Waihopai Ploughshares trial
Support activities and events

• Trial and events updates
• Photos: Women say no to war and spy bases   Other support activities
• Waihopai Ploughshares media spokesperson - Graham Bidois Cameron, tel 021 642 414, email
• Poster: Waihopai Ploughshares trial events calendar
• Full details of support activities and events

Please scroll down this page for details of the Waihopai Ploughshares trial support activities currently underway and those that will take place in Wellington from Saturday, 6th to Friday, 12th March. The Waihopai Ploughshares events calendar, which includes an outline of the support events, is available here - please help to distribute it as widely as possible both electronically and in print form.

There are also specific flyers or posters available for some of the events below (see the link/s beside the event) - your help in distributing those, both electronically and in print form, would also be appreciated. The Waihopai Ploughshares trial begins on International Women's Day, and women's groups may be particularly interested in helping to circulate the flyer for the International Women's Day event. Thank you

Information about other ways you can support Waihopai Ploughshares is available here.

Currently underway

• Waihopai Ploughshares support planning meetings: Waihopai Ploughshares support planning meetings, for everyone interested in organising around the trial, are held every Thursday, at the US Embassy, corner Fitzherbert Terrace and Murphy Street, Thorndon, Wellington (in the bus or under the gazebo in the park if raining) - shared meal and planning meeting from 6pm to 7.30pm, followed by revolutionary Bible studies. If you are unable to attend the meetings, but are interested in becoming involved, please contact the Wellington Ploughshares Support Group.

• Waihopai spy base display at the Wellington central library: the Anti-Bases Campaign's Waihopai spy base display is currently set up in the Wellington central library entrance foyer (until Sunday, 28 February), and it will be there again from Monday, 8 March, until Sunday, 14 March. The Anti-Bases Campaign flyer is available here.

Schedule of events from 6 to 12 March

Unless stated otherwise, events are in Katherine Mansfield Park, organised by Waihopai Ploughshares and Wellington Ploughshares Support Group.

• From 5pm, all friends of Waihopai Ploughshares are invited to be in Katherine Mansfield Park (corner Fitzherbert Terrace and Hobson Terrace, next to US Embassy) for the following six nights, to pray and remember the victims of war and reflect on NZ's complicity in US-led wars. Please bring bedroll, sleeping bag, musical instruments and food to share. Powhiri at 5pm, shared meal at 6pm, then speakers and discussion until Taizè prayer at 9pm. Organised by Waihopai Ploughshares - the A4 poster with this invitation, and events outline, is available here.

• 10am - Mass

• 1.30pm - The Way of Peace with the Wellington Catholic Peacemakers: We invite you to join our pilgrimage for peace, we will gather at the Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre, 132 Tory Street, at 1.30pm.The Way of Peace will link peace-related memorials and historic sites from the Suzanne Aubert soup kitchen to eventually meeting with the supporters and members of the Waihopai Ploughshares at Katherine Mansfield Park. In the tradition of the Stations of the Cross processions and religious pilgrimages, during the Way of Peace, the Catholic Peacemakers will pause for reflection at several Wellington locations. Following a brief introduction at each memorial, participants will observe a short moment of silence, song and prayer.

  As we walk and stop to pause at each memorial of Peace, we may reflect on "What steps am I willing to take for Peacemaking and Justice?" "Not everyone is called to do a Ploughshares action. Not everyone is called to commit civil disobedience. But everyone is called to do something for the disarmament of the world. Everyone is called to work for the liberation of the oppressed, justice for the poor, non-violence in place in this disastrous world of violence." (Fr John Dear SJ, On the Road to Peace, November 2009). Organised by Wellington Catholic Peacemakers - an A4 flyer with the full route of the Way of Peace, details of how to get there, what to bring, and background information is available here, a map of the route is available here, and an A5 flyer plus map is available here.

• 5pm - Ploughshares liturgy service

• 9pm - Taizè prayer

• 8.30am - Ploughshares supporters rally: gather at the Cenotaph, corner Bowen Street and Lambton Quay; silent procession to District Court, 43 - 49 Ballance Street, at 9 am; then vigil outside the court, the trial starts at 10am. Jointly organised by Anti-Bases Campaign, Wellington Ploughshares Support Group and Peace Movement Aotearoa.

• 1 to 2pm - Picket and vigil, with space for those who wish to pray or stand in silence, at the GCSB Headquarters, Freyberg House, entrance via St Paul's Square next to National Library, 58 Molesworth Street. Jointly organised by Anti-Bases Campaign, Wellington Ploughshares Support Group and Peace Movement Aotearoa.

• 5.30pm - Women Say NO to War and Spy Bases: Come along to the peaceful protest on International Women's Day to add your voice to the call of women around the world who are saying NO to war and YES to peace, and to mark the first day of the Waihopai Ploughshares trial. Join us at 5.30pm at the GCSB / Defence Force Headquarters, corner Aitken and Mulgrave Streets, then proceeding along Mulgrave Street to the US embassy at 6pm.

  Wear something pink if you can, and bring pink streamers or ribbons, photos, messages, cardboard or paper peace doves, or wool to decorate the GCSB / Defence Force HQ and US embassy fence; something to make a noise with - pot and spoon, drum, your voice - during the time of anger; flowers or candles to leave at each location during the time of mourning; and a poem or reading to share during the time of reflection ... and your own banner or placard if you wish. All women and children welcome. Organised by Peace Movement Aotearoa and Women Support Waihopai Ploughshares - an A4 poster for this event is available here.

• 9pm - Taizè prayer

• 1 to 2pm - Picket and vigil, with space for those who wish to pray or stand in silence, at the US Embassy, Fitzherbert Terrace. Jointly organised by Anti-Bases Campaign, Wellington Ploughshares Support Group and Peace Movement Aotearoa

• 5.30pm - Stations of the Cross: the Stations of the Cross is an old Christian practice of remembering how Christ died. It involves stopping at different places (usually inside a church) to remember the different moments of Christ's trial and crucifixion. The practice is also a remembrance of the political, economic, religious, judicial and imperial powers that condemned Christ to death. A group of Christians committed to social justice will lead a Stations of the Cross through the streets of Wellington to reflect on how such institutions still operate to condemn whole nations and peoples to death. The walk will stop at sites and institutions that can be used to justify war and oppression. The group will be carrying a cross and will start at 5.30pm at the District Court, then will walk via Treasury and the Reserve Bank, the Cenotaph, parliament, cathedrals, Defence / GCSB Building, to the US Embassy. At each Station there will be a short Bible reading, a reflection on the role of each institution and a song. Organised by the Wellington Ploughshares Support Group - full details of this event, including the route, will be available here soon.

• 9pm - Taizè prayer

• 1 to 2pm - Picket and vigil, with space for those who wish to pray or stand in silence, at the British High Commission, 44 Hill Street.

• Jointly organised by Anti-Bases Campaign, Wellington Ploughshares Support Group and Peace Movement Aotearoa

• 7pm - 'Waihopai: The Spybase, The Wars, The Trial', public meeting at St John's conference centre, corner Willis and Dixon Streets. Speakers are: Murray Horton, Anti-Bases Campaign; Moana Cole, Ploughshares; Bryan Law, Christians Against All Terrorism (Australia); and Keith Locke, Green MP; facilitated by Edwina Hughes, Peace Movement Aotearoa. Organised by Anti-Bases Campaign - an A4 poster for this event is available here.

• 9pm - Taizè prayer

• 1 to 2pm - Picket and vigil, with space for those who wish to pray or stand in silence, at the Australian High Commission, 72 - 76 Hobson Street. Jointly organised by Anti-Bases Campaign, Wellington Ploughshares Support Group and Peace Movement Aotearoa

• 7 to 10pm - Celebration concert

• 1 to 2pm - Picket and vigil, with space for those who wish to pray or stand in silence, at the Canadian High Commission, 125 The Terrace. Jointly organised by Anti-Bases Campaign, Wellington Ploughshares Support Group and Peace Movement Aotearoa