Projects and Resources
P&J is based at Words & Actions for Peace at 58 Ratcliffe Terrace.
This is a space we share with fellow peace organisation Secure Scotland
It is also a resource space for peace and community groups to use.
If you or your group want to put on a small exhibition or event, or need to hire space for a meeting, or need a place to store your equipment, please get in contact with us. And if there are other ways we might be able to support your efforts for peace and sustainability, please let us know.
We also offer promotion in our window, somewhere for people to collect fliers, and promotion through our website, email and social media for member groups. Members can use our space for storage, prop and banner making, small public meetings, or administrative gatherings, including use of our ‘big’screen and wee PA! Advice and support is available on campaigning, developing your group locally and press and media work.
Projects
Our Peace Garden project
We are developing a new project in South Edinburgh – a peace garden that will be planned and created together with the local community for the benefit of people in Craigmillar, the Inch and the surrounding area.
We are working with a couple of other local charities who support families from marginalised communities across Edinburgh, and we will develop the project together. Bridgend Farmhouse has given us a designated space in their community garden to develop a space for peace.
We are developing this project collaboratively, thinking together about what peace means, and how we can build a culture of peace locally. We will then consider together how we might develop this space.
Please consider donating to the project. To find out more about the project, and chip in, go to the crowdfunder page here. Aviva ‘Save Our Wild Isles fund’ will triple any donation you make.
Education
Following our Peacebuilders programme, we aim to establish a new programme to support peace education for all ages and reflecting the needs of a new Scotland. An initial review of good practice in Scotland (what is already happening through existing initiatives, how best to share it and with whom) will be undertaken in the first instance, to inform a programme of work arising, signposting positive initiatives and opportunities with existing or potential partners in formal and wider education and to the Scottish Government.
Pubic engagement
P&J runs our annual Carnall Peace Award – a prize giving and annual public lecture in September on the broad theme of international peace campaigning. Previous award winners have included Yemeni human rights organisation Mwatana, Professor Paul Rodgers, and Wi’am – the Palestinian Conflict Transformation Centre in Bethlehem.
We also run annual actions for peace and remembering conscientious objectors, including CO Day in May, and an alternative Remembrance Sunday in November.
Words & Actions where we are based, organise peace related events, and can also take take bookings for events in the premises, which could include spoken word, acoustic music recitals and small public meetings on our areas of interest. We retail and exhibit arts and crafts and invite those in the community who respond to peace issues to approach us to display or retail their work. In addition to a range of periodicals for visitors to browse, we carry a small stock of relevant books and music, to enjoy in the premises or purchase.
Our plans to build an Opposing War Memorial in Princes Street Garden hit a number of hurdles, including the planned redesign of Princes Street Gardens that was initially delayed and then scrapped following the pandemic. Although many people gave generously to the crowdfunder, we were unable to successfully apply for a grant to supplement this. As a result out plans for the memorial have reduced in ambition somewhat.
But we are pleased that Edinburgh Council have now planted a handkerchief tree in the Gardens (see photo below) – which had great significance to Kate Ive’s original plans for a bronze sculpture of a handkerchief tree as a memorial to those who oppose war – that we have sponsored. Watch this space for more updates on the project.
Previous projects
Peacebuilding in primary schools
We anticipate these projects having their own impact going forward, with new peace and art exhibitions organised by the Peace Cranes curatorial team running alongside Peace and Justice core work, and a new emphasis on Peace Education growing out of the schools work we did before the Pandemic.
(Above) Pictures from the peace cranes exhibition in 2021 – the culmination of 5 years collecting 140,000 origami peace cranes from around the world to remember the first victims of nuclear weapons when the US bombed Hiroshima in 1945. See more about our peace cranes project here
