Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival
July 10th, 2009The Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival takes place at Cheltenham race course over the August Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August. It attracts around 20,000 mainly Christian visitors each year and provides an opportunity for people of all ages to come together for a weekend to experience “love, creativity and justice in the arts and contemporary culture in the light of the Christian gospel”.
Every year, NCPO has a presence at the festival with the aim of:
- promoting peace and nonviolence as central to Christianity
- inspiring people to practice active peacemaking and non-violence in daily life
- giving people a deeper understanding of peace and non-violence
One of the main ways in which NCPO does this is by co-ordinating the festival’s ‘Peace Zone’. The Peace Zone is located in the G-Source tent and aims to engage Greenbelt visitors in peace issues through a variety of fun, interactive and educational resources and activities.
In the past, Peace Zone activities have included painting umbrellas for peace, contributing to a giant peace mandala and transforming a tank covered in newspaper stories of war into a colourful ‘think tank’ embodying people’s aspirations for peace. It has also played host to several high profile speakers including Norman Kember and Walter Wink and has taken visitors on a journey through Christian peacemaking from Jesus’ time to the present day.
NCPO also has a presence at the Greenbelt festival via the various talks and workshops on peace and nonviolence. In recent years, these have included ‘From Violence to Wholeness’ workshops and inspiring talks on aspects of peace activism by NCPO members.
In 2009, NCPO will again co-ordinate the festival’s Peace Zone. A pre-festival press release will be posted here closer to the festival weekend.
The Quaker peace testimony
December 20th, 2011
2011 marked the 350th anniversary of the first written declaration of a Quaker peace testimony. As part of making this Quaker Peace & Social Witness put together this leaflet that bring together many of the different views, action, wisdom and experience that make are the Quaker peace testimony.
Drones Week of Action
October 1st, 20111 – 8 October. Drones Week of Action. Together we can stop the escalating use of armed unmanned aircraft
In recent years we have witnessed the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, to undertake armed attacks. Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya and others have all been subject to military drone strikes by US or British drones. Find out more about the UK involvement and take action in October.
Organised by Drones Campaign Network (which includes Pax Christi Fellowship of Reconciliation, Quaker Peace and Social Witness and others). Find out more here www.dronecampaignnetwork.org.uk
pax christi
September 29th, 2011CAAT Day of Prayer against the Arms Trade
September 11th, 2011CAAT have produced a very helpful resource pack for Churches to use on this day, 11 September 2011. This is also the anniversary of 9/11. You can download a copy of the pack here http://www.caat.org.uk/getinvolved/christian/
Greenbelt Christian Festival
August 26th, 2011Christian peace organisations lead the way in nonviolence at Greenbelt Festival 2011
A team of young volunteers and staff members from Christian peace organisations will be running a Peace Zone at the 2011 Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival in Cheltenham between 26- 29 August.
Over the course of the weekend the Peace Zone will introduce people to the active nonviolence of Jesus’ ministry through activities, drama and prayer – illustrating Jesus’ ‘Third Way’ of responding to violence beyond traditional fight or flight models to one that affirms the dignity of all parties and uses the power of nonviolence to bring deep and lasting change for the good.
This nonviolent approach to violence and change will be brought to life by two presentations offered on the main programme by Catholic christians. Margaret and Barry Mizen, whose son Jimmy was murdered in South London in 2008 will speak on the theme Out of the darkness – ending the cycle of violence. Peace activist Chris Cole who has taken part in many acts of nonviolent civil disobedience against the arms trade and militarism will speak on How my faith took me to prison. Chris will also take part in a panel discussion on the theme War what is it good for.
Keep in touch with the Peace Zone on twitter at www.twitter.com/peacezone2011
Campaign Against Arms Trade Day of Prayer
August 23rd, 2011CAAT have produced an excellent resource pack for churches to help mark this day, 11 September 2011 – also the anniversary of the 9/11 events in the USA.
Pack can be downloaded from the CAAT website www.caat.org.uk
Ground the Drones
August 23rd, 2011A briefing for the Drones Week of Action 1 – 8 October 2011 – an opportunity for local groups and individuals to raise awareness about the military use of Drones and their impact. NCPO members the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Pax Christi and QPSW are part of the Drones Campaign Network. www.dronecampaignnetwork.org.uk
Building Peace in Diverse Britain
May 7th, 2011How do we live together better, with our varied backgrounds and experiences?
This is a day to promote dialogue and sharing, to support positive, peaceful action in response to racism and community conflict
It will consist of ….
Networking, learning, skill-sharing, listening, and celebrating positive action, through presentations, workshops, shared-food, resources and conversation.
More details at: http://nfpb.gn.apc.org/bpdb2011.html
Women Peacemakers: A Celebration of ordinary women’s work
November 27th, 2010
A day conference organised by Pax Christi and Fellowship of Reconciliation, Leeds Methodist Mission, Oxford Place Centre, Leeds LS1 3AX. . Discussion, theatre, panel of peacemakers. All welcome. Booking via Pax Christi £10.00 waged/£6.00 unwaged. info@paxchristi.org.uk or Pax Christi, St Joseph’s, Hendon, London NW4 4TY
Nonviolence Works!
October 11th, 2010Brochure illustrating 60 nonviolent victories of the past century. Available free from Pax Christi or Fellowship of Reconciliation