Patrick Dodson wins 2008 Sydney Peace Prize

2008 Sydney Peace Prize Winner


“The nearest Australia has to a Nelson Mandela”

Mr Patrick Dodson has been awarded the 2008 Sydney Peace Prize for his ‘courageous advocacy of the human rights of Indigenous people, for distinguished leadership of the reconciliation movement and for a lifetime of commitment to peace with justice, through dialogue and many other expressions on non violence’.

Chair of the Sydney Peace Foundation Alan Cameron says, “It is significant that the Peace Prize jury’s choice of Patrick Dodson can build on the momentum for justice and reconciliation for Indigenous people which was given such a boost by Sorry Day on February 13th.”

Peace Foundation Director Professor Stuart Rees comments, “The jury was impressed with Patrick’s work for reconciliation internationally – in Northern Ireland and in South Africa – as well as by his creative leadership of the Lingiari Foundation and as inaugural chair of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. In the history of this Peace Prize, Patrick is only the second Australian recipient. In 2001, former Governor General Sir William Deane was recognized for his work with Aboriginal Australians and on that occasion he was presented with the Prize by the Reconciliation chair, Patrick Dodson.”

Commenting on news of this year’s choice of the Sydney Peace Prize, the Director of the Edmund Rice Centre, Phil Glendenning, says “This is a wonderful choice. Patrick is a great communicator, a significant leader, the nearest Australia has to a Nelson Mandela.”

Speaking from Broome, Mr. Dodson has responded, “I would be very honoured to receive the Sydney Peace Prize. I thank the jury for considering me and my work worthy of such recognition.”
Other distinguished recipients of Australia’s only international prize for peace have included previous Nobel winners Professor Muhammad Yunus and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Indian author and human rights campaigner Arundhati Roy and, last year, the Swedish diplomat and disarmament advocate Dr. Hans Blix.

Patrick Dodson will give the City of Sydney Peace Prize Lecture on November 5th in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House. On November 6th he will receive the 2008 Sydney Peace Prize at a gala ceremony in the Great Hall of Sydney University and on the morning of Friday 7th November he will be the guest of 1500 high school students in a festival of welcome and gratitude hosted by Cabramatta High School.

‘Radical Discipleship, Restorative Justice and Nonviolence Conference’

is being held next weekend July 18-20th at the Uniting Church Centre for Ministry in North Parramatta.

The keynote speakers are biblical scholar, faith, peace and justice advocate Ched Myers and his Wife Elaine Enns. Ched Myers is perhaps best known for his radical discipleship book ‘Binding the Strong Man – A political Reading of Mark’s story of Jesus’ and he is a wonderfully engaging speaker. Elaine specializes in the field of restorative justice and conflict transformation. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear these two overseas speakers in Sydney.

Pace e Bene will be presenting two sessions at this conference.

Please pass this on to your networks and others you think may be interested.

Registration is available online Click here

Solomon Islands Facilitator Co-learning

Pace e Bene Australia From Violence to Wholeness Facilitator Co-Learning programme was held in the Solomon Islands April 7-27th 2008

In partnership with Catholic church Solomon Islands and Caritas
Pace e Bene facilitators Carole Powell [Qld] and Brendan McKeague [WA] presented a series of three Facilatator co-learning workshops.. They have shared their fantastic experiences in a wonderful journal Click here

Open Invitation to our National Gathering

Engaging Nonviolence – Deep listening to the Spirit

Adelaide: November 6th – 9th 2008

An Invitation to join with others and listen to the spirit as we share the journey of ‘exploring nonviolence’ and how it takes shape in our lives. The gathering seeks to bring together people from around the country to network, share experiences and be further equipped for nonviolent life and action. Costs will be kept to a minimum with scope for some part-scholarships.

This is the second such national gathering - the first was at Pallotti College in Millgrove, Victoria in December 2006 - from which Pace e Bene Australia emerged. Click here for further details and registration.

The Pace e Bene AGM will be held in Adelaide on Nov 10th after the Gathering.

PACE E BENE AUSTRALIA NEWS

1.‘Engage - Exploring Nonviolent Living’ STARTING Sat JULY 26TH

….will be offered again this year as four Saturday workshops following the success of last year’s programme.

Combining intellectual and experiential learning this programme helps participants take the next steps on the journey towards living nonviolently.
The dates are 26 July, 16 August, 6 September and 27 September, running from 9am to 4:30pm in Epping.

Full details and registration can be found here

‘Engaging Nonviolence – Deep Listening to the Spirit’

NSW Facilitator Co-learning weekend

We are keen to have more workshop facilitators in NSW and will be offering this programme to any one who might be interested. We have an opportunity for the weekend of Dec 5-7th 2008 and are interested in finding out how many people would be available to participate at this time since it is getting close to Christmas.
Please email or phone Gill Burrows on gill.burrows@madtechnology.net or ph 02 99222927 if you are interested and indicate if you would be available in Dec this year or prefer some other time.

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.