With over 70 teams already registered online, THINKfast is off to a great start! See how others are promoting their events and kick-starting their fundraising.
With over 70 teams already registered online, THINKfast is off to a great start! See how others are promoting their events and kick-starting their fundraising.
The graphic novels speaks to the courage of women to rebuild, to lead their families when their men are knocked down. The Congolese women are saying “Get up, Come on, We can do this, Together we are strong”!
The human rights situation in Cambodia is quickly worsening. Land eviction is currently a hot issue in Cambodia and, as you can see from this video, the police does not respect basic human rights when it is time to evict people.
More than 250,000 Palestinians are currently living in 12 camps within Lebanon. The Palestinian people have been displaced, and have been living as refugees for over 60 years. Nevertheless, the Palestinians continue to live in the daily hope of returning to their homeland.
This was most evident in May, when 100,000 Palestinians returned to the Israeli border to demonstrate their right to return to their homeland. Six were killed. Today there is little evidence that displaced Palestinians will become citizens of their own land in the foreseeable future.
One Palestinian camp in Lebanon, named Shatila, is situated within Beirut. The 1km2 of land is home to over 17,000 people. 5,000 people are Palestinians, and the rest are a mix of Syrians, Lebanese, Sudanese, and Iraqi refugees. Non-Palestinians use the camp as a safe haven, the one place they can avoid prison terms for being an “illegal” person.
As refugees, Palestinians are denied the right to work or own property, despite their will and abilities – 50% are university graduates. Opinions over the Palestinians’ right to work are divided; there are fears that allowing them to work will encourage them to remain in Lebanon, though they will tell you clearly – they want to be in Palestine, not Lebanon.
During the Israeli war on Lebanon in the early 1980’s, Shatila was the scene of a catastrophic massacre in 1982, where 1,500 people were slaughtered at the hands of the militia of the Lebanese Forces, supported by the Israeli army. Immediately after, in Lebanon and internationally, news, information, or press about what happened were suppressed and the destroyed camp was declared a military zone. With the assistance of the UN, the Israeli’s withdrew, and control was handed over to the Syrian army. Conditions remained desperate within the camp. In 1984 the “war of the camps” broke out. Shatila remained under siege for 3 years, where the camp was denied food, resulting in starvation and deaths.
The Syrian army began to withdraw in 2003. With greater freedom, many people left the camp, while others began to improve conditions by bringing in materials and looking for informal work. Despite this, Shatila remains without a play area, a proper school, or adequate housing.
Community is strong within the camp, and it is not as dangerous a place as is commonly perceived. Palestinians have expressed their wish for their efforts to be recognized, respected, and supported. There is a hope that an awareness of the situation for Palestinians within the camp will generate sincere progress towards a peaceful, just resolution to their displacement.
by Jacques St. Laurent
To read more about our time in Lebanon click here!
The first two days of the 2011 Development & Peace Youth Solidarity Trip to Lebanon were spent meeting with members of the Permanent Peace Movement in Beirut, and understanding the organization’s important work within the context of the current social, economic and political realities in Lebanon.
The Permanent Peace Movement (PPM) is an independent Lebanese Non-Governmental Organization founded in 1986 at the height of the Lebanese civil war by a group of young university students unified by their common vision for the future and their aversion to war.
They considered that peaceful means for conflict resolution are the most useful of all, and that when these are exhausted, one should resort to non-violent means and never to violence.
Such a commitment to peace building within Lebanon is an incredible challenge – this is a country brimming with domestic tension as members of 18 various sects, within a population of less than 4 million people, have repeatedly entered into violent conflict.
Sectarianism within Lebanon means that political office, government positions, and senior military and security appointments are divided based on the principle of religious balance.
Thus, it appears that for many Lebanese, political, economic or cultural survival is dependent upon occupying positions of power in order to protect the rights and values of their own group. Moreover, divisions within the country are not simply predicated on religion, but on various political ideologies, which further fragment groups.
It is apparent that there are no easy solutions to ending violence and preventing further conflict. Indeed coming from a generation of Canadians which have little experience with war, the situation appears absolutely overwhelming.
The stimulating, challenging and inspiring experiences we are living out during our Solidarity Trip in Lebanon are being added to the blog throughout the summer. But before you continue to see what we did, who we met, and what we learned about peace-building and development, here is more information about Development and Peace’s programming in the Middle East region.
Ever since it’s founding, Development and Peace has been coming to the aid of people in the Arab world who find themselves in difficulty. Here are a few programs you might remember supporting, from a snapshot of our presence and support in the last ten years:
- during the ”war on terrorism”: emergency relief and reconstruction in Afghanistan and in Iraq
- during the huge earthquakes: emergency relief and reconstruction in Iran and in Pakistan
- during and after the Israeli wars: emergency relief and reconstruction in the Palestinian Territories and in Lebanon
Development and Peace is continuing to build and strengthen action for peace and development in the Middle East – that is our goal and you and I are involved in helping to realize this goal through our support of partners in Lebanon.
When individuals from across the nation meet, the label “Canadian” reveals its colorful, multifaceted, and sometimes controversial subtext. Arriving in Our Lady of Fatima camp on the edge of Montreal, the participants of the Development and Peace Solidarity Trip to Lebanon converged to begin with three days of orientation.
There was also training related to inter-cultural communication, group dynamics, and public-awareness raising (sensibilisation in french). We soon became aware of our innate differences and the potential for mistranslation, which gave us the opportunity to explore this wonderful mélange we know as Canada:
Melodie and Steve are from Montreal at UQAM
Amelie and Genevieve are from Ottawa/Gatineau region and help us with translation
Alex and Amanda are from Ontario and Manitoba, and are social workers
Jacques is from Victoria and Angelique is from Montreal, both doing their masters at university
Marie-Helene and Genevieve are our trusty and intrepid organizers
In a few hours we will head to the airport to begin the exciting journey to our long awaited destination of Beirut. Various methods to remediate the anguish of jet lag are being employed, but anticipation will likely keep energy levels high while we shuffle our way out of thrombosis.
Amanda and Jacques
Our aim is to share some of what we learn throughout our journey with you. We expect new and stimulating experiences from the people, the land, and the culture.
Day of Solidarity – June 20th in support of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Kairos: Suicide rates among Indigenous youth between 15 and 24 years are five to six times higher than the national average. For Inuit youth in particular, it’s 11 times higher. Suicide accounts for 25% of all deaths among Indigenous youth (Health Canada).
When confronted with such despair, it’s easy to feel hopeless and helpless. Becoming aware of the legacy of colonization is not easy. We may feel ashamed of the inequality that divides Indigenous peoples of Canada—First Nations, Inuit and Métis—from other Canadians. We are challenged to recognize how governments and corporations have failed to honour the rights to the land and self-determination of Canada’s first inhabitants.
Yet these realities don’t have the last word. Together, whether Indigenous or newcomers, we seek to heal and renew the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people because we know that what causes harm, inequality and injustice cannot be of God.Together, we find signs of hope and we dare to dream the promise of right relationship.
In November 2010, the Government of Canada’s endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples represented a step towards right relation with Indigenous peoples in Canada. KAIROS and our member churches have long called for Canada’s endorsement of this important global human rights standard.
On June 20 KAIROS member churches, communities and Indigenous partners will join in a Day of Solidarity urging Canada to take concrete steps, in collaboration with Indigenous peoples, to implement the UN Declaration. We will bring banners to Ottawa calling for the human rights of Indigenous peoples to be respected. This is followed by National Aboriginal Day on June 21, which offers many opportunities to celebrate the contributions of Indigenous peoples to the history and present of our country.
We ask you support these events with your presence and your prayers. Hold in prayer our common hopes for a just future, together in this beautiful land. And bring those prayers to action in your faith community and home.
PRAYER
One: God of all people, Great Spirit, Holy One All: Listen to our prayer. One: Give your blessing this day to the First Peoples of this land. All: Guide the elders and give them strength; One: Comfort and renew men and women in times of sorrow and despair, All: Give grace and pride to children as the daughters and sons of your creation. One: Hear our prayer as we gather today to commit to right relations. All: Give us a sense of justice, an awareness of new beginnings, that wrongs may be redressed, rights respected and a new covenant forged. One: May those who have used this land with little thought or regard learn to love and respect this gracious heritage; All: May those who find your presence in the land be free to model its grateful use to all. One: In common life and common dignity… All: May all people receive from you a new humanity. Amen.
FIVE THINGS YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY CAN DO:
Build relationships.Learn whose traditional territory you live and work on, and learn about your local treaty or treaty negotiations. Get to know your local First Nations, Inuit or Métis community. Contact your Friendship Centre; attend public powwows, Treaty Days or ceremonies. Connect with your denomination’s right relationship networks.
Learn.Learn more about the Canadian history we’re not taught in school. Host a KAIROS workshop on this: contact us at workshops@kairoscanada.org. Learn about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the reality of residential schools, even if your denomination was not involved in running the schools. Go to TRC hearings; learn more about local survivors’ groups. Learn about the Indigenous membership and perspectives of your own faith tradition.
Workfor an end to violence against Indigenous women, who face a rate of violence many times higher than in the general population. Support vigils in your community, and support the work of groups like Families of Sisters in Spirit, the Native Women’s Association of Canada, Walk 4 Justice, and more.
Go global. Learn about the UN Declaration and the worldwide concerns and movement that brought it to birth after thirty years of work. Reflect on the struggles that made the Declaration necessary, and think about how to put into action here in Canada.
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives is a faithful movement for human rights and ecological justice, uniting the local and the global.
Our founding members are: The Anglican Church of Canada, the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the United Church of Canada, the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Canadian Religious Conference, the Mennonite Central Committee of Canada, and the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF).
Join our team as a YOUTH PROGRAMS INTERN for Fall 2011!
Application deadline is June 30, 2011.
The Youth Programs Interns will work closely with the Youth Programs staff to promote and support the involvement of young people in Development and Peace. Currently more than 180 Development and Peace JUST YOUTH groups across the country participate in our education and fundraising campaigns. Learn more about Development and Peace and our Youth Programs at www.devp.org and http://youth.devp.org.
The internship is a volunteer position with a monthly honorarium, for young adults aged 18-35, for the period of September 6 to December 23 2011. It has been designed to meet the needs of the organization and the Intern’s learning goals. For the fall of 2011, we invite applications for 2 internship positions in our Toronto office.
The interns will contribute to: Producing our 2011-12 THINKfast! materials, the Youth Blog and other Social Media platforms, Outreaching to Catholic schools in Ontario and JUST YOUTH groups across Canada, and Database and Administration work.
Responsibilities will include:
Production of our new THINKfast! kit, in collaboration with the Youth Programs Team, including project planning, writing materials, developing popular education activities, print design, formatting, and mailings
Developing campaign activities for our print and online Fall JUST NEWS.
Provide general office admin support, such as responding to requests from teachers, chaplains and members, entering data and building databases and email lists for THINKfast! and JUST YOUTH groups, and organizing materials, videos and books in the office.
Participate in the design and facilitation of campaign workshops for young people on advocacy, faith and global social justice issues.
Outreach by phone and email to student leaders in Ontario Catholic schools; make presentations on Development and Peace to high school students as needed.
Along with the Toronto-based Animator and local members, participate in the planning and facilitation of the Fall Education & Action Campaign workshops and Student Days.
Participate in our social media initiatives, including video, photo and blogging.
Participate in the development of youth program and online strategies.
Skills Required:
Proficiency in Microsoft XP, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
Goal-oriented and ability to work independently
Excellent planning and organizational skills
Strong writing, presentation and facilitation skills
Ability to create educational and interactive materials on social justice and global social justice issues
Familiarity with the Catholic Church and its commitments to social justice and international development
Desire to learn and to serve the movement of Development and Peace
Assets:
Fluency in French
Experience with our Youth Programs or Development and Peace at your school, parish or community
Experience with video production, digital editing, design, and photography
Experience in online outreach and campaign-based social media for non-profit organizations
Remuneration:
For these internship positions Development and Peace is offering an honorarium of $500 per month for 35 hours/week, which includes occasional evening and/or weekend presentations. The internship requires a minimum 4-month commitment, with a possibility of extension into 2012.
To apply:
Send in a) your resume b) a cover letter describing why you would like to work for Development and Peace, what you would contribute to it, and what you hope to learn during your internship.
Send your application by email to Genevieve Gallant, Youth Programs, Development and Peace at ggallant@devp.org.
HIRING PROCESS: Application deadline is June 30, 2011. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by email in mid-July. Interviews will take place in the first week of August. Start Date is September 6, 2011.
Development and Peace UVic was delighted to have William Goldiet, founder and president of the St. Bakhita Anakdiar Peace Foundation, come and speak to us about his life our first THINKfast! on the UVic campus. William was born in Southern Sudan, but moved to Lebanon as a UN recognized refugee. Unfortunately the Lebanese government did not recognize the UN refugee status held by William and many of his fellow Sudanese. As a result, William was jailed three times during his time in Lebanon, as were many of the Sudanese community. In response, William founded the Fellowship of the Sudanese congregations in Lebanon (FSCL) as well as the St. Bakhita Group in Lebanon to provide support for Sudanese families.
Three years ago the diocese of Victoria, BC, sponsored William to move to Canada. Since arriving he has become the president of the African Heritage Association on Vancouver Island that represents all African and Caribbean people in Canada.
William’s aim is to support communities in Southern Sudan, as the region becomes a new nation this July, as well as provide help to Sudanese people who immigrate to Canada. He created the St. Bakhita Anakdiar Peace Foundation (Sabapef) to contribute in the development of the southern Sudanese self-efficacy in conflict management to deescalate tribal hostility. The Sabapef works hand in hand with the local people and various communities to provide social services in villages in south Sudan, and also assists Sudanese immigrants to settle and integrate into Canadian communities.
Sabapef believes that investing in early childhood development will prepare children to help themselves and to contribute in creating a peaceful, respectful, responsible, united and just society. To this end, Sabapef provides vocational training, shelters, healthcare, education, legal aid, social services and counseling to foster child dignity and empower them with a sense of meaning and purpose.
Development and Peace UVic was delighted to have William come and share his message of hope for Southern Sudan and the Sudanese people living at home or abroad. We were inspired by his courageous actions to support marginalized communities and his desire to remain in solidarity with Sudanese people throughout the world. Keep an eye out for the creation of an independent Southern Sudan, expected to happen on the 9th July, and remain in solidarity with all the people of the region!
There are 150 people gathered at this conference from close to 20 countries around the world. Papua New Guinea, Zambia, Brazil, Honduras, Madagascar, the Philippines, these are just a few of the countries where people have traveled from to be here. And nearly every continent is represented.
We are from different Churches, different organizations, different cultures and speak different languages but we are all here for one reason: because in some way or another we are affected by mining.
In reality, mining affects us all. The resources that are extracted from the land are found everywhere around us. They are in our cell phones and our pieces of jewelry, they are part of our pension plans and, most important, reflect our ability or inability to be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Global South.
And this is why we are here, to see how we can combine our efforts and ensure that these resources benefit all equally, without forgetting where they come from: the earth itself. We were reminded of this important message at the opening of the conference with a simple, yet powerful, refrain: I will remember the land. One made all the more powerful when chanted by 150 voices from all parts of the world together as one.
Watch for yourself and join us in this unified voice:
Follow the blog site for this Ecumenical Mining Conferen here.
As refugees, Palestinians are denied the right to work or own property, despite their will and abilities – 50% are university graduates. Opinions over the Palestinians’ right to work are divided; there are fears that allowing them to work will encourage them to remain in Lebanon, though they will tell you clearly – they want to be in Palestine, not Lebanon.
Learn. 
