Making a mark for peace
Paul Peros and Helen Bradford catch up on the latest journal letters, and discover how this year’s crop of peaceworker placements have been making a mark for peace.
‘Make a mark for peace’ is the title of this year’s special Quaker appeal, which is in support of Quaker peaceworkers. The title reflects what they and the Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) in Israel–Palestine are doing around the world: taking action to fulfil the longstanding Quaker commitment to peace.
These postings offer more even than unique job opportunities or support for peace groups: through them, Quakers help to engage a new generation of peaceworkers, giving people experience of, and enthusiasm for, peacework. During their time in post, peaceworkers and EAs write quarterly ‘journal letters’, which are sent to Friends and others interested in the work.
Helen Bradford is the contact for the QPSW peaceworkers and receives and publicises their journal letters. “They give news and a bit of analysis from the workers’ daily lives, and also to help Friends to learn about the work they’re doing,” says Helen. “They describe the work, the organisations with which they’re placed, the political situation, what they’ve noticed about cultural trends, anecdotes, interesting conversations and encounters, and what the workers are learning about themselves.” This year’s peaceworkers have sent in their first letters of 2009 – and they’re as compelling as ever.
Dave Cullen is at the Campaign Against Depleted Uranium. In his letter he recounts attending the trial of a doctor for the attempted bombing of Glasgow airport last year. “He talked about the experience of working as a doctor in Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War,” Dave writes, “particularly the effect of depleted uranium, a doubling of childhood leukaemia and the lack of medicines for these children due to the sanctions. When repeating this to the court he broke down in the dock and wept.” Dave goes on to say that he sees this man’s story as testimony to the cyclical nature of violence and how it can never be a tool for peace, and reflects on his motivation to help work towards a ban on this toxic weapon.
Candia Crosfield is working at Peace Child International, “an organisation whose mission is ‘empowering young people’ to help them be the change they want to see in the world”. In her first journal letter, she describes how “the peace child interns come from all corners of the globe, are all under 25, and live together in a converted stable block where they cook, eat and socialise.”
Peace Child has just received a European Union grant to stage an oratorio at Ely Cathedral, and in Estonia and Turkey later this year, and Candia has been organising interfaith meetings to discuss the script.
Sarah Hulme is based at St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. She is developing a Youth Refusing Violence programme there, and she describes her first visit to an inner-city school. “I was shocked into silence at the sight of the reception,” she writes, “where the secretaries were sitting behind protective glass in an area more reminiscent of a visiting room at a high-security prison than a place of education.”
She visited XLP, a London-based organisation which visits schools to discuss violence and how to act against it. “One of their young workers witnessed the death of her best friend after he was stabbed in bed and now, at 17, has written and performs a drama telling that story and challenging other young people to make the future they want to see.”
Selina Larsen is working at Campaign Against Arms Trade. As the core campaign ‘volunteer’, she has been researching the work of UK Trade & Investment, a Government organisation which markets British business overseas – including arms manufacturers, which makes it the target of CAAT’s latest campaign.
“Since the successful closure of DESO (Defence Export Service Organisation), much of their supportive work for the arms trade was transferred to a new UKTI department, the Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DESO). Whilst the shutting of DESO was a great achievement for CAAT, the government’s and thus taxpayers’ support for the arms trade still continues, and this CAAT and mouse game is far from over,” writes Selina.
Ian Brightwell and Sarah Jackson are working with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in Bujumbura, Burundi.
“AFSC views peacebuilding and justice in a broad way,” writes Sarah, describing the range of their partner’s work: “Conflict resolution and alternatives to violence training, trauma healing and peace education, women’s rights and empowerment and food security and humanitarian assistance.” Sarah goes on to describe the work of the Friends Women’s Association clinic in north Bujumbura for women with HIV and AIDS. “Run by women and for women, FWA is still seeking funds to complete its roof, yet they are also expanding their work to two nearby provinces where they are working on trauma healing and women’s empowerment with widows, prostitutes, female ex-combatants, refugees and returnees. Like FWA, most of our partners work on a daily basis in divided communities and struggle to find the funds to match their needs.”
Adam Drury and Jennifer Rosenberg are working at the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva.
Jennifer is assisting the Human Rights and Refugees programme. When she started her placement in September the Human Rights Council had just begun its ninth session. “I attended many of the sessions and side events,” she tells us in her journal letter, “and even at the end of my third week, my excitement at being in the UN and walking the path of flags every day was still palpable!”
Adam is working on three projects, including “helping with the new Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, which … is intended to facilitate cooperation between the many and varied peacebuilding organisations in the city. To this end I’ve been helping a bit with organising various lunchtime seminars, expert meetings and an upcoming annual conference.”
For information about this year’s appeal to support Quaker peaceworkers,
Contact
Katie Frost
katief@quaker.org.uk
020 7866 9508
