INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR FAIR PEACE A P R I L

Transcription

1 INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR FAIR PEACE A P R I L

2 One hundred years ago, the Great War Today, a challenge for peace. In the Hauts de France region there are more than one thousand military cemeteries of all nationalities, including the biggest military necropolis of France : Notre Dame de Lorette. All these places remind us of the horrors of the first World War. During these years of centenary, lots of commemorating events are taking place; but are they opportunities to take up the challenges of peace for today and tomorrow? This question is a true one in these days when political leaders declare our nations at war. One hundred years later, worrying symptoms start to appear again : fear of foreigners, nationalist ideologies, increasing weapon trade, terrorism, perverted use of religions, global human violence against the environment On a small territory in the North of France, diverse nations were involved in the Great War. Let's gather them again to seek together the ways leading to fair peace. Together, let's think of the fact that we are many people to build it up in diverse dimensions : educating, coping with conflicts through justice and non-violence, dialogue between cultures and religions, respect of the environment, promoting justice Let's support the project of the International meeting «Faites la paix!» from 19 to 22 April 2018! AssOcIATION centenaire pour LA paix 2 -

3 Programme From October 2017 to April 2018 Inviting people to prepare the gathering, thus becoming a peace actor, through Lorette. Anneau de la Mémoire, Lorette, arch. Philippe Prost a travelling exhibition on peace the publication of a comics (based on five written testimonies of events that happened during the war, from the Arras Archives) conferences a cinema festival and a lot of more events Thursday 19 April 2018 Remembering Going to the military cemeteries in remembrance of the dead. Gathering around the Memory Ring («Anneau de la Mémoire») at Notre Dame de Lorette The Association Centenaire pour la paix It was created in May 2014 in order to promote the commemorating local events of the first World War, with the prospect of educating to peace and of understanding the historical, cultural and spiritual impacts of that conflict. One of the most important missions of the association is to create links between the territories involved in that war. That is why a huge international meeting will take place in April A lot of partners are joining us : the City of Arras, the Catholic dioceses of the North of France, the Anglican diocese of Canterbury, Pax Christi international, the Catholic university of Lille, the Desmond Tutu Centre of the Liverpool Hope University, the Schönstatt Movement (Germany), the Catholic teaching organisation and a lot of other movements and associations (Amnesty International, Acat (Catholic Association for the Abolition of Torture) etc. The project «Faites la Paix» has been awarded the national certification «Mission Centenaire.» Friday 20 April 2018 Understanding what it was about 100 years ago and what it is about now Big conference at the Catholic University of Lille : Points of view on the Great War, Reflection on the present conditions to build peace Musical show with the pictures of the comics mentioned above Saturday 21 April 2018 Building and celebrating peace Big display for peace on the Arras main squares : animations, big concert, thinking and talking places... A night football match with torches Sunday 22 April 2018 Making peace visible A symbolical challenge to call to the world, to the leaders but also to everyone's awareness. A challenge to prove that building peace together is possible a by-night walk from Arras to Notre Dame de Lorette a human chain along the frontline of 1917 From October 2018 to March 2019 Exhibition of paintings by Lucien Jonas - 3

4 F r o m O c t o b e r t o A p r i l A strong mobilisation From September 2017, we will largely call on groups, families, associations and official institutions and ask them to develop building peace actions. We want the greatest number of people possible to come to the gathering in April 2018 with their experience. They will be able to see that their little action is an important part in the bigger collective project towards fair peace. C o n f e r e n C e s Conferences entitled «From fair war to the challenge of fair peace» will take place from October 2017 to April 2018 in the Nord and the Pas-de- Calais. Here are some of the topics that will be developed : the civilians during the war ; the scouting movement in the building of peace ; calls for peace from 1914 to 1918 ; fair war and holy war ; religions during war and peace time ; remembrance of the dead ; reconctruction ; archealogy of the Great War ; the point of view of each nation about war ; peace forces in Germany, etc. A t r A i n i n g f o r t e A C h e r s A n d p u p i l s ' p A r e n t s We propose a training to help teachers and parents talk about the topic of building peace with their pupils or their children. V A r i o u s o t h e r i n i t i A t i V e s A comics based on five testimonies A travelling exhibition on peace A cinema festival Etc. Neuville. Monument des fraternisations. Designer : Gérard Collin-Thiébaut, Architectes : Sarah Kassler et Sylvain Delboy. Communauté urbaine d'arras

5 F r o m 1 9 A v r i l a u 2 2 A p r i l An international meeting T h u r s d a y 1 9 A p r i l r e m e m b e r Let's unite all nations, all religions, all official authorities, all opinions in order to make peace. 1. Meditating on the graves of the Great War victims. Each national delegation will meditate in the cemeteries of their compatriots. F r i d a y 2 0 A p r i l u n d e r s t A n d 2. Remembering the past to make it present. In the evening, a ceremony will take place at the Memory Ring (Anneau de la Mémoire), where you can read the 570,000 names of the identified soldiers from all nationalities, killed in Artois. At the Notre Dame de Lorette basilica, the French biggest military necropolis, there will be an inter-faith service for peace.. Symposium From the Great War to nowadays : the challenge for fair peace 1. Let's feed our reflection on fair peace. We are not here only to commemorate war but also to think of the conditions to fair peace today. 2. Let's identify the personal and collective stakes to build up fair peace today and tomorrow. 3. Let's choose together the slogan for the day after. C o n f E R E n C E S a n d t a L k I n G G R o U p S - fair war : its limits and failures - the challenge of fair peace - the civilians : between war and peace - fair sharing and long-lasting development Musical show A musical show based on the pictures of a comics from five testimonies about the Great War. (Arras diocese Archives). Ruines de la cathédrale d Arras (Sénat d Ottawa) - 5

6 S a t u r d a y 2 1 A p r i l b u i l d u p A n d C e l e b r A t e p e A C e From eleven o'clock a.m. : meeting of all people of good will on the main square (Grand-Place) of Arras with one aim : build up peace 1. Live peace together 2. talk to others and share experiences of peace. Meet actors in peace. 3. Experience peace through play activities. Six spaces for associations 1. Education to peace and personal development 2. Dialogue between cultures and welcoming people different from me 3. Active non-violence 4. Inter-faith dialogue in the service of peace 5. Towards an ecological transition leading to peace 6. Social justice and Rights activities - Discussions - Collaborative games - Building things together - Meeting spots Artists from all fields will express peace through music, drama, dances etc. In the evening : a big show. from Saturday to Sunday a night walk will take place from the Grand-Place of Arras to the Notre Dame de Lorette basilica (15 miles). At each stop, a tribute to a destructed place will be paid and a symbolic action for peace will be held (a collective creation, a night football match with torches ) S u n d a y 2 2 A p r i l m A k e p e A C e V i s i b l e Early in the morning, a long human chain will settle on the original frontline of Each person will have a virtual partner : the name of a civilian or a soldier killed in any conflict from 1914 to the present day.

7 From October 2018 to March 2019 Lucien Jonas ( ) Archives diocésaines de Cambrai Lucien Jonas, a french painter who gave us an account of the Great War He is well-known in the North of France for having illustrated Jules Mousseron's poems, written in the local language, and in which you can find the character of Cafougnette. He also illustrated several banknotes. In 1915, with thirty other artists, Lucien Jonas became an official military painter, working for the Army Museum. For three years, he went along the frontline and painted what he could see. He was the most prolific of all of them. Eight hundred oil paintings and more than four thousand charcoal drawings were invertoried. He drew and painted destructed villages, the pains of the population and made portraits of soldiers whatever their nationalities or grades were ; no matter of what people would say. On his portraits, you can sometimes see an address, a regimental number or simply the name of men who, for some of them, would never come back. And when there is nothing but a face marked with the emotion of the present moment, how do you know if he is an ally or an enemy? Archives diocésaines de Cambrai Église du Saint-Cordon, Valenciennes - 7

8 How to become a partner of the project Faites la paix 1. Mobilise your association or movement to become actors of the project, choosing the topic corresponding to your field of action : education to peace, promotion of social justice, active nonviolence, dialogue between cultures, inter-faith dialogue, self-development, etc. 2. Bring us the moral support of your popularity by connecting us to leading people from your network. 3. Bring financial support to the project (possible tax deduction) or tell other potential sponsors about the project. 4. Give or lend us some equipment for the gathering. 5. Tell people you know about the project. ASSOCIATION CENTENAIRE POUR LA PAIX 103 rue d'amiens - CS ARRAS cedex contact@centenairepourlapaix.fr centenairepourlapaix 8 -