Pacifest: Victoria’s Festival of Peace Events

All the events below are at the First Metropolitan United Church Sanctuary, Quadra at Balmoral.

Co-sponsored by the Church and the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative.

Sept 26, 2008 at 7pm. The Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C., presents: The Human Right to Peace: Full Time Work (A PowerPoint Presentation and Talk)

Author, parliamentarian, diplomat, who has specialized throughout his 35-year public career in peace and human security issues, Mr. Roche was a Senator, Member of Parliament, Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament, and Visiting Professor at the University of Alberta. He was elected Chairman of the United Nations Disarmament Committee at the 43rd General Assembly in 1988. Mr. Roche is Chairman of the Middle Powers Initiative, an international network of seven non-governmental organizations specializing in nuclear disarmament issues.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

A celebration of Gandhi’s birthday, and the UN Day of Nonviolence. This evening will feature presentations by members of various faith communities on the teachings on nonviolence in their traditions.

Hamilton Events

September 26 – October 5

1. Gandhi Katha (in Hindi) by Narayan Deasi : Sept. 26, 27 and 28, 2008 at the Hindu Samaj Temple in Hamilton (Admission Free).
2. Annual Gandhi Lecture sponsored by Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University: October 2, 2008 (Admission Free).
3. Gandhi Peace Festival and Peace Walk/ Speaker -Dr. David Adams, October 2, 2008 Commonwealth Square, Hamilton: (Admission Free).
4. A Special “Living Gandhi and King Today” Dinner with Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles: October 4, 2008 (Ticket $50 each, $450 for a table of 10).

October 3–5, 2008

Culture of Peace Symposium at the Skydragon Centre, with keynote by Dr. David Adams the evening of the 3rd, and workshops the 4th and 5th (also with Dr. David Adams)

Contact: Richard Preston: prestonr@mcmaster.ca

September 21 – October 04, 2008
PEACE FESTIVAL IN OTTAWA

The Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI), together with the United Nations Association of Canada – NCR Branch and other Ottawa peace and justice organizations, invites you to take part in a 15-day Festival of Peace. The Festival with a theme of Peace, Unity and Harmony will mark two important UN International Days of Peace and Nonviolence, September 21 and October 02.

All events are open to the public

PEACE FESTIVAL PROGRAM 2008

• Sept 07- Sept 30: “Under the Mushroom Cloud: A Nuclear Disarmament Exhibit” at Main Ottawa Public Library, Metcalfe and Laurier (Murray Thomson, mothom@sympatico.ca )
• Sept 21- Oct 02: “No War-Paix Conceptual Art” Outdoor Exhibit, 250 Range Road in Sandy Hill (Terry Stavnyck, stavnyk@rogers.com)
• Sept 21 – Oct 02: “History of Women in Peacebuilding” Exhibit (venue to be decided)
• Sunday, Sept. 21: 10.45 am: PACIFEST – Peace groups in Ottawa and Hull-Gatineau mark UN International Day of Peace combined with Peace Walks. In Ottawa, meet at Women’s Monument, Minto Park, at Elgin and Gilmour. In Hull-Gatineau, meet outside the Gatineau Municipal Council, 25 Laurier. The two peace walks will converge at the Peace Tower and end at Victoria Island. (Peter Stockdale, globalbridge@rogers.com, 613-863-4527 and Daniel Mauro, peacefest@sympatico.ca , 418- 934-2661)
• Monday, Sept 22: 7-9 pm: Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution (CICR) “Empowering Youth to Promote Peace in the Middle East”. Amphitheatre, Saint Paul University. 223 Main Street (Brian Strom, edcicr@ustpaul.ca, 613-235-5800)
• Tuesday, Sept 23: 7-9 pm: CDPI Forum on “Towards a Nonkilling World: Militarization of Canada and How to Prevent it” – Keynote address by Murray Thomson, Member, Order of Canada. Quakers/Friends House, 91 A Fourth Avenue in the Glebe (Bill Bhaneja, billbhaneja@rogers.com, 613-244-1979)
• Tuesday, Sept 23: 7–7.45 pm: Meditation for Peace, Ottawa Shambala Centre, 984 Wellington St. West. The Centre’s regular Tuesday sitting will include introduction to meditation as the basis for peace. (Mark Frutkin, Shambala Centre, mfrutkin@rogers.com , 613-725-9321)
• Wednesday, Sept 24: No War-Paix Forum. Time and Venue awaited (Larry Rousseau, rouslar@gmail.com www.no-war-paix.ca)
• Thursday, Sept 25: 7–9 pm: Soka Gakkai International Association of Canada presents: “Afghanistan: A People-centred Approach to Peace, Experiences from the Field” – Keynote by Eileen Olexiuk, former Deputy Head of Mission, Canadian Embassy, Kabul. 237 Argyle Street, 2nd Floor (Contact Monica Bachmann, monicabachmann@rogers.com , 613-232-1100)
• Friday, Sept 26: 6.30-9.30 pm: Concert for Peace, Saint Paul University Amphitheatre, 223 Main Street. (Daniel Mauro, peacefest@sympatico.ca, 418- 934-2661)
• Saturday, Sept 27: 1.30-4 pm: Spirit Painting for Peace, A Group Painting while focussed on Peace. Acrylic on canvas. Everyone welcome, no experience necessary. Artist Jen will guide the meditation before the painting. 228 Main Street (Call 613-266-8063 to register with Jen, www.Spiritpainting.com and spiritpainting@gmail.com)
• Saturday, Sept 27: 1-5 pm: Exhibition of Tan-Trika paintings, 1390 Clyde Ave. (by Merivale Rd), Room 206 (Shiban Raina, srainac001@rogers.com , 613- 224-9179)
• Saturday, Sept 27: 6-9 pm: A seminar on “This Precious Life – Our Conscious Creation”. The importance of the knowledge of the principles of the creative process and their conscious application, a tool that will support us in creation of the peace within ourselves, with others and on the planet. Public Library, Emerald Plaza, 1547 Merivale Road (Vesna Scott, vesna@sympatico.ca , 613-224-5480)
• Sunday Sept 28: 10 am-2 pm: Spirit Painting for Peace Exhibition – The group spirit painting that was completed the previous day will be offered for silent auction for a donation to Department of Peace Initiative. Participants are invited to exhibit their work. 228 Main Street. (Call 613-266-8063 to register with Jen, www.Spiritpainting.com and spiritpainting@gmail.com)
• Sunday Sept 28: 1-5 pm: Exhibition of Tan-Trika paintings; 1390 Clyde Ave. (by Merivale Rd), Room 206 (Shiban Raina , srainac001@rogers.com , 613 224-9179)
• Sunday Sept 28: 5-6 pm: Peace Meditation, Sivananda Yoga Centre, Centre Professionnel d’Aylmer, Ste 205, 745 Chemin d’Aylmer, Corner of Castelbeau and Aylmer – (Daniel Mauro, peacefest@sympatico.ca , 418- 934-2661)
• Tuesday, Sept 30: 7-9 pm: Spiritual Cinema: Movies with Heart, Movies with Soul. Saint Paul University, Amphitheatre, 223 Main Street (Koozma Tarasoff, tarasoff@spirit-wrestlers.com, 613-737-5778, and Daniel Mauro, peacefest@sympatico.ca, 418- 934-2661)
• Wednesday, Oct 01: Rideau Institute Forum: “Life After Bush” – Keynote by Steven Staples. The forum examines the implications of the American election on Canada . Colonel By room, Ottawa City Hall (Robin MacLachlan, operations@rideauinstitute.ca , 613-565-9449)
• Thursday, Oct 02: 6-9 pm: “Women Building Peace Dinner” – Honouring Canadian Women Peace Champions. St. Elias Centre, 750 Ridgewood Ave. A Canadian Voice of Women (VOW) exhibit, “Building Peace, Making History” will be on site. A Fundraising event, advance tickets required (Theresa Dunn, CDPI, 613-834-5055, therdunn@sympatico.ca )
• Saturday, Oct 04: 10 am-4 pm: 6th Annual Peace Prayer Day, City Hall, Ottawa. Great entertainment, inter-faith action, activist speeches, silent auction, food, and showcase of concerned groups. www.friendsforpeace.ca ( Ian Prattis: 613 726 0881, iprattis@cyberus.ca)
• October 02-04: The Universal Peace Federation this year is holding a Canada Peace Festival with three main components: Canadian Leadership Conference on “Educating for Peace”, an Award Ceremony, and Faith-In-Action Food Drive for the Food Bank. (Daniel Stringer, thestring@rogers.com)

For further information call: Bill Bhaneja (613-244-1979), Theresa Dunn (613-834-5055), and Peter Stockdale (613-863-4527) – www.departmentofpeace.ca

Montreal Events

PACIFEST 2008 (September 20–21, 2008)

Saturday September 20, 2008:

Peace In The House
Benefit DJ event, featuring:
Ludovic Navarre, AKA St-Germain (France),
DJ Alain Vinet (Montréal),
Terry Laird (France),
and DJ Gabo (Mexico)

21h00 (9PM)
Théâtre Telus
1280, rue Saint-Denis
Montreal, QC

Sunday September 21, 2008

“International Day of Peace”
Activities for the whole family…

Where: at the Tam-tams du Mont-Royal
(Monument Sir George Étienne Cartier)

When: 9 h 30 : Peace Yoga (with lululemon athletica ambassadors) in collaboration with the Global Mala Project
(South of the Tam-Tams…)

10 h : Peace arts & crafts for kids and the whole family

10 h : Teaching Tam-Tams for kids

11 h 30 : Speaches by the Mayor of Montreal, M. Gérald Tremblay, and dignitaries (to be announced…)

12 h 00 : Minute of Silence, in synch with Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s Minute of silence taking place at the UN in NY.

12h01: 21 doves take flight…

12 h 02 : Tam-tams for Peace are no more silent… Samajam starts the show…

13h30 : End of ceremony.