The topic for Regional Gathering’s meeting is “Relevance of the Peace Testimony to Political Protest.” On Friday we will view two QuakerSpeak videos, followed by peace songs. On Saturday an individual from each Meeting will share their personal story about involvement in political protest or civil disobedience. Queries and general discussion in breakout rooms will follow each presentation.
There will be an invitation to children/youth as well to participate, as they can, through a query specific to them.
Proposed schedule
Friday, May 27
7-8:30 pm – Intergenerational: welcome and brief go-round
Children and youth, two queries for tomorrow:
- What can you tell us about Fridays for Future?
- Have you taken part in a protest? Why did you do that? Or why did you not do that?
Children and youth welcome to join in at any time, but please come back at 2 pm tomorrow to bring us what you have found about these two questions.
View two QuakerSpeak videos, followed by peace songs and worship sharing.
Saturday, May 28
10-10:30 am – Welcome and opening worship
10:30-11:15: Story from Peterborough Monthly Meeting; First Query: What issues, conditions, or problems do you know about where you have seen the use of protests? Did you find that the protest was effective? Moral? In what ways? Break away groups; responses
11:15-noon: Story from Montréal Monthly Meeting; Second Query: What issues, conditions or problems do you know about where you think protests have not been used but perhaps should have been? Why? Breakaway groups; responses
12-12:30 Lunch break
12:30-1:15: Story from Thousand Islands Monthly Meeting; Third Query: Here are a few examples of types of protest: strikes, boycotts, obstructions like sit-ins, personal public statements like letters to politicians or the media. What kind of protests are you personally comfortable engaging in? Why? Why not? Breakaway groups; responses
1:15-2 pm: Story from Ottawa Monthly Meeting; Fourth Query: In what way, if at all, can you make a distinction between peaceful and non-peaceful protests? Are there shades of grey? Breakaway groups; responses
2- 2:30 pm: Reports from children and youth re their two queries
2:30-3 pm: Meeting for Worship for Business, and closing worship
Useful background material:
Five questions about human rights and the Ottawa trucker protest
ICLMG satement on use of Emergencies Act
World Beyond War: “AGSS is World BEYOND War’s blueprint for an alternative security system – one in which peace is pursued by peaceful means.
AGSS relies on three broad strategies for humanity to end war: 1) demilitarizing security, 2) managing conflicts without violence, and 3) creating a culture of peace. These are the interrelated components of our system: the frameworks, processes, tools and institutions necessary for dismantling the war machine and replacing it with a peace system that will provide a more assured common security. Strategies for demilitarizing security are directed at reducing dependency on militarism. Strategies for managing conflict without violence are focused on reforming and/or establishing new institutions, tools and processes for assuring security. Strategies for creating a culture of peace are concerned with establishing social and cultural norms, values, and principles necessary for sustaining a thriving peace system and the means to spread it globally.”
A Global Security System: An Alternative to War
“The Duty to Resist,” Friends Journal