Chad Greggor Members of Peace Partners attended an exciting collaborative music project at Croydon Boxpark on Sunday 2nd December, featuring Croydon artists from different backgrounds combining to perform inspiring compositions.
UK Apache, well known for his 1994 hit ‘Original Nuttah’, closed the Croydon Composers 2018 show with 'Get Up' performed with Badmarsh and Shri. He had a message of peace for the crowd: “I don’t like the violence that’s going on,” he said, referencing the increasing trend of violent crime in London. Mayor of Croydon Bernadette Khan also attended the event and gave a brief message.She said: “The issue of knife crime and lives being lost is awful,” adding, “lives must not go so terribly and so awfully.”
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The train seemed to speed through the heart of England as it followed the route of the Thames river upstream, to Oxford, the city of the dreaming spires. After days of rain, today was lighter and clearer, and I was attending a small event in the afternoon which had been organised locally to promote support for the work of The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF). Oxford on an early Sunday in December is a busy place, full of tourists and Christmas market shoppers and students. Approaching the small meeting house venue I passed by an Oxfam shop, the internationally known charity started here and took its name from the town, and then the Eagle and Child pub, once frequented by illustrious authors JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. In the midst of England's oldest scholastic centre I remembered that in 2005 TPRF founder Prem Rawat had been invited here to speak at the university. Just a few years before he had started the Foundation that bears his name. The event was an intimate and informal introduction to the work of Peace Partners to seventeen local Oxford attendees. It was very ably managed by Emma Thomas who commented, ‘this is a really lovely opportunity for the people of Oxford to find out more about what Peace Partners actually does.’ Pauline Cook, Finance Manager and Trustee, talked us through several evocative videos revealing the purposes of the Peace Education Programme and The Food for People centres which have been initiated and are being maintained in several countries by TPRF. There was also an opportunity for people to volunteer for a role with the charity. Didge Hatcher, a newly recruited Trustee, spoke briefly about her excitement at her role and her recognition of the potential for growth in Peace Partners. Much tea and cake was enjoyed in the break, with opportunities for old friends to catch up. Two visitors from the Midlands Hindi community were hoping to arrange their own introductions to Peace Partners in their area. At the end Outreach Manager David Windsor sat with them to discuss possible arrangements for those events. Everyone was delighted by the opportunity to wish Prem Rawat a happy birthday. Robin Watkins, who edits the eBulletin, invited us all to be filmed saying ‘Happy birthday Prem’, which of course we did with great enthusiasm! A Peace Education Programme (PEP) is being hosted by Peace Talks Manchester at lunchtime every Friday 1 - 2pm until 24th May (excluding Good Friday) in central Manchester. The course will be held at: the Nexus Art Cafe, 2 Dale Street, Manchester M1 1JW (opposite Vinyl Exchange) Friday 1pm - 2pm: 14th, 21st December 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th January 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd February 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th March 5th, 12th, 26th April 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th May entry is free The purpose of PEP is to help participants discover their own inner resources - tools for living such as inner strength, choice and hope - and the possibility of personal peace. The course, which is non-religious and non-sectarian, is based on the talks of Prem Rawat, an international speaker on the subject of personal peace. It is facilitated by volunteers and consists of weekly videos, each focusing on a particular theme. Download and print the PEP flyer (with full details) here: ![]()
If you know of someone in the Manchester region who might benefit from this peace course, please let them know about it. If you require more information then email the Peace Talks Manchester contact Alan Wickham at awwickham@gmail.com. It is not necessary to attend every session. If you are a part of a group or team which are already working in this area in the region and would like to learn more about the benefits of PEP please email Alan. Alan told Peace Partners that in part the motivation behind the Manchester PEP was "an awareness that whilst last year was the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, and there was a lot of publicity about it in the media, there is a real need to find more solutions to the personal issues facing someone affected by any severe conflict, and that peace education is a tool that can really help." The Peace Education Programme is a Prem Rawat Foundation initiative and is being increasingly used in a variety of contexts. Find out more here. As this tumultuous year draws to a close it feels more of a privilege than ever to be part of a growing movement that is helping to shine a light in the darkness, and helping to bring dignity, peace and prosperity to people in all corners of the world. Read more here |
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