Communication from Gill Burrows

Dear Friends of Pace e Bene

Here is a brief update on Pace e Bene news and a few dates for your diaries: If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.

‘Engage – Exploring nonviolent Living’ will be offered again this year as four Saturday workshops starting on July 26th.

NSW Facilitator Training We have an opportunity to offer this programme over the weekend of Dec 5-7th 2008. Recognising that it is getting close to Christmas I would encourage anyone interested in participating to let me know their availability. We have funding to provide this programme in each state and would like to offer it to as many as possible in NSW. Thanks.

Weapons of War Expo, Adelaide November 11th – 13th 2008
Immediately after the Pace e Bene National Gathering, the city of Adelaide will also be hosting another significant gathering - a weapons Expo commencing on Nov 11th armistice day!!! …. to quote from the SA Premier’s press release:

Asia-Pacific Defence Security Exhibition

11-13 November 2008 Adelaide - Australia

Servicing your business needs!

http://www.eiaa.asn.au/upl_images/APDS%20Documents.pdf

"APDS has been launched for the Defence and Security industries creating a fully integrated, business orientated, and international forum for companies wanting to expand their business within the Asia Pacific. Market analysis clearly indicates that the Asia-Pacific is the significant growth market and yet it is the least represented by quality defence and/or security exhibitions"

Alternatives to Weapons of War, Adelaide Pace e Bene Australia intends to provide an 'alternative nonviolent presence' alongside this weapons marketplace. We are in the early stages of planning what shape this might take in Adelaide and in other parts of the country....what we hope is that there will also be some intentional activities around the country to raise awareness that there are other ways of doing business than by manufacturing and marketing machines that kill and injure people and the planet....we will keep you informed about what emerges - meantime, mark your diary and be creative in discerning how you might contribute to this conscientisation process - either by coming to Adelaide and/or staying on for a few days after the national gathering (I'm reliably informed that there are some interesting areas to visit where delicious grapes grow...) and/or by planning something in your own area/school/parish/community that seeks to provide a gospel-centred counter-witness on November 11-13th this year.



We would love your ideas and feedback together with info on activities planned by other groups. Thanks.

There is also a website campaigning to stop the exhibition: http://www.apdsexhibition.org and you can sign up to receive email updates at the campaign gets underway.
A Google search will provide lots more links if you are interested.

Solomon Islands Facilitator Training Pace e Bene Australia facilitators Brendan McKeague and Carole Powell, in conjunction with Caritas Australia recently completed three very successful From Violence to Wholeness Facilitator training programmes in the Solomon Islands. The local SI people gave Carole and Brendan a wonderful welcome. They participated keenly and really enjoyed their workshop experiences. They are now taking this work forward into their own communities.


Carole and Brendan kept a journal of their amazing journey and it will shortly be available on the PeBA blogsite. I will forward the link once it is available.