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The 2009 National Peace Workshops - the national gathering for people interested in peace, social justice, and human rights - will be at the Quaker Settlement in Whanganui, from 6pm on Friday, 27 March to 3pm on Sunday, 29 March. Information about the National Peace Workshops (NPW) is below, or as a pdf file here, and the registration form is available here - the deadline for registration is Tuesday, 24 March. An A4 poster advertising the NPW is available here, and an A5 flyer is available here; if you have difficulty opening any of the documents, please email Peace Movement Aotearoa with 'National Peace Workshops enquiry' in the subject line. Co-sponsorship of the NPW is welcomed. The current list of organisations sponsoring the 2009 NPW is available here; if your group is interested in being a co-sponsor, please go to the relevant section below. The theme of this year's NPW is 'Promoting peace through active non-violent resistance' and the main focus will be workshops and participatory discussion with contributors who have experience of community and individual non-violent resistance, and/or non-violent direct action in Aotearoa and overseas - including Waihopai Ploughshares, Alternatives to Violence Project in Jordan, the West Papua land of peace campaign, and more! This is a weekend for sharing and learning from stories and experiences, based around questions like: why do some communities and individuals make a conscious decision to respond non-violently to injustice, aggression and oppression? non-violence is often described as transformative and creative, is that inherent within it as a concept or because it is an alternative to dominant ways of thinking and behaving? what is the potential for non-violence at the personal, family, household, community, national and international levels? what would a world where non-violence is the dominant way of thinking and behaving be like? what has to change for us to get there? The programme will include workshops and campaign updates from peace and related groups - there will be a provisional programme available in mid March, but it will remain flexible throughout and be determined ultimately by the participants. The Peace Movement Aotearoa AGM will be held during the NPW. The 2009 NPW are at the Quaker Settlement on the northern outskirts of Whanganui, a place noted for its quiet peaceful atmosphere, and beautiful yet simple award-winning facilities. It is on a 20 acre site with a range of accommodation options, a swimming pool, areas of forest and native trees, a pond which has been developed as a Garden of Peace for quiet retreat and contemplation, and a walk around the boundary of the site with scenic views. How much you participate in the NPW is entirely up to you, this is a venue where you can simply hang out and relax if that is what you'd like to do over the weekend. The registration form is available here - there are a variety of cost options for residential and non-residential participants ranging from $20 to $160 per adult, with special rates for children; information about residential accommodation options is in the next section. The low income and child rates are below cost, but if these reduced rates are still beyond your means please let us know. The deadline for registration is Tuesday, 24 March (for late registration, please phone or email to let us know you are coming then bring your registration form and payment with you). Details of how to get to the Settlement will be sent to you when you register. There are four options for participants staying at the Settlement: * unit - all bedding and towel provided; tea / coffee amenities and en suite bathroom facilities * cabin - with bed, mattress and pillow provided, bring your own linen and bedding, or pillowcase and sleeping bag, and towel; shared bathroom facilities * sleeping house - a mix of open plan bunk beds and floor space, mattress and pillow provided, bring your own linen and bedding, or pillowcase and sleeping bag, and towel; shared bathroom facilities * camping - bring your own tent, bedding, sleeping mat, and anything else you need for camping; shared bathroom facilities. All meals will be provided for NPW participants staying at the Settlement. Details of the cost for each of these options is on the registration form. Please note that there are a restricted number of units and cabins available, so priority when allocating them will first be given to those who need them for health or other reasons, and they will then be allocated in the order registrations that are received. Participants coming from out of town can find information about other accommodation options at http://www.wanganui.info/tourism/accommodation Please be mindful that there are residents living in the houses around the conference facilities, so respect for their privacy and keeping noise levels down when moving around the Settlement at night are appreciated. Children under the age of 12 must be supervised by an adult when using the swimming pool. No smoking or lit candles are permitted inside any of the buildings (there are specified smoking areas outside); and no alcohol should be brought onto the site. By car - please fill in the car pool section on the registration form if you can offer or need seats in a car or van, by bus - Intercity http://www.intercity.co.nz or White Star http://sites.yellow.co.nz/site/whitestar/index.html and http://sites.yellow.co.nz/site/whitestar/Timetables.html, by air - Air NZ http://www.airnz.co.nz Whether or not you are planning on attending the NPW, if you are able to send a donation to assist with the costs that would be gratefully received. Because the NPW are residential, we are providing substantially subsidised rates for low income participants to ensure that all who wish to attend are not prevented from doing so because of the cost. Donations will be used to help with the subsidised rates; and, as with previous NPW, if there are any surplus funds they will be held in trust by Peace Movement Aotearoa for the next NPW. There is the opportunity for organisations to co-sponsor the NPW. Co-sponsorship comprises a minimum donation of $100, and in return co-sponsoring organisations are listed on publicity material, on the 2009 NPW web page, and in any published report. If you are interested in being a NPW co-sponsor, please contact us as soon as possible. Donation and co-sponsorship cheques should be made payable to 'Peace Movement Aotearoa: Special Projects' and sent to the address below. Please remember to include your name, address, and organisation (where applicable) if you would like a receipt. Annual General Meeting: the 2009 AGM will be held during the NPW. Agenda: apologies and remembrances, minutes of the last AGM, matters arising, presentation of 2007/08 Annual Report; presentation of the accounts for the 2007/08 financial year, election of Working Group, general business, and date and place of the next Annual General Meeting. Call for nominations to the Peace Movement Aotearoa Working Group (management committee): Working Group members should have a keen interest in peace and social justice issues, enthusiasm, a professional approach, a commitment to good employment practices, and be a Peace Movement Aotearoa member. If you wish to add items to the AGM agenda, send apologies, or nominate yourself or someone else to go on the Working Group, please email us with 'Peace Movement Aotearoa AGM' in the subject line. Peace Movement Aotearoa, PO Box 9314, Wellington 6141. Tel (04) 382 8129, email with '2009 National Peace Workshops' in the subject line. Alternatives to Violence Project Aotearoa Bay of Plenty / Auckland Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in Aotearoa New Zealand Indonesia Human Rights Committee National Consultative Committee on Disarmament Pax Christi Peace Foundation Wellington office Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Aotearoa section Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Tamaki Makaurau branch 2009 National Peace Workshops web page http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/npw09.htm
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National Peace Workshops 2009 