News, actions and updates plus listen to our podcast on Trident

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Messages of peace created by young people at Larkswood Primary School using the Teach Peace Pack | Photo: Ellis Brooks

Dear <<First Name>>,

This email brings you the e-version of our twice-a-year print edition of Educate and Disarm. If you would like to receive copies to share with others in your Meeting House or beyond, email Ellis.

We'd also like to share something new: we've recorded a podcast. This one focuses on action to stop Trident renewal.

Download or stream our podcast all about how to take action to stop the renewal of Trident. (Opens in "Soundcloud" website)

Sam Walton and Tim Wallis are both offering workshops on taking action- Tim on Trident and Sam on challenging militarism. Download a flyer about both here. We're offering Special Interest Meetings at Yearly Meeting on Challenge Militarism, Trident and Learning for Peace, so we look forwards to seeing Friends there. Lots of other upcoming events are listed in Peace Exchange at the bottom of this email.

In peace,

Ellis, Marigold, Izzy, Sam and Tim,
The Peace Education & Disarmament staff team

PeaceEduQuaker

DisarmQuaker

Take action on under-18 recruitment

Now is a particularly good time to write to your MP calling for the recruitment age for the armed forces to be raised to 18, as ForcesWatch and Child Soldiers International are working hard in parliament at the moment campaigning for this. If you or your meeting are willing to write, David Gee dgee@child-soldiers.org can send you all you need or more info available here: Learn more

Featured Story of Witness:

Vigil against renewal of Trident
by Helen Taylor
Bury St Edmunds Quakers believe the replacement of Trident is a sin against our common humanity, as well as an appalling use of money at a time when austerity measures threaten people’s livelihoods. Inspired by three creative Friends, Bury Meeting held a silent vigil to protest against the possible replacement of the Trident nuclear missile system, which is to be decided on in 2016. |
Read more in Our Stories.

Can you share a story of your witness for peace? Contact Ellis on ellisb@quaker.org.uk

Listen to podcast

Download to Print & share

TEACHERS - BOOK NOW for Learning Through Peace 2016

Militarism discussed in Edinburgh hustings. Watch

The Truth About Trident is out!

The UK is one of nine states possessing nuclear weapons. Renewal of the Trident programme would extend Britain’s commitment to so-called nuclear ‘deterrence’ well into the second half of this century, despite treaty obligations and an “unequivocal undertaking” to disarm. With more than 16,000 nuclear weapons stockpiled worldwide, the risk of one detonating by accident or design is increasing every day.
The Truth About Trident, written by Tim Wallis, Peace and Disarmament Programme Manager for Britain Yearly Meeting, peels back layers of confusion and deceit to reach the truth about Trident.
Published by Luath Press Limited in association with Quakers in Britain, the book can be ordered from the Quaker Centre Bookshop for £12.99.

Go to www.quaker.org.uk/bookshop, phone 020 7663 1030.

Read more in the PDF

“Biggest anti-nuclear rally in a generation”

Bishops, playwrights, rock stars, journalists and trade union leaders joined a record number of political party leaders on the platform in Trafalgar Square to press home the message that Trident is immoral, illegal, indefensible, unaffordable and unwanted. Quakers were well represented among the tens of thousands who joined the Stop Trident protest in central London on 27 February.
Read more in the PDF

Photos from the anti-Trident march, February 2016. Photos: Laurence Hall and Britain Yearly Meeting

Training for social action |
Turning the Tide is a Quaker programme that offers training to people taking nonviolent social action. Our training is for anyone working to transform injustice – whether that’s an environmental project in your community, a change you want to see in schools or a disarmament issue like Trident or armed drones.
Find out more

Plan nonviolent campaigns
Assess and evaluate your social action project
Have better meetings, including facilitation skills training

How to spend £46 billion for a safer world

In the March 2016 Budget, that’s how much the UK government allocated to “defence”. The same Budget Statement made headlines due to deep cuts in Personal Independence Payments for people living with long-term illness or disability. The Ministry of Defence says it exists to “protect… security”, but is this truly how to build security?
The UK is one of the top military spenders in the world and globally many other governments continue to prioritise war not peace. Besides the direct fear and violence that results from a militarised world, other needs are neglected; unmet needs are often at the root of conflict.
Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) is one of the British partners for the Global Campaign on Military Spending, established to challenge the myths underpinning military spending. | Read more in the PDF

Fly kites for Nao Roz

21 March marked Nao Roz, the Persian New Year, and around the world Quakers joined others to fly kites for peace in solidarity with those living in fear of armed drones.
Groups flew kites in at least a dozen British locations from Glasgow to Littlehampton, as well as in Kabul, Berlin and Massachusetts. You can read Ellis’s blog about the contested symbolism of armed drones on the ‘Bringing it up to date’ section of the ‘White feather diaries’ website.
If you didn’t fly kites, don’t worry – you can still take part any time. Check out www.flykitesnotdrones.org | Read more in the PDF

Quakers step up to the challenge – again

“My head teacher is keen for me to go ahead and introduce peer mediation to the whole school.
Hooray!” Great news from one teacher following the peer mediation ‘train the trainer’ weekend in Birmingham, facilitated by Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW) and Peacemakers (also known as West Midlands Quaker Peace Education Project).
Peer mediation – conflict resolution by young people for young people – receives virtually no government backing, and introducing it in schools can be tough. It’s a largely counter-cultural process, which requires a genuine reassessment of power relations between adults and children. However, where properly supported it can develop crucial life skills and have a transformative impact on creating a more peaceful school culture.
Read more in the PDF

Learning for Peace - volunteers wanted to help promote this resource in local schools

This great new book from our friends at Peacemakers is a resource for primary schools to develop spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through peace education. Bringing together learning from over three decades of peace education experience, the books the book is complemented by a website stocked full of downloadable resources. Copies are available to purchase from the Quaker Centre Book Shop, to order go to: www.quaker.org.uk/bookshop, or telephone: 020 7663 1030.

Peacemakers are keen to recruit volunteers to help them promote this book in local schools. For more information on this contact Sara Hagel at info@peacemakers.org.uk

Launch of Taxes for Peace Bill

More than 120 people, including many Quakers and several MPs, commemorated the centenary of the right to conscientious objection by calling for a new Taxes for Peace Bill at a meeting in Portcullis House
on 2 March. The Taxes for Peace Bill would extend the right of conscientious objection to include the right to have the military portion of one’s tax diverted to non-military purposes. Quaker MP Ruth Cadbury will introduce the bill in parliament later this year. In the meantime, MPs are urged to support Early Day Motion #1036, which is gauging support for the bill and preparing the ground for it.
Read more in the PDF

Teach Peace Pack, updated edition

Assemblies and activities for exploring peace themes with 5- to 12-year-olds

The Peace Education Network (PEN) decided to update its popular pack, having sold out of the second print run. New topics support teachers to explore controversial issues in ways which encourage empathy, affirm children’s human rights and increase understanding of grassroots peacebuilding.
The activities are suitable for a wide age range, from primary to secondary school, and can be differentiated accordingly. Read more in the PDF

Copies of the updated edition of the Teach Peace Pack are available from the Quaker Centre Bookshop for £5 plus £1.80 P&P ot free to download for free in Welsh or English.

Inspired, excited and enthused

– that’s how 200 young people left the 2016 PeaceJam UK Conference.
“Wisdom cannot be passed on. It can only be gained from your very own experiences and feelings.” Rigoberta Menchú Tum told the PeaceJammers at the conference held at Winchester University. The Nobel Peace Laureate, a Quiché Indian from Guatemala and one of 13 Nobel Peace Prize winners who work with PeaceJam, was awarded the Peace Prize for her work for the rights of native people everywhere.

“It was one of the best weekends in my life. It made me realise how important our world, our society, being kind and making a change are.”
- Polina, PeaceJam participant.

PEACE EXCHANGE EVENTS

Peace Exchange features events and updates for Quakers who wish to be involved in the wider Peace Movement. Many of the actions listed are not organised by Quakers. Some of the actions listed may involve the risk of taking part in arrestable offences - those considering participation need to be aware of this.
Submit an event to Peace Exchange

7 May - What can Friends do about Militarism?
Edinburgh - | 10am-12noon | Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL
Facilitated by Sam Walton Peace & Disarmament Programme Manager, Quaker Peace & Social Witness
Any questions: samw@quaker.org.uk or mairic@quaker.org.uk

7 May - What can Friends do about Militarism?
Glasgow- | 3-5pm | Quaker Meeting House, 38 Elmbank Crescent, Glasgow G2 4PS
Facilitated by Sam Walton Peace & Disarmament Programme Manager, Quaker Peace & Social Witness
Any questions: samw@quaker.org.uk or mairic@quaker.org.uk

8 May - What can Friends do about Militarism?
Manchester - Sunday May 8 | 12noon-2pm | Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS
Facilitated by Sam Walton Peace & Disarmament Programme Manager, Quaker Peace & Social Witness
Any questions: samw@quaker.org.uk

11 May- What can Friends do about Militarism?
Facilitated by Sam Walton Peace & Disarmament Programme Manager, Quaker Peace & Social Witness
Any questions: samw@quaker.org.uk
London - Wednesday May 11 | 7-9pm | Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

12 May – A Noiseless Flash |
A rare opportunity to hear Hiroshima survivor, Setsuko Thurlow, speaking at Friends House, 6pm, hosted by Quakers in Britain and Religions for Peace.

14 May – “Meet Conscientious Objectors from Across Europe”
7.30pm, Friends House, informal meeting with European Bureau of Conscientious Objectors, RSVP to timw@quaker.org.uk

14 May - Getting Your Peace Message into the Media | Part 2/3 of Sowing Seeds of Peace
10.30am-5pm Central Hall, Westminster | £10/£5 concessions (or £25/£10 for all 3 days)
Workshop-based training-day organised by Christian CND and Quaker Peace & Social Witness,to give you the skills you need to communicate with confidence as ‘decision time’ on Trident fast approaches. | Sowing the Seeds Flyer

15 May – International Conscientious Objectors' Day
Annual ceremony at Tavistock Square, London 12noon. http://www.wri-irg.org/en/co-day-2016 | Flyer

15 May – Conscientious Objectors Plaque Dedication
Carlisle Local Quaker Meeting are having a dedication ceremony to unveil a plaque to COs in the City Peace Park in Carlisle, at 12.30 on 15 May. There will also be a display about COs in the Carlisle public library running until 21 May. Contact Mary Savage 01768 889 144.

15 May – For Conscience Sake Play and Exhibition Launch |
A thought-provoking play from Plain Quakers commemorates the opposition of Quakers and others to the introduction of conscription in Britain.
1:30pm, Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS | Flyer

15 May- Quaker Service Memorial Meeting for Worship
Sunday 15 May is Conscientious Objector Day. To mark this day and the centenary of the introduction of conscription in Britain, the Quaker Service Memorial Trust will be holding a Meeting for Worship, with readings, at 15:00.
http://www.quaker.org.uk/events/quaker-service-memorial-meeting-for-worship

25 May - Ethics and Autonomous Weapons
Our three panelists ( speakers details below) will be talking about Ethics and Autonomous Weapons for 20 minutes each and a 40min Q&A will follow.

Dr Leveringhaus (University of Oxford)
Dr Bryson (University of Bath)
Dr McDonald (Kings College London)

Centre for Global Insecurities, University of Bristol, 4-6pm

16 June – Preventing Violence through SMSC Education|
£10 | 9:30 am - 4:00 pm |
| Friends House, 173-177 Euston Rd, London, NW1 2BJ
This whole day workshop will bring together approaches from Facing History and Ourselves and Quaker Peace and Social Witness
https://www.facinghistory.org/calendar/w2016uk8-how-prevent-violence-and-create-peaceful-schools

18 June - Making the Best use of Social Media” | Part 3/3 of Sowing Seeds of Peace
10.30am-5pm | Friends House, 173 Euston Road, NW1 2BJ
Workshop-based training-day organised by Christian CND and Quaker Peace & Social Witness,to give you the skills you need to communicate with confidence as ‘decision time’ on Trident fast approaches. | £10/£5 concessions (or £25/£10 for all 3 days) | Sowing the Seeds Flyer

24 June | Learning through Peace Conference
Learning Through Peace: Developing Whole School Values and Outstanding SMSC. This day conference will focus on how to build a peaceful school community in which all pupils and staff can flourish. Please promote this to primary schools near you- flyers are available.
Find out more

25-29 June Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and Human Behaviour
| £350 | A five day seminar for teachers exploring how history is shaped by hatred, indifference, and denial, as well as by caring, compassion, and responsibility. Friends House, 173-177 Euston Rd, London, NW1 2BJ
https://www.facinghistory.org/calendar/s2016uk1-facing-history-and-ourselves-holocaust-and-human-behaviour

27 June – “Faith Day of Action” at Burghfield.
Quakers will be joining those from other churches and faiths on 27 June as part of Trident Ploughshares ‘Month of Direct Action Against Trident Replacement’. Contact:timw@quaker.org.uk. http://tridentploughshares.org/june-2016-a-month-of-daily-direct-action-against-trident-renewal-please-join-us/

14-15 October | Annual Peace History Conference
An annual seminar series open to the public. For information, to attend or volunteer please contact Rachel Julian email r.julian@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

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