Peace Foundation News and Events July 2007
Contents:1.   A Ministry/Department for Peace? - Public Meeting and National Consultation July 21
2.   Nuclear Zephyr - Bats Theatre, August 7-11
3.   The Babel Project - Exhibition opening October 11
4.   Nuclear Free Postage Stamps - use them to post letters
5.   Nuclear Free Nation CD/DVD
6.   New Book - Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention
1.   A Ministry/Department for Peace? - Public Meeting and National Consultation July 21
There is a growing global campaign to establish ministries or departments for peace through which governments and civil society can collaborate in creating a more peaceful future. Some countries have already established such institutions. In others there are strong campaigns supported by parliamentarians, political parties, celebrities and non-governmental organizations.
The Peace Foundation, United Nations Association (NZ) and Operation Peace Through Unity invite you to a public meeting on establishing a Ministry for Peace on Saturday July 21, 10:30-12:00 at the Centre for Global Action, James Smith Building 2nd Floor, Corner of Cuba and Manners streets, Wellington.
Special guests include Keith Locke MP, Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for the Green Party, Kate Smith, Operation Peace Through Unity (Wanganui), Alyn Ware, Vice-President of International Peace Bureau, Tony Rea (Waitakere City Council), Dame Laurie Salas (United Nations Association).
The public meeting on July 21 will be an opportunity for you to contribute your ideas to establishing a Ministry for Peace in New Zealand and to support the global campaign. The 3rd Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace will be held in Japan from 21-26 September. Kate Smith and Alyn Ware participated in the 2006 Summit in Canada.
Anyone interested is also invited to stay on for a light lunch and a meeting from 12:30 - 2pm to organise the New Zealand campaign for a Ministry of Peace and our representation and input into the Global Alliance.
For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it phone 04 496-9629 or visit www.mfp-dop.org
2.   Nuclear Zephyr - Bats Theatre, Peace Week, August 7-11.
Nightly at 6:30pm
Matinees for schools on August 8 and 9
Youth generated theatre celebrating the 20th anniversary of New Zealand's nuclear free legislation.
Six actors, a director and a producer from seven different ethnicities have joined together to explore the meaning of peace and disarmament in Aotearoa-New Zealand in the 21st Century. From this they are creating a collaborative theatrical experience that promises to be fresh, innovative, entertaining and educative.
The performances will run during Peace Week which commemorates the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Director: L'Hibou Hornung
Producer: Katrina Baylis
Actors: Ban Abdul, Aneela Pancha, Jack Buchanan, Alexis Luo, Kushani Gunawardana, Ants Heath
Book at Bats phone 802-4175 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
3.   The Babel Project - Exhibition opening October 11
Michael Fowler Centre
The Babel Project is a youth driven, creative arts exhibition by youth from a range of ethnicities. Over six months participants examine the living realities of people on different sides of current inter-ethnic or inter-religious conflicts which impact on the lives of youth in Wellington, and then express their learning experiences through art.
Coordinators Katrina Baylis (Palestinian/New Zealander) and Tal Rogoff (Israeli/New Zealander) use their experiences in bridging the walls between their peoples to help youth develop cross-cultural understanding, transform conflicts and envision a peaceful society.
The exhibition includes a film documentary showing the transformation of the participants during the course of the project.
The Artists: Cece Chu, Aleyna Martinez, Bethan Parker, Lucinda Ren, Jonathan Cameron, Natalia Parra-Sierra, Arty Papageorgiou, Rose Cloud Annear, Samuel Fitzgerald, Fuad Farah, Pachali Brewster, Ra Savage, Mareikura Takiri Whakataka-Brightwell.
4.   Nuclear Free Postage Stamps - use them to post letters
The paintings submitted for the 2006 Schools Peace Week competition were so good that five have been made into peace stamps which you can use to post letters, promote Nuclear Free New Zealand and brighten the day of the recipients (and the postie as well).
A book of ten 50cent stamps sells for $7 (includes a donation to the Peace Foundation).
Get your stamps from the Peace Foundation Wellington Office phone (04) 496 9629.
Congratulations to the five artists whose work was selected for the stamps:
Alexander Hunt, 6, St Brigid's School, Wellington
Nancy Jiang, 15, Rutherford College, Auckland
Davina Shaio, 18, Mt Roskill Grammar School, Auckland
Elyse Harpur, 17, Avonside Girls High School, Christchurch
Dannielle Graham, 7, Turaki School, Taumarunui
5.   Nuclear Free Nation CD and DVD.
The Peace Foundation's Disarmament and Security Centre in collaboration with Kog Studios and Integrity promotions presents a compilation of Aotearoa/NZ music and visual arts to celebrate New Zealand's 20th year of being Nuclear Free. It is a reminder to the people of New Zealand, and to all that visit our country, why the passing of nuclear free legislation in 1987 was such a significant event in our nation's history. Featured artists: Anika Moa, Baitercell, Ben Throp, Benny Tones, Chong-Nee, Don McGlashan, Dubwize, epsilon-blue, Herbs, Huia, Hollie Smith, Jakob, Katchafire, Kora, Ladi6/Verse 2, Minuit, Pitch Black, Shapeshifter, The Mamaku Project, TrinityRoots...
The DVD includes interviews with prominent peace activists plus music videos including a dramatic remix of Letter to France with historical footage of nuclear testing and the anti-nuclear campaign.
The CD/DVD makes a great gift.
$40 from any good music store, or buy it from the Peace Foundation Wellington Office and a portion helps us.
6.  New Book - Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention
Peace Foundation Wellington Office Director Alyn Ware is a co-author of this new book which demonstrates that nuclear abolition is not only imperative, it is technically and politically possible.
The proposal for complete nuclear abolition and the achievement of a Nuclear Weapons Convention is gathering international support at the United Nations (over 125 countries including some of the nuclear weapons States vote in favour at the UN General Assembly) and from a range of key figures including Hans Blix (former Head of the United Nations team that monitored the destruction of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction) who is to visit New Zealand in August, Mohammed El Baradei (2006 Nobel Peace Laureate and International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General), Senator Romeo Dallaire (former Commander of UN Peacekeeping Forces in Rwanda), Judge Christopher Weeramantry (former Vice-President of the International Court of Justice), Malcolm Fraser (former Australian Prime Minister), Gareth Evans (former Australian Foreign Minister) and Jodi Williams (Nobel Peace Laureate). See International launch of Securing our Survival: The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention.
The New Zealand launch is planned for parliament in August (details to follow)
Get your copy for $30 from the Peace Foundation Wellington Office, phone 04 496-9629
