Chichester Cathedral is pleased to announce ‘Live Better Together’, a series of events taking place this autumn, each one with a theme for discussion and reflection about what peace means in our own lives, local community and the wider world.
The programme begins with ‘Tasting My Future’, a film by Sylvie Collier and Cathy Maxwell on Friday 20 September at 7.30pm at the Quaker Meeting House, Priory Road, Chichester. The film features women who fled wars, persecution and danger in their own countries who have sought refuge in the UK. In exile, the women share one tradition: cooking, and the film explores how they cross cultural boundaries to cook and share traditional dishes.
Live Better Together continues on Saturday 21 September, International Day of Peace, with ‘Recipe for Peace’, a free drop-in family friendly event for all ages held on the Cathedral Green from 1.30 - 3.30pm. It is a chance for everyone to discover recipes from all over the world shared by people who live in and around Chichester. The event will be followed by an Interfaith Thanksgiving in the Cathedral’s Lady Chapel at 4pm to which everyone is warmly invited. Alongside the scheduled events there will be a Prayer Station for Peace in the Cathedral where visitors are invited to light candles or offer prayers for peace, as well as a Peace and Reconciliation trail to explore. ‘Recipe for Peace’ is a partnership project between Chichester Cathedral, the Quakers in Chichester, Sanctuary in Chichester, Friends Without Borders and UK Harvest.
The programme of events continues on Tuesday 1 October with a Talk entitled ‘From Swords to Ploughshares: Conflict and Climate, Peace and Prosperity’. The Talk will examine the connection between conflict, climate and natural resources, and how prosperity could be assured for all. Dr Ruth Valerio, Global Advocacy and Influencing Director at Tearfund, will be speaking on this important topic that is such a significant feature of our world today. The talk runs from 6:30 - 7:30pm in Vicars’ Hall at the Cathedral. It is free to enter but booking essential at ticketsource.co.uk or from the Cathedral Shop.
On Thursday 17 October, an Interfaith Panel on Climate Change will discuss the question of ‘What role, if any, should faith-based organisations play in efforts to combat climate change?’ Speakers include Brahmacharini Shripriya (Chinmaya Mission UK), Rabbi Elli Tikvah Sarah (Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue), Revd Debbie Beer (Environment Officer, Diocese of Chichester) and Mr Makbul Rahim (The Islamic College and Middlesex University) and will be chaired by Simon Keyes, Visiting Professor at the Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace at the University of Winchester. This free event will be held from 2 - 3.30pm in Vicar’s Hall, and as above booking is essential.
The Annual Quaker Peace Lecture is the final event in the series, with the theme of ‘Stopping Wars Before They Start.’ Speaker Tim Gee is a Quaker, a London-based writer, political activist and author of ‘Why I am a Pacifist’. He has written for The Guardian, New Internationalist and the Independent, and has worked for Friends of the Earth, Christian Aid, Quaker Peace and Social Witness. The Lecture starts at 6pm on Saturday 9 November at the Chichester Quaker Meeting House and there will be a retiring collection of the speaker’s choice.
The theme for this year’s International Day of Peace is ‘Climate Action for Peace’. The Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly and two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. The United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.
Further information about UN Day of Peace can be found here.