Our Peace Building Newsletter July 2022
The Peace Building – July 2022 newsletter
In recent days, our country has seen temperatures exceed 40C in some places for the first time. In many parts of the world, they endure these temperatures on a frequent basis, and our discomfort, even for a short time, brings home to us the urgency of the climate emergency and the effect that prolonged drought can have on lasting peace for many regions around the world.
Alongside this, the terrible war in Ukraine, and the repeated threat to use nuclear weapons, is bringing home to us again the disaster and crime that is war, and the (existential) danger represented by the deployment (and proliferation) of nuclear weapons. There is a new awareness and concern that should make large sections of society receptive to the need for peace building initiatives and a museum in London that promotes peace education and a culture of peace. We are working to achieve this and appreciate your support for what is our longer term aim.
For now, we are planning mobile, collaborative peace exhibitions to highlight the work of peace builders past and present and engage visitors in a dialogue about what they can do to promote peace. If you have ideas for peace related exhibitions then do please contact us: anna@thepeacebuilding.org.uk
Peace-Pod Episode One
Our first podcast is now available on our website. Anna Lubelska talks with peace activist and Interfaith Minister Rev. Malaika of Manchester about her response to two violent events that shook the world – the Manchester Arena bombing and the killing of George Floyd in the States. Here’s the link to our first Peace-Pod. https://thepeacebuilding.org.uk/Peace-Pod-Episode-one/
What is Peace? Helen Jackson, our Student Placement
Over the summer, Helen Jackson has joined us for her student placement as she completes her MA in Conflict and Peace at Bath University. She is developing The Peace Building Project, which is a community peace building resource that we hope will be widely used. The Peace Building Project aims to explore what it looks like to build peace together in our local communities. This involves creating a space for various community groups to explore what peace means to them and those around them. Different sessions are being created to be used in a range of contexts, for example, amongst:
- Schools
- Early Years settings
- Care Home settings
- Community Groups, including working with refugees and asylum seekers
The intention is that the modular programme can be adapted to any location with Peace Building Facilitators working alongside the local community to create a bespoke event. The sessions will centre around:
- What does peace look like?
- What does peace sound like?
- What does peace feel like?
The creative output of each session can be brought together to form a community art installation which celebrates peace for the local community and how everyone has a part to play in building peace. It is hoped that The Peace Building Project will bring together key elements of The Peace Building’s vision of exploring, learning, creating and building peace in ourselves, with each other, in our communities, and in our world.
Various Peace Building Resources
The Institute of Education at the University College London (UCL) has just launched a Peace Education Special Interest Group. For further information and links to their blog posts, please visit:
https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/peaceeducation/2022/06/01/ucl-peace-education-launch-symposium-july-7th-2022-5-7pm-ioe/
This excellent video had been produced by Birmingham-based Peacemakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9dvCHiJV9I Using ‘Learning for Peace’, a resource written by Peacemakers. John of Rolleston Primary School students learn how to develop inner peace, understand how to make peaceful choices and actions, and how to maintain peaceful relationships. Special quotes from the children are shared, including this one that describes conflict so articulately.
“When two people have a different opinion on a certain topic”
Working regularly in circles, they practice talking about their feelings and listening actively to overcome everyday differences.
The Kyiv Peace Museum
http://peacekeeping-centre.in.ua/Peace_Museum/
The Peace Museum in Ukraine asks: ‘Why, despite the endeavour of peace, do wars injure our planet? We are all reasonable and conscious people, how can we restore peace and harmony?
It is hoped that the exposition of the museum will help you find answers to these questions. The Peacekeeping Center creates the Museum of Peace as a platform for finding ways to build a peaceful society. They seek to engage with the general public to solve the global and somewhat paradoxical issue of sustainable peaceful coexistence. The focus promotes the spirit of patriotism, while fostering tolerance for other cultures and nations, especially amongst young people. A large section of the museum is devoted to the dissemination and implementation of peacekeeping ideas in Ukraine and in Kyiv. The Museum of Peace is created on a voluntary basis, which currently, includes sections dedicated to Nobel Peace Prize winners, the Olympic Games, UN and OSCE peacekeeping operations.’
“It’s Time to Heal”
And ending where we started, with our theme of “We’re in a Climate Emergency”, our Development Director, Alison Glasspool has been part of a wonderful collaboration with a children’s eco choir called SOS from the Kids, who reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2020, along with performing in the Blue and Green venues at COP26 in Glasgow last autumn. Collectively with Phuyaklah Voices from West Papua, a children’s choir based on the shores of Lake Sentani, Papua, Indonesia, they produced this beautiful song, “It’s Time to Heal”. Today the Papuan version of the song video has been released, which was produced by the Alyakhaart Center. Have a listen, it’s beautiful. Here’s the link. It’s Time to Heal – A collaboration between SOS from the Kids and Phuyaklah Voices, West Papua – YouTube
We have at our fingertips a vast wealth of resources and connections, for which The Peace Building is a wonderful platform to showcase and share these resources.
Wishing you a Peaceful Summer!
Thank you for your interest and support for The Peace Building.
Please do consider supporting us financially as we work to build a Peace Building movement with the hope of setting up the London Peace Building Museum. Join us in building a more peaceful world
Anna Lubelska, Alison Glasspool & Helen Jacks