Dear Friends,

I hope you are enjoying the approach of summer and had a good break over Easter. We are looking forward to a busy summer here at FoR with the first FoR training weekend, being part of the Peacezone at Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival and preparing for the Called to be Peacemakers conference this autumn. We hope to see you at one of these events!

Nonviolence: A (Practical) Tool for Change
3rd to 5th July 2009
In July FoR is initiating a new project: a training weekend to give our members practical skills in peacemaking and nonviolence. The weekend is for 18 to 30 (ish) year olds who are interested, active and/ or engaged in peace and conflict issues and who want to explore nonviolence and its uses. The weekend offers the opportunity for those new to the subject, or old-time campaigners, to learn new skills, practice applying them, and discuss nonviolence as a tool for social change.

Please find attached publicity materials to help you publicise the event to your friends, family and within your church and community groups. The conference is being held at the Guy Chester Centre, North London and is subsidised to allow as many people to attend as possible. A limited number of travel bursaries and subsidised places are available. Places are £45 if booked before 1st June 2009 (£55 after).

To be sent a booking form for the event, or for more details and up to date information on speakers, please visit the training weekend webpage, email or call the FoR office on 01865 250 781.

Greenbelt Festival’s Peacezone
For those of you who are coming to the Greenbelt Festival over the August bank holiday weekend, please pop into the Peacezone to visit FoR and other NCPO organisations! The Peacezone is located in the G-Source tent of the festival and we will be there for the whole weekend. 2009’s Peacezone is based around an art installation on the 2009 Greenbelt theme: Standing in the Long Now. And as usual, there will be plenty of people to chat to, resources to look at and a hot cup of tea waiting for you!

The Peacezone encourages visitors to Greenbelt to think about and engage with peace issues, and to consider their faith from a peacemaking perspective. It also offers friendly, knowledgeable and experienced peace makers and activists to talk to, an opportunity to browse resources, creative opportunities for all ages, and the chance to network with others who share similar beliefs from across the UK (and world!).

We are also looking for people to get involved! Whether you’re an old timer at Greenbelt, or would like to go to try out the festival with a community of people, we’d love to hear from you. Please email or phone 01865 250 781 for more details.

rek'on-sil'e-a'shon (Reconciliation)
Called to be Peacemakers Conference, 30th October – 1st November 2009
2009 is the United Nations International Year of Reconciliation, but the concept of reconciliation is seen as difficult and an idea that people struggle to understand. The 2009 Called to be Peacemakers conference will explain what reconciliation is, it’s uses in the past and present, and how it can apply to our lives.

Please find attached publicity materials to help you publicise the event to your friends, family and within your church and community groups. The conference is being held at the Community for Reconciliation, Birmingham and is subsidised to allow as many people to attend as possible. Please book your places soon. Chaplains and youth workers are more than welcome to join their young people at the event.

Peace by Peace Magazine published
Issue 5 of Peace by Peace magazine has been published. Including reflections on Reconciliation, interviews with Arfon Rhys from FoR Wales and information on FoR’s current campaigns and work. Copies are available to download here or you can email to be sent paper copies of the magazine.

Peace Witness for Afghanistan and Iraq
The people of Afghanistan are now living through their eighth year of war following the tragedy of 11 September 2001. 20 March 2009 marked the 6th anniversary of the start of the war with Iraq. For our worship materials this mailing I have included a call for remembrance, prayer and action used by groups across the UK and USA on 20th March 2009 to mark the anniversary. We hope you will use adapt the materials used on that day to remember those who have suffered during these conflicts during 2009.

And Finally…
Have we got the correct contact details for you? Please check the contact details for you included overleaf and email us any corrections, updates or changes. We want to make sure these mailings are as useful as possible to you so please make sure you receive them! Comments and suggestions are also welcome.

If you would like more information about any of the work I have mentioned, or would like to request further resources, a talk or workshop, please do not hesitate to get in contact by phoning the FoR office on 01865 250 781 or email.

In peace and friendship,

Martha Beale
Education and Campaigns Officer
Fellowship of Reconciliation

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