[Pip] Creative, political, workshops for nxt years Peace in the Park

[Benjamin Major]

Hello

First thing; did anyone post out those minutes for the meeting we had last 
week?

Second thing; does anybody want an informal meet to discuss further things 
like; having a showcase day where we have an exhibition of previous Peace in 
the Parks, have some PitP-themed activities, and try and garner some new 
happy young volunteers? And to discuss the ideas below as well perhaps.

Now. A few dreams...

I have been talking to someone who has done a bit of set-design, and I think 
they would be happy to do do some Peace in the Park workshops. We already 
have people who are willing to donate time to share DJing skills. We have Jo 
and Daisy who may if we're lucky still be happy to do dancing workshops! I 
am sure there will be one person or two (4 example from Jamboree) who can do 
performance art stuff...

YES! I think we have the will and energy to bring together the workshops 
that will in turn create a small show perfomed by Sheffield children for the 
festival next year... just 45 minutes, on the main stage...

I think I also have a story to tell. Peace in the Park is rarely overly 
political these days, and this is a good thing in many respects- it makes 
for approachable event- and I really believe it and the lantern carnival are 
the most progressive things happening in Sheffield each summer. But we also 
run the risk sometimes of being too fluffly that the title Peace is rendered 
meaningless. The world is evidently not in peace or anywhere near like it 
and it is because of a veritable haystack of conflicting and interlocking 
factors; economic depression, ecological devestation, shortages of water, 
oil, oppression of free movement- and a noble effort to help one can upset 
the balance of another in ways we do not expect. I think Peace in the Park 
has room to tell more stories. To link to real things- like Pete mentioned 
in the meeting I think, making a link to the arms trade is one way...

Recently I have been involved in No-Borders actions, campaigning for free 
movement and an end to forced deportation and detention for no crime... 
There is a link to be made here. And it's a really interesting one to tell 
and to allow people to understand...

'Join the Army! Invade a country, create destruction, terror and a stream of 
refugees; persecute those who flee to your country; make money out of them; 
deport them back to the mess you've created. Then: start again.' Many of the 
people who have been claiming asylum in Britain since 2000 are from 
Afghanistan and Iraq, both countries that Britain has been attacking over 
the last 4 years. In fighting wars to defend the global order western 
countries play a major part in producing refugees. Over the last three years 
Afghani and Iraqi refugees have been increasingly forced back into their 
countries as the British government claims they are now safe, despite the 
foreign office giving directly contradictory information and advising 
British nationals against travelling to these very same countries...

To make this connection between escaping the raging of wars and the arrival 
of many refugees across our borders- that is a story to tell. A story of 
sending troops off to war, selling arms, earlier; the building of nation 
states in the first place, preaching the notion of democracy and civil 
rights... while the resulting migrants of such unrest are treated here on 
British shores like they have no rights at all, even facing the danger of 
having their children taken away from them under section 9 (to mention just 
one example).

In December I am heading off to Jordan to take part in a project at a 
childrens village in the town of Aqaba, working with orphan refugees. I am 
then travelling towards the occupied lands of Palestine where borders are a 
unremitting fact of everyday life- here I hope to find some inspiring, 
grassroots projects where there is an effort to promote self-determination 
and active participation, and to struggle peacefully in adversity to the 
grim reality they face...

I would love, whilst there, to find some responses as to what borders mean 
in peoples daily life, and if they could imagine a more peaceful life 
without the borders that block them in. Then to exchange and compare these 
views with those who are closer to home- children in our very own community.

The questions the workshop sessions and the final peformance would raise 
would be based around are- where do refugees come from? why do we send 
people off to war? why do we have borders? Do borders serve to ease conflict 
or do they more likely create it? if wars and refugees are so related then 
is it fair to send people back to the countries where we have created war 
even if we can't guarantee their safety? The questions will be explored 
exactly as that- questions, to explore the themes in a balanced way is 
enough because, I believe, if the issues are explained correctly and not in 
media-speak, most people will come to the same conclusions as I.

So, a no-borders play/dance/music performance is what I propose. Putting the 
politics back into Peace in the Park, but, I hope, without comprimising its 
fluffiness.

Let me know anyone who wants to help me organize this- it's a big jumbled 
mess in my mind at the moment. Here are some links to funding orgranizations 
for young peoples projects, most of which require us to be a charitable 
organization with a constituiton and all...

Triodos Bank Foundation - 
www.triodos.co.uk/uk/about-triodos/organisation/foundation - they have 
limited funds but do look at social, environmental and cultural projects 
that benefit the community as a whole.

Ragdoll Foundation - www.ragdollfoundation.org.uk - projects, activities or 
events which promte the education and development of young children (0-8) 
through the arts.

Paristamen Foundation - small yorkshire based grant making trust - they like 
projects rather than events though. email admin at paristamen.org.uk for 
application details.

Woodward Charitable Trust - www.woodwardcharitabletrust.org.uk - like to 
give one-off grants in arts, community and social welfare(including 
summerschemes for kids), disability and health, education and environment. 
Up to a max of £5K

Local Network Fund for Children and Young People - details are on  South 
Yorkshire Community Forum website - www.sycf.org.uk - they have different 
criteria for funding - one of which is aspirations and new experiences for 
children.  Another is Childrens Voices.

VAS (Voluntary Action Sheffield) may be of help in identifying other sources 
or accessing community chest funding.  Also try South Yorkshire Funding 
Advice Bureau - they are on the internet if you search.