Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Patrick Dodson 21 August 2007 in Sydney

21st Sydney Chapter Forum - Patrick Dodson 21 August 2007

Sydney Chapter Forum:

Featuring Patrick Dodson,Chairman of the Lingiari Foundation and widely recognised as the Father of the Reconciliation Movement in Australia, and Jack Waterford, Editor-At-Large of the Canberra Times.

Pat will give a spirited address during a lunchtime Forum on the thought provoking and often challenging topic of "Liyan Ngarn" (Common Fate between Black and White Australians).

Jack Waterford will respond to Pat Dodson's address. Jack has interrupted his impressive journalistic career several times to work with and for Aboriginal communities. He writes currently on a wide range of national issues.

The Forum will be held in the NSW Parliament House Theatrette, Macquarie Street, Sydney. Time: 12.15pm for 12.30pm start.

For further details please contact the CES Office on (02) 9572 6044.

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Carol Powell's Statement in Court -Talisman Sabre

Gill Burrow's shared this wonderfully moving statement made in court last Thursday by Carole Powell, one of the inspiring TS07 ‘Imagining peace’ group who entered the military exclusion area during the recent Talisman Sabre exercises last month.

Carole was the National Coordinator for the recent John Dear visit organised by Pace e Bene Australia.

If anyone wants some background on the action see http://smoyle.blogspot.com/2007/07/shoalwater-bay-peace-convergence-report.html

In brief, here are their three main objectives for the action [taken from the above website].
“The focus for us was threefold:


1. To establish a reasoned and respectful dialogue with the soldiers. As protests are often restricted to yelling from behind a fence, we wanted to change the dynamic, to engage face to face with the people behind the uniform, and for them to do the same with us.


2. At the same time, we knew that any presence of civilians on the base would immediately halt the war games. Therefore another aim was to disrupt the exercises with our presence.


3. We wanted to see the base transformed from somewhere war games were conducted to a place where peace games are played. Hence not only did our presence cause the shutting down of the military activities, but we invited the soldiers to play frisbee with us on the tarmac.”