Latest news

April

Contest winners at the History of Peace Conference. Read about it here

January 2010

Some good news from Bethlehem University as Berlanty Azzam receives her degree. Read More

December

Volunteering opportunities for 2010 now posted

Sixth formers at St Leonard's Durham send greeting and support young people in Bethlehem this Christmas

The Israeli courts have ruled that Berlanty Azzam is not permitted to complete her studies at Bethlehem University. Read more here

Should the armed forces be allowed to recruit in your school? A school governer in Derbyshire didn't think so. Join the debate

November

Berlanty Azzam, a student of Bethlehem University, has been arrested and moved to Gaza where she is stranded unable to complete her studies. Follow her story here

A petition that British government encourage their Israeli counterparts to allow Berlanty to return to finish her studies attracted 928 signatures

Get involved

Volunteer! Pax Christi is offering a variety of volunteering opportunities for 2010

Pax Christi Peace Challenge 2010
Win a trip to Pax Christi's Peace House in Florence. Read more

Young Israelis say no to violence. The Shministim are Israeli high school students who have been imprisoned for refusing to serve in an army that occupies the Palestinian Territories. Join the campaign to release them from jail, read their stories and watch their video

Websites and videos

Summer Work Camp
Download a Flyer for the 2010 Summer Camp at the Pax Christi's Peace House in Florence

CitySafe
The CitySafe Haven project, supported by London Citizens, is the brainchild of the Bakery where 16-year old Jimmy Mizen was killed in May 2008. Read more to be inspired and encouraged by local actions that challenge violence

Where is the love? 10 minute film made by young people about the Arms Fair that happens next to their school. 

Thinking of joining the armed forces?  get the facts before you sign up

"Why We Fight" - a must-see film presented by the BBC read more...also see links

Young people from all over London gathered at St Joseph's site in Hendon for the Brightlights youth festival Happy are You. The festival explored the themes of the Beatitudes and Pax Christi was privileged to contribute to the programme and atmopshere of the Festival.

The Pax Christi ICON of Peace was on display in the Peace Zone for times of prayer and quiet reflection. Space was also created in this zone for messages and intercessions of peace to be written and displayed.

A highlight of the Festival was a presentation from Margaret and Barry Mizen. Their son, Jimmy was killed in a violent incident in South London in May 2008. They presented a short DVD on their story entitled 'Gift of Hope' in which they tell the story of the day of Jimmy's death and their initial reaction to his death.

They spoke of the central importance of their faith in facing this tragic act. Margaret spoke of how people are surprised at her lack of anger and her refusal to seek revenge. She said that it was anger that had killed her son so how could she pass anger on to others.

Barry was asked if he had forgiven the boy who was responsible for Jimmy's death. He explained that he was unsure what forgiveness meant in this case... at the moment if it means that he does not seek revenge and that he is trying to understand what has happened and ensure it does not happen again then perhaps this is forgiveness.

They were later joined on a panel by TV personality and writer Delia Smith, CAFOD partner Kepha Ngito and Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi.

Read more about Jimmy and the Jimmy Mizen Bus Appeal to raising funds for a mini-bus for the local scout group.

Richard Moore was a 10 year old boy when a British soldier shot him in the face with a rubber bullet. This week, more than 35 years later, he told a group of London young people what forgiveness means to him and about the futility of war.

The Troubles of Northern Ireland seem a world away from a spring morning in St Pancras’ Parish Church where 150 young people from four London schools gathered for a morning organised by Pax Christi. But the venue was an important one. It was the focus of requiems and vigils in the aftermath of the July 7 bombings in Central London. A good place, then, to consider what forgiveness, reconciliation and peace have to offer today’s world.

Instead of holding onto bitterness and resentment, Richard spoke of acceptance and the need for optimism. Richard’s life has been extraordinary. After running 2 pubs and chairing Derry City Football Club, he set up a charity, Children in Crossfire. Children in Crossfire supports local initiatives that improve the daily lives for people living in some of the world's poorest communities. Richard said, “I couldn’t have done what I’ve done without a good family, good community, and, despite all this, to have had choices available. Children elsewhere don’t have that.”

Richard spoke of the 40,000 children who die every day for lack of basic essentials while worldwide, $1000bn was spent on arms. “It’s a situation that’s only going to change with people like you and me.”

After meeting the soldier who shot him in 2005, Richard drew two lessons about forgiveness:“The first is that forgiveness is a gift to yourself, you find freedom in it, and the second is that you’re never going to change the past, but you can change the future.” A product of a strong Catholic upbringing he said,
“they can take away my eyesight, but they can’t take away your vision – they’ll always be something positive to find.”

Here's what 3 students from Our Lady’s Catholic School, Hackney, had to say after hearing Richard.

Annie: “it’s been really moving and touching, that after everything he still managed to fogive.”

Veronica: “I’d be quite bitter, I think, it’s amazing how strong he is.”

Celine: “It’s really inspirational that he’s had such a positive life, maybe everyone does have it in them to stop the cycles of violence.”

Report by Dan Hale, Livesimply Youth Coordinator.

Year 7 pupils at St Leonard's school, Durham, UK, have been busy making Christmas cards to send to Bethlehem.  The 'Little Town of Bethlehem' is almost entirely surrounded by Israel's separation wall, making life very hard for the people of Bethlehem.  The messages sent from all over the world remind them that they have not been forgotten.

The messages and cards will be handed out at church services and schools in Bethlehem over the Christmas period. 

Messages can be read at www.aeicenter.org

Emma Atherton reports on her trip to Ypres, Belgium, to join the Pax Christi Peace Pilgrimage.

On November the 10th Hilary and I travelled to Ypres in Belgium to join 180 other young people for a Peace Pilgrimage to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War. During the First World War more than half a million people were killed in Ypres and the surrounding area. On the 11th of November 1918 this cruel war came to an end. Pax Christi Flanders invited people from Belgium, France, Germany and the UK to join them to remember what happened and commit themselves to work for peace.

We arrived in Ypres after an easy train journey from London. The pilgrimage started at 9pm, so we had free time to explore Ypres. We decided to experience some local culture and went to get waffles and coffee. At 8 pm we went to the Menin Gate to hear the last post. The Menin Gate holds 50,000 names of commonwealth soldiers who lost their lives but their bodies could not be found. The Last Post has become part of the daily life in Ypres. The local people are proud of this simple but moving tribute to the courage and self-sacrifice of those who died in defence of their town. There was also a parade on this particular day which included bagpipes, a choir, drums, a brass band and soldiers. This was very moving, it was definitely a once in a life time experience.

When we got back to base there was a welcome at 10pm, then at 10:30pm there was an introduction with music and singing. I enjoyed this because the music was very good. It was a band called ‘Café Bazar’ and they sang a wide variety of songs making it suitable for everyone!

At 11:30 pm there were 12 different workshops available in English, French and Dutch. I took part in a workshop which was about death row in America. This workshop was very interesting and it revealed the struggle and inhumanity which people on death row have to suffer on a daily basis. We then took part in a Taizé vigil of prayer, with a brother from Taizé, this involved singing and moments of silence for prayer.

At 1:15 am we set off on the peace pilgrimage. We were given florescent jackets and orange juice and sent on our way. The weather was less than kind to us. There was torrential rain, the kind of rain that if you go outside for 10 seconds you are soaking wet. It was cold with strong winds, this made it slightly more difficult to enjoy the experience but still spirits were high. We walked in a circle from Ypres, through the surrounding countryside, stopping at cemeteries on the way around for quiet reflection, but not for very long because of the rain! People we walked with included teachers, students, priests and young people from Belgium and France. Whilst walking it was very hard not to make a connection with our walk and the walks that the soldiers had to make everyday. It felt as though we were getting a small look into the daily life of the soldiers in the First World War. We returned to base at 6:30 am and had a lovely breakfast of pan au chocolat and hot chocolate, after that it was about time for bed.

Emma Atherton

The PeaceZone at this years Greenbelt festival was once again a great success.  As 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the assassination of Gandhi and 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, visitors were invited to go on a journey through 2000 years of Christian nonviolence. 

The display, which also included activities along the way, told the stories of 20 Christian Peacemakers who have been inspired by Jesus’ way of nonviolence to act, and transform, the world around them.  From 4th Century saints to 20th century peace activists - from the famous to the unknown – they have all been inspired by that same spirit of love and compassion.  The display ended with a mirror asking what each person would do for peace. 

The PeaceZone hosted speakers, including Donna Hicks and Jan Benvie from Christian Peacemaker Teams, Maya Anne Evans and Adam Dickson who all talked about specific peacemakers or nonviolent activists who have influenced and inspired them.  

 Visitors could also paint part of a mandala, a geometric design which symbolises the universe and is often used in meditation in eastern religions, or knit a square of a peace blanket

The PeaceZone is a really important opportunity for Christians to engage with peacemaking, ask questions, and to get involved in the work of the organisations that make up the Network of Christian Peace Organisations.

26 young adults from Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain and Uganda participated in the first International Summer Work Camp at the Pax Christi Peace House near Florence, Italy, from the 8-17th August.  One of the participants, Mirjam, from Belgium said;

“It was wonderful, a nice house, friendly people - a great experience!
I hope to see more English people next year!”

The mornings were spent working in teams; gardening, cooking, cleaning and painting.  This was a great chance to get to know each other, as well as helping to maintain the Peace House, which is used by school groups and others throughout the year.

At lunch time we were treated to wonderful Italian homecooked food, and then, after a siesta, we had workshops and discussions on conflict resolution and nonviolence and heard from Tony Dell’Olio on the work of Libera, an organization that encourages ordinary people to challenge the Mafia in Italy.  One afternoon we visited the local mosque and met with the Imam, who talked about Islam and peace.

On the Sunday we had a day off and Carmine, the coordinator at the Peace House, led us on an ‘Art and Peace’ tour of Florence. 

Pax Christi are planning to run the camp again in August 2009 – keep an eye on the website or email Hilary to be added to the email list: education@paxchristi.org.uk

“We feel inspired! Inspired by the other teams’ videos, inspired by the stories of Giovanni Scudiero, (exec member of Pax Christi International) the other teams and the people who live at Casa per la Pace. It shows that no matter where you are from you can communicate, understand one another, teach one another and most importantly break bread together ( ….) We feel as though everybody has the potential to change the world!”

The teams from France, Portugal and the UK stayed at Pax Christi Italy’s Peace House (Casa per la Pace), in the hills just outside Florence. They explored together the theme of Peace and the Environment, shared the presentations they had made, and made new friends, despite differences in language and culture. The Peace House welcomes international volunteers every year, as well as local school groups. Commenting on their stay Emma and Claire said

“Casa per la Pace is a wonderful place! We do not think there are many places in the world like that. We feel now like members of a family.”

Highlights of the trip included a wonderful day spent in the beautiful city of Florence. Carmine, coordinator of the Casa per la Pace, led the group on an Art and Peace tour of the city, explaining how the city was somewhere people had learnt to live together peacefully, despite their differences. On the last night of the trip the group celebrated Mass together, with prayers and readings in different languages. After dinner the group were treated to a violin duet by two of the volunteers at the Casa per la Pace.

Pax Christi, the International Catholic Movement for Peace, believes strongly in the benefits of bringing young people together to share and learn from each other, and breaking down the boundaries of nationality, language and culture. The contest draws on a long tradition of Pax Christi ‘Peace Walks’ all over Europe, which gave young people the chance to ‘walk the road’ together.

Pax Christi will be running the competition again next year. Young people can enter in groups of four with the support of an adult – look out for details on our website in the autumn at www.paxchristi.org.uk

Download the winning entry 'A little piece of peace'

“A little piece of peace shows how complex issues of poverty, peace, the environment, and global warming are all linked and suggests practical ways that all of us can build a more peaceful world.”

The winning teams meet in Florence between 3-6th April 2008. The teams will be staying at the Pax Christi Peace House (Casa per la Pace). The programme for the weekend will include activities to explore the theme of Peace and the Environment, an ‘Art and Peace’ tour of Florence, time for reflection and opportunities for the young people from Italy, France, Portugal, Belgium and the UK to learn from each other.

Pax Christi hopes to strengthen this contest in 2009, encouraged by the quality of work presented this year and in the belief that young people have important messages to communicate to others as to their own views on what it takes to make peace in our world. As an international movement for peace, Pax Christi believes that encounter visits such as this are invaluable in breaking down barriers between people and building friendships that stretch across national and cultural differences.

"The judges felt that 'Mad World' reflected the reality of the world we live in but at the same time offered a challenging and hopeful message about what kind of world might be possible if people come together rather than being divided by religion, ethnicity and race."

The winning teams meet in Brussels between 22 - 26 March 2007. In Brussels they will have the opportunity to visit the European Parliament and the Pax Christi International offices, as well as a chance to explore Belgium and take advantage of the many special events to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome which marked the creation of the European Union.

Pax Christi hopes to strengthen this contest in 2008, encouraged by the quality of work presented this year and in the belief that young people have important messages to communicate to others as to their own views on what it takes to make peace in our world. As an international movement for peace, Pax Christi believes that encounter visits such as this are invaluable in breaking down barriers between people and building friendships that stretch across national and cultural differences.

Some of the artwork illustrating the life of Franz Jaegerstaetter,
his wife Fransiska and his three daughters.

His act of conscientious objection led to
his execution in 1943

Dear Pat,

It was lovely to see you yesterday. I am sending you the speech I gave yesterday during the Nagasaki Ceremony. (August 2007)

I leave for Jordan on Thursday 19 August. Hope to see you when I return back. Could you please print my speech onto your youth page.

Lots of Love

Sonia

The story that has touched my heart was the story about 10 year old Iraqi boy living with his family in Jordan as a refugee, eventually the father left the family, the boy became withdrawn and would only watch tom and jerry cartoons.

These Iraqi children have witnessed violence,
These Iraqi children have lost families and friends through violence,
These Iraqi children have lost their homes,
These Iraqi children have suffered pain and are going through trauma,
These Iraqi children have lost their childhood!

I am a child, but I grieve for my generation!
I am a child, and I say enough is enough!

Children Against the War are campaigning for the Iraqi Children living in Jordan and neighbouring countries as refugees.
Iraqi children have a right to speak out and let the world know how they are feeling. Children Against the War would like to give voices to the Iraqi children.

We are working closely with Milan Rai of Justice for Peace not Vengeance, Gabriel Carlyle of Voices of Wilderness UK and Kathy Kelly of Voices of Creative Non-violence from America who at the moment is in Jordan.

Albert Einstein said ‘Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding’.

I am going to Jordan next week to make a documentary film – giving voices to Iraqi Children. Adults please support me!

Thank you!!!!!

Sonia