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Leicester Quaker Peace Action

Continued Presence in Palestine: On 20 February 2011 we were again privileged to meet HILARY BROWNE who has returned from another visit to the West Bank as an Ecumenical Accompanier. She spoke of the difficulties under which the Palestinians live. They often have to stand waiting for over 2 hours at checkpoints to be allowed to go to their places of work. The wall cuts them off from their olive groves. Hilary was especially horrified by the amount of land grabbing that is still going on as Jewish settlers take over houses and land belonging to the Palestinian people. She wondered if this expansion of illegal settlements was because the Israelis are frightened that a peace settlement may be forced on them in the near future.

Fri 1 Oct 2010 - A pledge about community respect in Leicester

To help forestall any difficulties that might arise on 9th October when a march in the city was planned by the "English Defence League", Leaders of Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish communities met at Leicester Cathedral on 1 October to sign and issue a pledge of inter-community respect. The full text was widely circulated in the press and the picture shows just its last sentence: 

'We will work with all people of goodwill to encourage mutual respect, valuing the dignity of every person, and we encourage all citizens of Leicester to do the same".

Weds 6 Oct 2010

 As part of Quaker week two talks were given at Queens Road about current peace projects in which young Quakers are active.  One is the Christian-Muslim Forum, described by Daniel Edge, with Leicester Muslim friends.  The other is the Alternatives to Violence programme, explained by Chris Walker who has just started work in that programme at Friends' House in London.

Something Understood on Radio 4 (31 October 2010) 

In a thoughtful radio presentation about conscientious objection, Mike Wooldridge interviewed several people including Leicester Quaker Oscar Wallis. Oscar spoke about the Quaker witness, about what he himself had done during the second world war, and how he still feels this today. 

BUDRUS - the story of a village in the West Bank (26-28 October)

The documentary film Budrus ("It takes a village to unite the most divided people on earth") is about Palestinian non violent resistance to land confiscations. It will be shown at the Phoenix cinema in Leicester on 26th to 28th October. Some of the film footage professionals, and some gathered by amateurs, including Steve Bonhan of Leicester, whose voice may be heard in the film. A reviewer in the New York Times described this film as 'The must see documentary of the year'. For more about it see http://www.justvision.org/budrus

A link with Africa for school pupils

During the summer of 2010 an important link was set up between King Edward VII school at Coalville and a secondary school in Rwanda in central Africa.  Leicester Meeting supported Rowan Walker to go with another teacher in order to set up this link, and arrange the visits by youngsters.  Click here and you can open Rowan's report which includes pictures of secondary and primary schools in Rwanda.

REGULAR ACTIVITIES  OF THE PEACE GROUP   In most months, on the first Wednesday, we hold a Peace witness outside the Meeting House in Queens Road , at lunchtime. 

We invite passers by to sign a letter or petition about some topical issue concerning international peace and co-operation. 

These letters try to emphasise encouragement of positive developments in the field of peacemaking as well as voicing our concerns. The letter is usually addressed to a member of the British Government or another influential figure. Do join us if you would like to help in drafting such letters and bringing their content to a wider public ... (Contact Annette Wallis in the first instance)

Our members also take part in national campaigns such as the one illustrated here at which 'Golden Oldies' were present at demonstrations against the renewal of the Trident missile programme.    Concern about armaments is certainly not confined to people of any particular age group.