Cynefin y Werin
Academi Heddwch Cymru - Wales Peace Academy
Open Meeting for the Academi Heddwch
Cymru - Wales Peace Academy
called by the interim Steering Group/Cynefin y Werin 16th
October 2012
held in the Mania cafe in the
Wales Millenium Centre
present - Pippa Bartolotti, Sian Best, Sheila Collins, Alastair Couper, Norma Couper, George
Crabb, Susie Ennals, Anne Greagsby, Gro-Mette Gulbraudsen, Robin Gwyndaf, Jane
Harris, Kay Holder, Andrew Jinks, Danielle Marden, Danielle Marden, Emma Matthews, Diana Marquand, Adam Johannes,
Diane Richards, Pat Richards, Charlie Spring, Stephen Thomas, Janet
Turner, Peter Varley, Max Wallis, Marie
Walsh, Tony White, Dorothy Wilson, Dave
Yates, Anthony Young, Rose Yorke, Angie Zetter,
Apologies Peter Polish, Mustafa Megrahi, John Cox
Next meeting Steering Group
2pm
Tuesday 13th Nov 2012
Cardiff, at Chapter Arts Centre
The
interim steering group has set out to draw up organising principles for an
independent body, how to adapt and take forward the outline proposals and
consulting the ~70 organisations who had sent supportive letters to the
Petitions committee.
Stephen Thomas gave an update on the Academi
Heddwch/WPA initiative
The Academi Heddwch initiative is 3 years old; an outline
proposal was submitted to the Senedd Petitions Committee after a consultation
meeting in Aberystwyth. The Committee
received about 70 representations from supporting organisations and held a
hearing with representatives from the Flanders Peace Institute. The proposal
gained all-Party support and a positive report from the old Assembly's
Petitions Committee. However, progress through the Petitions Committee has come
to a standstill or even gone into reverse
The task is to rethink/refine what we do – the impasse in
Cardiff Bay requires us to seek an independent way forward.
A one-Day Spring conference has been fixed in the Morlan
centre, Aberystwyth, Sat 23rd March 2013 (http://www.morlan.org.uk/). Cynefin y Werin is ready to fund this and
some other preparations for the conference.
It was suggested too that the Co-op could support us as a community
initiative.
What we would like to hear today is broad agreement on how
to go ahead.
And people ready to prepare detailed proposals as quickly
and smoothly as possible
Discussion
Marie said an Academy is not very practical, that many
groups and individuals should be involved.
PB asked about the WA all-party group on human rights (which was to take
the referral from the petitions committee forward) with secretariat funded by
Amnesty. ST replied this group is
sclerotic – they'd offered to help but been rebuffed - since Amnesty
established this group, it's left to them to take this forward.
Jane Harries - proposed working groups to do spade-work;
circulating models for Peace Academies; wanted inclusion of conflict resolution
in schools.
Robin Gwyndaf said we should proceed from the 70 supporting
documents at the Petitions Committee
it was
agreed a digested/condensed form of these is needed, along with links to the
documents.
Other
models than the Flanders Peace Institute should be considered. It would be an
independent body with independent funding that would scrutinise policies and
proposals from the Senedd and other bodies, as well as issue its own policy
analysis and reports on practical issues.
Nature of conference and topics/ themes
It
should be a decision-making conference to launch a public campaign for the
Academi Heddwch, informing and inspiring the people of Wales.
The
conference could have several speakers who would prepare draft papers to be amended
and published as a Conference report. Workshops should be included (eg. one on
letter-writing).
Issues suggested to include:
# an
economy for peace, when firms are making profits from weapons of war;
#
public functions being taken over by private organisations which have no
justice/human rights obligations;
#
ecocide to be a crime (Polly Higgins's initiative)
#
education for peace + university-level peace studies
# conflict resolution / mediation
# conflict resolution / mediation
# UN
for peace globally - liaison with UNA
Cardiff/Wales and UNESCO (Wales) activities
#
Wales' historical position, from Henry Richard.
# Adam talked about wars in the world today/imperialism. 19th March 2013 is the 10th anniversary of Australian, British and US forces (and a Polish
contingent) invading Iraq.
Steering Group
There was a call for volunteers for the steering group; AG
would welcome suggestions in writing, set up a
discussion e-forum and would call the next meeting;
MW would look into feasible funding options. The
Cynefin y Werin website can be used, but needs help with Welsh translation.
Condensed submissions of PC to circulate
Kay Holder volunteered to help with
translation.
Offer of accommodation
George Crabb and Jane Harris offered accommodation to anyone
coming from afar to meetings in Cardiff
The
link below is to the 74 pages of
responses received by the Petitions Committee in late 2011 in answer to its
'consultation' on the Academi. This is what was agreed would be circulated to
those who attended the meeting on Tuesday.
Next meeting Steering Group
2pm Tuesday 13th Nov 2012 Cardiff, at Chapter Arts Centre
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