11 September ‐ Leighton Buzzard is celebrating five years as a Fairtrade Town. Come along to the celebration which is taking place at the Market Cross from 11‐ 2pm. There will be a Fairtrade Chocolate Fountain, Music and Dance.
12 September ‐ Racial Justice Sunday www.carj.org.uk
19 September - members of the De Boo family from Northampton are taking part in the Great North Run to fiundraise for CAFOD. Read more... and sponsor them here.
21 September ‐ UN International day of Peace. Annual day of Global ceasefire and non‐violence.
1 October ‐ CAFOD Fast day
18 October ‐ European day against Human Trafficking
9 October ‐ Fairtrade Supporter Conference 2010, 10am ‐ 4.30pm, Kings College London. Hear about new Fairtrade products, get stuck into Fairtrade debates and share ideas with other campaigners. Free. All Welcome. To register contact: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/
21 November 2010 ‐ Prisoners’ Sunday 2010 ‐ a day of prayer and action for prisoners, their children and families, prison workers, ex‐offenders, and victims of crime.
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Here's a report on the National Justice and Peace Network Conference which took place at Swanwick in Derbyshire, in July 2010.
"In July over 400 people gathered together at the NJPN Conference in Swanick for a weekend of prayer, lectures, workshops and debate.
There were 7 representatives from the Northampton Diocese.
Alistair McIntosh a Quaker writer and broadcaster from the Isle of Lewis spoke of today’s society becoming “Spiritually blinded by the love of money” and how we have lost “the understanding of where food has come from and whether exploitation took place along the way”.
Fr Shay Cullen a Columban missionary warned that humanity was in the process of destroying the planet and called on people to change this situation “We can empower and enable each other and make
this a more just world”. He spoke of how there are 1 billion people going hungry today; and of how developed countries were grabbing land in the developing world. However he offered some hope in the work of his Preda Foundation in the Philippines developing fair trade products like dried mangos (look in your local supermarkets for Forest Feast Mango from Preda). Some of the funds raised are used to fund a project which helps girls who had been victims of trafficking.
Elizabeth Dowler of the Food Ethics Council described how the “world comes to us in the UK on a plate” but at huge environment cost to the planet. “We have cheap food here because other people are paying the price”. She called for more people to buy locally and ethically – sourced food and to reduce food waste.
The final talk was given by Vandana Shiva, an Indian environmental scientist, who spoke of the damage already being done by GM technologies across the world including 5.4 million acres in the US
that have now been taken over by superweeds, after using GM products. She spoke powerfully of her concern that GM technology was at the heart of new hunger and poverty, rather than saving the planet. She warned that GM companies would be putting pressure on Europe to accept their technologies.
Over 20 workshops were held on a diverse range of subjects such as GM Crops, Transition Towns Movement, and ‘LOAF’ on a budget.
There were lots of opportunities to chat and network and it was an incredibly inspiring and thought provoking weekend.
The conference next year is 15‐17 July 2011 and the theme is “Justice at Work”.
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For the National Justice & Peace Network Calendar – see website here and check out the Rolling Diary for monthly events
Thanks to Paul Donovan for his resume on which this summary is based.
2 October - Diocesan Justice and Peace Conference - "Are we a Church with a Conscience ?". Being held at St John the Apostle, Sundon Park (296 Sundon Park Road, Luton), starting at 9:30 am with coffee and registration.
Bishop Peter will be giving the key note address on his vision for Justice and Peace in the Diocese.
There will be three workshops entitled:
a) Where Does Your Money Go?
b) The Challenge of Catholic Social Teaching Today
c) Is War Ever Justified?
Please bring lunch to share. There is a suggested voluntary donation of £5.
There will be a chance to meet others from around the Diocese interested and involved in Justice and Peace. Youth from around the Diocese will be preparing the liturgy.
Please spread the word to Parishioners and encourage them to attend.
12 September ‐ St. Augustine 's, Daventry is holding a Parish "Open Day" in preparation for the pope's visit. The Justice and Peace team will have a display of activities and also a Fairtrade Stall. The day will finish with Bishop Peter blessing commemorative bushes in the garden, and solemn benediction at 4.15pm. For more details please see the Parish website.