comments on the JNV website
http://www.j-n-v.org).
The book can be ordered from JNV for £11.99 (inc. p&p,
UK only) per copy to 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards on Sea,
East Sussex, TN38 0HE.
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