Last Sunday afternoon – amidst thousands of police officers, mob-like media, a fence stretching on for miles, the leaders of the 20 most affluent countries in the world, and a city gone completely awry – hundreds of peace-loving, spirit-sounding, song-singing activists gathered at the corner of King and Bay to speak to God.
I had the privilege of being part of the D&P youth delegation to Huntsville and Toronto for the G8/G20 leaders summits.
This peace vigil, hosted by the Student Christian Movement and Christian Peacemaker Teams, was the last leg of our journey after a long weekend of calling on our leaders to take action on food sovereignty and the rights of small-scale farmers in the Global South.
It was evident to me from attending another protest earlier in the day, and from just walking the streets of Toronto on Sunday, that the city was on edge. The heavy police presence created tension and anxiety, and the violent tactics used by a handful of protesters the previous day had frustrated many.
But for a short time, this prayer vigil was a sanctuary in a broken world.
We marched – singing Kyrie Elision, chanting Alleluia, holding signs and banners with messages of peace and support.
We marched – families, young and old, Christian and Jewish, Catholic and Muslim, men and women, religious and lay people – all committed, prayerfully present and all learning from each other.
We marched – one united, peaceful force, bent on restoring hope and love to a world ravaged by despair and violence.
We sat – faced with no other choice as a line of police blocked our movement towards the fence.
We sat – in solidarity with the oppressed.
We sat – praying for justice for all those that are persecuted.
We sat –in spite of the riot police and their efforts to create fear and seclusion.
We sat – and sang to the music of our brothers’ and sisters’ struggles for justice. ¡Presente!
We sat – and vowed to “keep on marching forward, never turning back”.
And as the tension rose between police and demonstrators, we sang until the fear and hatred had subsided and we could once again recognize and celebrate our common humanity.
The Spirit is alive and it flows through those with a hunger for justice and a thirst for peace.
I am honoured to live among such devoted activists who refuse to surrender to the propagation of fear and the seduction of apathy.
To all those who work for, who play for, who sing for, who long for, who create for, who pray for peace – blessed are you.
May this vigil serve as a lasting reminder of the importance and power of peace in a world that often dismisses it.
by Kaitlyn Duthie-Kannikkatt, Eastern Ontario Youth Rep
On June 24th I was fortunate to be a part of a small group of Development and Peace members that camped out at Arrowhead Provincial Park in Huntsville Ontario.
This year Development and Peace’s campaign revolved around urging our Prime Minister to put Food Sovereignty on the G8 agenda. I have spent much of my time as a volunteer member with D&P, educating youth throughout central Ontario on the injustices surrounding small scale farmers in the global south. For me this was a chance to not just speak about the injustices but to take a stand. As the cliché goes, I was able to practice what I preach.
Participating for my first time as an activist and being a voice for 1.02 billion voiceless who go hungry every day is a feeling that can’t be described. I have always been taught that it is equally unjust to know and do nothing as it is to commit an injustice itself. As citizens in a democratic society we are asking our government to take action and increase support for small scale farming, the poorest profession in the world.
Our plan for the few days we had committed to being present in Huntsville was to find a creative way to get our message across to those who chose to listen.
We also felt it was important to educate as many people as we could on the importance in supporting small scale farmers and the injustices they face on a daily basis.
As a group we created a piece of street theater relating to the world cup. We were filmed by an OPP officer in the public demonstration area who was responsible for having footage sent to the G8 summit. The concept of the world cup match was between small scale farmers and the G8 Industrial Agricultural Machine (IAM).
The small farmers had a tough go of it – they were fouled constantly without benefit of referee intervention. This action was an excellent depiction of reality for many current small scale farmers both in the Global South and even locally here in Canada.
Saturday was a very special day because we were joined by a bus load of Development and Peace members from the Archdiocese of Peterborough.
In the heart of Huntsville we were blessed to participate in mass presided by Fr. Bob Holmes. Incorporating the sacrament of the Eucharist into our peaceful demonstration was an experience I will never forget.
My time in Huntsville has left me with an overwhelming sense of hope that change is possible and will undoubtedly occur as we as Canadian citizens continue to work in solidarity with the oppressed throughout the Global South.
This June 21st to 23rd, Religious Leaders from the G8 countries and from every region of the world came together inWinnipeg to discuss the major issues currently afflicting our world. They created a joint statement addressing extreme poverty, the environment and peace and security which will be presented to the G8/G20 leadership and distributed around the world.
I was a part of the 5 member delegation from Development & Peace who attended the GEN-Y to G-8 Youth Interfaith dinner at the University of Winnipeg on Tuesday, June 22. This supper was held in conjunction with the Religious Leaders’ Summit.
The dinner was a great opportunity to connect with a hundred other young adults of all faith traditions both from Winnipeg and across the country. The evening kicked off with a moving performance by Shy-Anne Hovorka, an Aboriginal singer/songwriter from Northwestern Ontario. The song “Can’t Change the World” urged everyone to hope and act for a better future (watch video below).
Rev. Dr. Andre Karamaga, General Secretary of the All-African Conference of Churches was the keynote speaker. One of the many messages that he brought was that Africans don’t want us to do things for them but rather with them.
We also heard from other religious leaders who were delegates at the G8 religious leaders’ summit and who prepared a statement to be presented at the G8 summit calling the political leaders to take action on poverty, peace, and the environment.
We then had the opportunity to talk about what we as young adults wanted this statement to include. I was at a table discussing the environmental statement with others who were Mennonite, Jewish, United, Muslim, and Lutheran. It didn’t take us long to unite behind the stewardship of creation that is an important part of all our faiths.
We offered suggestions and encouragement to the faith leaders to use strong, direct language and to stress that environmental stewardship is an integral part of all faith traditions. I know that the faith leaders who were gathered in Winnipeg are genuinely committed to working for positive change in the world. I pray that the political leaders will follow their example!
This June 21st to 23rd, Religious Leaders from the G8 countries and from every region of the world are coming together in Winnipeg to discuss the major issues currently afflicting our world. They will create a joint statement addressing extreme poverty, the environment and peace and security which will be presented to the G8/G20 leadership and distributed around the world.
On June 22nd 2010, Faiths Act and the University of Winnipeg Global College are hosting GEN-Y to G-8: A Multifaith Dinner to Inspire Change. This event will bring together religiously and culturally diverse youth to discuss the statement and offer their comments and recommendations. The suggestions will be carefully documented and the presented to the Religious Leaders, both in written form and in the form of a panel discussion the following morning.
GEN-Y to G-8 will give youth the opportunity to engage with people of diverse backgrounds and learn about each other’s respective traditions and cultures. It will also give them the opportunity to play an active role in shaping the Religious Leaders’ statement which will, in turn, affect the overall relevance and impact of the summit.
The organizing committee has invited ten youth and young adult leaders involved with Development and Peace to partake in this meaningful and thought-provoking event. If you are interested in attending this event please contact the Development and Peace office in Winnipeg (204) 231-2848 or ccodp@mts.net
In almost one month we will begin our journey North to Huntsville to represent Development and Peace and the thousands of people who signed our petition in support of food sovereignty.
Our aim was and still is to make food sovereignty a part of the agenda at the table of the G8.
As youth with the opportunity to speak for change and have our voices heard we feel it is our responsibility to speak for those who cannot.
I hope you can join us as we camp out, enjoy great activities, and play a small role in making the world a better place.
G8 Civil Society Coordinating Committee & our At the Table Campaign
Development and Peace is part of the Civil Society Coordinating Committee made up of a number of civil society and social movement organizations from across Canada who are mobilizing to communicate their message to global leaders.
This coalition has organized a campaign called At the Table, a Canadian-led but globally supported civil society campaign, mobilizing citizens to “take their place” alongside world leaders in important global summits.
It is a call to leaders to “take their place” in forging bold decisions on the issues people care about—poverty, climate change, and economic justice.
The goal of the At the Table campaign is to increase awareness and support for action on poverty, climate change and the global economy at the major global summits in 2010, including the G8 and G20 summits in Canada, the G20 in South Korea and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit.
The main policy goals of the campaign are as follows:
1. Poverty and Inequality – Keep commitments to developing countries – Invest in and empower women and children
2. Climate Change – Reduce greenhouse gas pollution – Support poorer countries in responding
3. The Global Economy – Ensure global recovery for all – Make global rules and institutions fair
JOIN US! Click here for more information about the At the Table campaign.
Ever thought about trying STREET THEATRE but don’t know where to start?
Street Theatre is a fun, creative way to raise awareness and share your message – plus, people love to see something interesting going on while they wander the downtown on a Saturday afternoon. All you need is a few people, an afternoon and a public location.
The theatre is the hook, and you have volunteers with the petitions ready. By the end of it you will want to do Street Theatre again and again.
To get you started here are two YouTube video clips which show you a Street Theatre performance in Toronto (March 2010) and the “Kernels of Truth” play from our No Patents on Life campaign at World Youth Day in 2002.
You can read more about the March 2010 Street Theatre in Toronto through this posthere.
Street Theatre tips
Any successful performance has certain key roles. For a Street Theatre performance these roles are a Narrator, Actors and Educators.
Narrator:
Good street theatre has a “voice” or narrator to give context to the acting. The “voice” should be someone who does not mind speaking like they are someone’s “moral” voice. Their voice should carry, by talking loudly without intimidating or insulting observers.
Actors:
This role in street theatre involves acting by creating evocative images. The role is not to confront or challenge people, but rather to use emotional arguments to help them “see” the problems you are presenting. Actors are generally confident, and able to communicate through imagery. Each time you do the skit you will get better and better.
Educator:
In street theatre some people are “educators”. Their role is to diffuse tension and to speak with people who want more information. They can describe the campaign, hand out flyers and offer the petition for people to sign. Usually, educators have a good understaning of the issue and share it with others.
You can download this info in our ”Street Theatre Package” here.
G8 Civil Society Coordinating Committee & our At the Table Campaign
Development and Peace is part of the Civil Society Coordinating Committee made up of a number of civil society and social movement organizations from across Canada who are mobilizing to communicate their message to global leaders.
This coalition has organized a campaign called At the Table, a Canadian-led but globally supported civil society campaign, mobilizing citizens to “take their place” alongside world leaders in important global summits.
It is a call to leaders to “take their place” in forging bold decisions on the issues people care about—poverty, climate change, and economic justice.
The goal of the At the Table campaign is to increase awareness and support for action on poverty, climate change and the global economy at the major global summits in 2010, including the G8 and G20 summits in Canada, the G20 in South Korea and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit.
The main policy goals of the campaign are as follows:
1. Poverty and Inequality
- Keep commitments to developing countries
- Invest in and empower women and children
2. Climate Change
- Reduce greenhouse gas pollution
- Support poorer countries in responding
3. The Global Economy
- Ensure global recovery for all
- Make global rules and institutions fair
JOIN US!
Click here for more information about the At the Table campaign.
Join our group which is travelling to the G8 Summit in Huntsville Ontario on June 24th – June 26th.
This is going to be a great experience and a chance to be a voice for so many people who don’t share the same luxury’s that we are so fortunate to have.
The plan is to camp out at Arrowhead Provincial Park a few short miles from the G8. There is guaranteed to be plenty of great outdoor activities as well as evening campfires; which I know everyone enjoys!
Join us for an amazing trip and an opportunity to make a change! If you are interested or have any questions you can contact either myself or Luke Stocking via Facebook or E-mail.
We marched – singing Kyrie Elision, chanting Alleluia, holding signs and banners with messages of peace and support.
