Events

This event is sponsored by the Peace Museum, the Movement for the Abolition of War and Yorkshire CND. This all-day event (10 am – 5 pm) continues a series of Peace History Conferences that was initiated in 2007 and sponsored by the Movement for the Abolition of War (MAW). The conferences aim to help develop a culture of peace by raising awareness of individuals, movements, ideas and initiatives from all periods of history concerned with promoting peace, overcoming violence, and abolishing war. The day will be a combination of speakers about various peace-related topics – but also include some drama and a tour of the museum itself. Tickets cost £10 (or £5 unwaged). Use the button to find out more details and book tickets.

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NJPN – The National Justice and Peace Network – for dioceses in England and Wales is holding an open networking day in Leeds and the Leeds Commission is hosting the event at Wheeler Hall, attached to Leeds Cathedral.

ALL are welcome to come along to this event. As the title implies, it is an opportunity to mix with and hear from justice and peace activists from across the country.

As well as the general opportunity to find out what is going on in J&P Commissions across the country, there will also be the opportunity to explore the issue of UK poverty – particularly in relation to the Real Living Wage.

The keynote speaker in the morning will be Sara Bryson, Assistant Director (North) for Citizens UK

In the afternoon there will be a panel of local speakers. Use the button to find out more.

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A unique opportunity to hear firsthand about the lives of indigenous people in Colombia. Everyone is welcome to this open event at Leeds Trinity University.   Light reefreshments will be served beforehand. ALL Welcome.

If you can’t make this event then please note that they will be speaking at St Benedict’s Church in Garforth on Saturday evening and on Sunday morning.

SPARK Social Justice, as in 2023, is sponsoring a presentation of one of the films for this year’s Leeds Palestinian Film festival.

This year they are sponsoring a film called ‘Where Olive Trees Weep’. The film brings to life the people that the filmmakers met in 2022 on a journey through the occupied West Bank.

 

For more information and to book tickets (£5 each) use the button to be taken to our Eventbrite page for this event.

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The Wiwa are an indigenous group of people who live in northern Colombia on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

They have live harmoniously with the environment for over 1000 years. They are protected by the Colombian constitution, but recently their way of life has been threated both by armed conflict, which continues in the mountains, and by climate change

There is a unique opportunity to hear from two WIWA representatives  and an NGO staff member from CINEP  which works with  the WIWA  to advocate for their cause.

The CAFOD partners will be visiting the UK in November. They are speaking at 10.30 am mass at St Benedict’s Garforth  on November 24^th and then in more detail after mass with a shared lunch

Two of the Colombian visitors work for the Organización Wiwa Yugumaiun Bunkuanarrua Tayrona (OWBY ), a WIWA People’s Organisation. Jose Felix Martinez is the secretary general of OWYBT, he will talk about the armed conflict and how it is contributing to the climate crisis. Edilma Lopererena  Plata  is the OWYBT Women’s Commissioner.  She will also talk about how the climate emergency is impacting the Wiwa women, in particular.

Jenny Ortiz is from CAFOD partner CINEP ( a Colombian Jesuit Programme) who leads their Mobilisation, Human Rights and Interculturality Programme -who will be providing general context and more technical background.

Use this link to the Guardian for an article about the Wiwa tribe.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/may/13/we-saw-our-family-members-cut-into-pieces-how-colombias-wiwa-people-have-been-forced-from-their-mountain-again?CMP=share_btn_url

 

We are partially sponsoring this Festival event, which takes place at Wheeler Hall on the afternoon of Saturday30 November.

The Film festival committee write:

We were amazed and inspired to learn that not one, but two Film Festivals have taken place in the displacement camps of southern Gaza this year.

We bring you a selection of the best films screened at both festivals: Creators Despite Displacement – the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) International Film Festival marking its 7th year – and Al-Aouda Festival, in its 8th year.

With equipment frequently destroyed, many of the poignant films depicting perspectives and feelings on the current reality were shot on phones. Red carpets were rolled out among the tents and rubble.

We have secured inspiring interviews recorded specially for us with the Directors and audience members of the Festivals.

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Anybody who is a member of CND can attend the AGM. If you are not, you can attend as a non-voting observer.

This might be worth it for the talk by Steve Barwick. Steve has had a lifetime in politics with a strong interest in nuclear disarmament. He has been an elected representative, assistant to three Westminster MPs and latterly a professional political consultant.

His talk will be on “What should the new Government’s Strategic Defence Review conclude about Nuclear Disarmament” and will make reference to the recent NET report “The Future for UK Defence, Diplomacy and Disarmament – 50 Proposals for a More Peaceful World”, as well as commenting on the current global situation.

Brain Jackson House is right next to Huddersfield rail station.

 

This is the Annual conference of the National Justice & Peace Network.

Full details are still to be made available. However, Dr Rowan Williams has already been booked and several workshops are known to be going ahead with several others still under discussion.

Never a cheap weekend! – but usually interesting and a unique annual opportunity to meet J&P supporters from across the country.

Updates will be made when they become available.

Aged 18-30? SPARK Social Justice will be offering sponsorship for a limited number of people. email info@sparksocialjustice.org.uk if this is of interest.