Grace Stevens 100 years old

Grace Stevens

Grace Stevens is a member of Wilpf Nanaimo–our oldest member at 100 years old. We want to show our appreciation of her on her birthday.

 

An article from newspaper–Grace shares how she got involved with wanting no more wars and joining the Wilpf Nanaimo group. Grace is an inspiration to us to keep following the peace path.

Grace

20200806_142039Summer of 2020 –during pandemic Grace was there.

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Grace in light purple jacket.

wilpf nanaimo
Grace in white hat dark jacket
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September 2020 Grace at Peace Day.

                 Thank you Grace!

       

Peace Gathering Agenda

peace dove with nato info

On behalf of the Womens International  League for Peace and Freedom,

I welcome you here today.

We thank the Snaw-Naw-as Mustimuxw First Nation for the land we are gathering on today.  Haych qu.

 The  Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Range ( CFMETR) base is on the unceded lands of the Te’mexw Treaty Association. The Snaw-naw-as Nation has recently asked for a portion of their land back for a community park.

We support their efforts and will look for ways to assist

where necessary and appropriate.

We are gathering on Remembrance Day to remember all the casualties of war including

children killed, injured or orphaned by war,

refugees  fleeing conflict,

citizens relocated,  ostracized and lands stolen

Indigenous victims of genocide and cultural destruction,

 women raped in war,

and the environmental destruction caused by wars.

 We understand that increased militarism only escalates conflict

and we urge real dialogue and communication in ongoing wars today.

Together we reaffirm our commitment to  peace.

In being here, we follow our code of peace:

I will act in a peaceful and positive way with my words,

with my tone and with my physical body.

I will listen to the perspective  of  others.

I will not respond to provocation.

Please  move back to allow any vehicles through to or from the base

and act with respect.

Since it is a cold day, we will be brief.

We will have a song,

then a few words from anyone who would like to speak  ( max  3 minutes)

then Brad from the  Freedom from War  Coalition  will say a few words

and introduce a moment of silence.

There will be a second song

and then we will officially adjourn

and those who  want to stay can continue to share music or visit.

Thank you all.

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Peace Gathering

Peace Gathering

A peace gathering will take place this year at the gates of CFMETR at Nanoose Bay On November 11th at 1 pm.

Canada plays host to several countries at the base that is jointly operated with the USA. Nuclear powered and nuclear capable submarines travel through our waters on their way to Nanoose Bay where they test unarmed torpedoes.

The base is on the unceded lands of the Te’mexw Treaty Association.

The Snaw-naw-as Nation has recently asked for a portion of their land back for a community park.

“We support their efforts. We also support a focus on peaceful conflict resolution.

War has no victors, only death and destruction.” said spokesperson Dyane Brown,

“Increased militarism only escalates the conflict. The threat of nuclear weapons makes efforts for real dialogue and compromise essential in the current war between Russia and NATO over Ukraine.

This will be a quiet reflective gathering.

There will be some music, some talking, and a moment of silence remembering all the victims of war both military and civilian.“

The event is organized by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Nanaimo Branch

and the Freedom From War Coalition.

Everyone is welcome.

WHITE POPPY

white poppy

Remembering the children who are now orphans.

Remembering all the victims of war both military and civilian.“

 

Jane Addams –founder of WILPF in 1915

during World War I stated–

“I believe that peace is not merely an absence of war

but the nurture of human life,

and that in time this nurture would do away with war

as a natural process.

The Face of War

The Face of War by Salvador Dali -1940

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Face_of_War

Depicting war through art can provide a different view of what we hear

or see on the news.

War is an uncreative act.

There is nothing about it that helps humanity.

Words are inadequate to reveal the horrors of it.

Many artists have shown the traumas and hardships of war. 

These paintings did not glorify war as was the custom. 

Here are a two of them.

Käthe Kollwitz-

a German artist who lived through two world wars. 

woodcut of mothers holding each other

Die Mütter [The Mothers], 1922, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A4the_Kollwitz

Käthe Kollwitz, The Parents, sheet 3 of the series »War«, 1921/1922, woodcut, Kn 174 V c, Cologne Kollwitz Collection © Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln

The Parents, sheet 3 of the series »War«, 1921/1922

Woodcut, Kn 174 V c https://www.kollwitz.de/en/sheet-3-the-parents

 

PicassoGuernica.jpg

Guernica by Pable Picasso 1937 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guernica_(Picasso)

Guernica was a Spanish town that was bombed around World War 2.

It depicts the suffering of innocent people.

 

This week is Disarmament Week according to the United Nations.

The UN was established October 24, 1945.

77 years have passed. We continue to hope for a more peaceful world

and we will remember the victims of war.    

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