CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2023
with signs for peace and flowers.
Grace Stevens 100 years old
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.
Summer of 2020 –during pandemic Grace was there.
Grace in light purple jacket.
Thank you Grace!
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Peace gathering
“Peace is always beautiful.”
Walt Whitman
We had a good peace gathering this week –brought signs, banners and handed flowers out.
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Peace Gathering Agenda
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 Code for peaceful gatherings
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
and try to understand the views of others.
I will not respond to provocation.
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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.
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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.“
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The Face of War
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.
Die Mütter [The Mothers], 1922, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A4the_Kollwitz
The Parents, sheet 3 of the series »War«, 1921/1922
Woodcut, Kn 174 V c https://www.kollwitz.de/en/sheet-3-the-parents
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.
WOMENS INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM- NANAIMO 