People need Peace, Peace involves People
Posted on | June 29, 2011 | No Comments
The 6th annual Norwich Peace Camp & Peace Cycle event went ahead successfully on 25th June at Norwich Forum.
Many hundreds of people came to visit and also participate in the event. These included both Norwich MPs, the Leader of City Council, the Mayor, who officially opened the event, and her Consort, as well as Dr Ian Gibson who once again ‘flagged off’ the Peace Cycle at midday. Events from previous years also featured on the BBC Big Screen at Chapelfield Mall in the run up to the event and we had coverage in the local press and media.
We would like to thank the Forum Trust for once again kindly helping to make this event possible.
We hope that this unique event is now established in the annual Norwich calendar.
Although this is primarily an awareness event we nevertheless managed to raise £230 through the charity auction kindly supported by local businesses, donations for refreshments and sale of peace ballons and badges which has been distributed to the charities involved. Our thanks to all who generously donated.
Peace is Achievable
Text of Speech read out by the Mayor of Norwich Councillor Jenny Lay
At Norwich Peace Camp & Peace Cycle Opening June 25th
I am delighted to be able to officially open the 6th annual Norwich Peace Camp & Peace Cycle event on behalf of the city of Norwich
Never in the history of the world has there been more need of peace and better understanding. Wars are terribly costly in so many ways and the evidence is everywhere to be seen, both in the past and now. Peace on the other hand costs very little but is priceless and inestimably valuable.
However peace does not come completely for free, it has to be striven for and requires commitment, sacrifice, courage and recognition of the need to address human rights at every level.
The headline of this year’s event is: ‘People need peace, peace involves people’ and this is not all. It also needs justice in every sense and respect not only for human rights and dignity for all people, but also a right relationship with the earth upon which we depend and for everything living.
Norwich Peace Camp & Peace Cycle embrace an apolitical and united commitment of local peace, community, faith, charity, environmental, human rights and other groups and organisations – many with national and international connections – to peace, justice and better understanding.
Norwich is a growing city and has a long history, among other things of welcoming ‘strangers’ and newcomers while seeking to maintain its identity as a long standing regional and national centre. It is not only a place where people buy and sell, but also has a strong spiritual tradition and a commitment to learning as well.
This unique event, bringing together so many organisations on one day is a real contribution to the wellbeing and aspirations of this unique city and its commitment to the welfare and aspirations of its citizens also. Norwich Peace Camp & Peace Cycle is ongoing as well, reflecting the fact that all the organisations involved campaign and work year in year out, largely on a voluntary basis, in the belief that the work they do is of benefit to our community here and beyond.
It is very fitting also that this event should take place at the Forum,
the main central information centre and meeting place in Norwich. I n Rome the Forum served this purpose also and it was the democratic right of all citizens to meet, discuss, debate and have dialogue there on any matter relevant to them without fear of harassment or abuse.
We hope that today the message of Norwich Peace Camp & Peace Cycle
‘Peace is achievable’ will be heard by as many as possible and also go forth clearly and with conviction.
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