Building a world of peace for all humanity

Golden Words by Peace Ambassador of present era Mr @ManHeeLeePeace ..@hwpl_nl @hwpl6chicago @HWPL_ZA pic.twitter.com/vgMriiXxNe

— Syed.K.I. Zabiuddin (@rafay06) March 14, 2016

Dale Hess Calendar - Dates for your diaries

Thursday 18 February – Thursday 3 March: Transition Film Festival. The Transitions Film Festival is visionary program dedicated to spotlighting the complex challenges, cutting-edge ideas, creative innovations and mega-trends that are redefining what it means to be human. We present positive, solutions-focused films and showcase cutting-edge ideas from around the world, along with the creative, academic, governmental, community and business leaders who are creating change locally. http://www.transitionsfilmfestival.com/melbourne-program-2016/

Thursday 18 February, 6.30 pm – 8 pm: Market Forces Campaign Launch. Market Forces believes that the banks, superannuation funds and governments that have custody of our money should use it to protect not damage our environment. We're planning to make this year massive. Massive campaigns, resulting in massive change. We have climate change commitments from banks that need to be turned into concrete action that moves finance out of fossil fuels. We want to turn divestment from coal, oil and gas from a steady stream to an unstoppable torrent. And of course, we have new dirty coal proposals here in Australia and overseas that need to be stopped in their tracks.  Venue: Treasury Room, Imperial Hotel, 2 Bourke St, Melbourne (corner Spring Street). Food provided, drinks at bar prices. Free entry but bookings are essential as places are limited. RSVP here. Market Forces is proud to be an affiliate project of Friends of the Earth Australia and a member of the BankTrack international network, connecting us with passionate campaigners, environmental issue experts and advocates of environmentally sustainable behaviour from the finance sector.  

Get the details and RSVP for our Melbourne campaign launch here. 

Saturday 20 February, 5.02 pm – 7 pm: Peace, Faith and Solving Conflict. Invited speakers: Prof. Gary Bouma, UNESCO and Rev.Victor Kazanjian, Global Director United Religions Initiative. Venue: Cultural Infusion Centre, 49 Vere Street, Collingwood College Theatre (entrance from Campbell Street). Sponsored by Cultural Infusion and United Religions Initiative. Free event. Refreshments provided. 

Bookings:https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/culture-talk-tickets-21240877035

Wednesday, 24 February, 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm: Syrian Conflict Information Evening. The Amnesty International Bayside Team are hosting an information evening on the current Syrian crisis. Presenting an impartial account of the current internal armed conflict in Syria, as well as information about the settlement process for refugees and asylum seekers. From 7.30 pm we will have three speakers, discussing the current Syrian crisis, intake of refugees and settlement services for refugees and asylum seekers here in Australia. Tim Redfern from Amnesty International Bayside, Alanna Attard from AMES and Panos Massouris from AMES will be speaking. Venue: The Sandy Beach Centre - 2 Sims Street Sandringham. Register here.

Saturday 5 March, 9 am – 11.30 am: Oases Breakfast Conversation: Listening to Indigenous Voices. Dr Robert Hoskin will share insights from his listening to his Kimberley friends relevant to relating with land and community. Together we will explore how listening means a change of heart, if not our change in approach to life and relationships, and discuss how  knowledge of the past might save us from endless repetition in the future. $30/$20 Concession. Main Hall, Habitat Centre for Spirituality, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn. To book:http://www.oases.edu.au/breakfast/

Monday 11 April; Sunday and Monday, 24 April and 25 April; Sunday 1 May: Ecological Literacy. Ecological literacy was initially used byDavid W. Orr and physicist Fritjof Capra in the 1990s, to understand the Earth as a living system whose well-being was dependent on our thinking in terms of the interdependence of all living systems. In his Web of Life Capra writes of the emergence of a new paradigm challenging the old mechanistic and linear view of the universe and challenging notions of continuous growth and development and with it consumerism and commodification as the “normal”. Ecological literacy is about using this interdependent view of the world to help address the complex dilemmas around the destructive impact that humans have had on the world bringing us to what is often called the Anthropocene… And together we'll draw on the experiences and wisdom of all participants, and the 'natural world' around us. Cost $800. Further details: info@oases.edu.au.

Monday 25 April – Friday 29 April: Living the Peace Testimony with Greg Rolles. Explore the connections between war, militarism, climate change, colonisation of Indigenous peoples, racism – and your own urges to help bring peace. Silver Wattle Quaker Centre, 1063 Lake Road, Bungendore, NSW. Telephone:02 6238 0588

Friday 10 June – Monday 13 June: Indigenous Spirituality and Culture with Karen Kime. Journey into Aboriginal ways of teaching country, kinship and cross-cultural issues in work and community. The workshop will also include examples of other indigenous people. Silver Wattle Quaker Centre, 1063 Lake Road, Bungendore, NSW. Telephone:02 6238 0588

Monday 11 July; Sunday and Monday, 31 July and 1 August; Saturday 10 September: Recreating our Organisations. We live in a world of organisations, educational, familial, work…each with its own culture and processes and each creating its own set of experiences for those who interact with it. Whilst we cannot escape from the reality of organizations in our lives, we can learn to better understand, work with and change (for the better) the organizations in which we play a part…In this unit then our central question addresses the possibilities of recreating or re-imagining the way we organise that would create more soulful, meaningful, value based,  collaborative and generative organisations that are relevant for 21st century sustainable and socially just organisations. Cost $800. Further details: info@oases.edu.au.

8 WAYS TO DEFEND AGAINST TERROR NONVIOLENTLY - Think the conversation of re-active violence dominates politics and media? You'd better read this

This blog post came from the Uniting Church of Australia blog, morepraxis.org.au

It is a must read.  It is not unusual for people to rail against war, the United States proxy wars in which Australia is a strong supporter and so on.  But what do people actually do, in a sustained manner, to fight for peace, to change the conversation and actions that support war and provoke violence? Quakers have been working for peace for almost 400 years --- so there is a lot of experience from which the rest of us can learn.

Some good thoughts & tools from George Lakey a Quaker activist and expert in nonviolent activism.

Original Article in full can be found here  http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/8-ways-defend-terror-nonviolently/

8 Ways to Defend Against Terror Nonviolently

One of my most popular courses at Swarthmore College focused on the challenge of how to defend against terrorism, nonviolently. Events now unfolding in France make our course more relevant than ever. (The syllabus was published in “Peace, Justice, and Security Studies: A Curriculum Guide” in 2009.) In fact, the international post-9/11 “war against terror” has been accompanied by increased actual threats of terror almost everywhere.

In the first place, who knew that non-military techniques have, in actual historical cases, reduced the threat of terror?

I gathered for the students eight non-military techniques that have worked for some country or other. The eight comprised the “toolbox” that the students had to work with. We didn’t spend time criticizing military counter-terrorism because we were more interested in alternatives.

Each student chose a country somewhere in the world that is presently threatened by terrorism and, taking the role of a consultant to that country, devised from our nonviolent toolbox a strategy for defines….

What are the eight techniques?

1. Ally-building and the infrastructure of economic development

Poverty and terrorism are indirectly linked. Economic development can reduce recruits and gain allies, especially if development is done in a democratic way. The terrorism by Northern Ireland’s Irish Republican Army, for example, was strongly reduced by grassroots, job-creating, economic development.

2. Reducing cultural marginalization

As France, Britain and other countries have learned, marginalizing a group within your population is not safe or sensible; terrorists grow under those conditions. This is also true on a global level. Much marginalizing is unintentional, but it can be reduced. “Freedom of the press,” for example, transforms into “provocation” when it further marginalizes a population that is already one-down, as are Muslims in France. When Anglophone Canada reduced its marginalization, it reduced the threat of terrorism from Quebec.

3. Nonviolent protest/campaigns among the defenders, plus unarmed civilian peacekeeping

Terrorism happens in a larger context and is therefore influenced by that context. Some terror campaigns have lapsed because they lost popular support. That’s because terror’s strategic use is often to gain attention, provoke a violent response and win more support in the broader population.

The rise and fall of support for terrorism is in turn influenced by social movements using people power, or nonviolent struggle. The U.S. civil rights movement brilliantly handled the Ku Klux Klan’s threat to activists, most dangerous when there was no effective law enforcement to help. The nonviolent tactics reduced the KKK’s appeal among white segregationists. Since the 1980s, pacifists and others have established an additional, promising tool: intentional and planned unarmed civilian peacekeeping. (Check out Peace Brigades International, for one example.)

4. Pro-conflict education and training

Ironically, terror often happens when a population tries to suppress conflicts instead of supporting their expression. A technique for reducing terror, therefore, is to spread a pro-conflict attitude and the nonviolent skills that support people waging conflict to give full voice to their grievances.

5. Post-terror recovery programs

Not all terror can be prevented, any more than all crime can be prevented. Keep in mind that terrorists often have the goal of increasing polarization. Recovery programs can help prevent that polarization, the cycle of hawks on one side “arming” the hawks on the other side. One place we’ve seen this cycle of violence is in the Palestine/Israel struggle.

Recovery programs build resilience, so people don’t go rigid with fear and create self-fulfilling prophecies. The leap forward in trauma counseling is relevant for this technique along with innovative rituals such as those the Norwegians used after the 2011 terrorist massacre there.

6. Police as peace officers: the infrastructure of norms and laws

Police work can become far more effective through more community policing and reduction of the social distance between police and the neighborhoods they serve. In some countries this requires re-conceptualization of the police from defenders of the property of the dominant group to genuine peace officers; witness the unarmed Icelandic police. Countries like the United States need to join the growing global infrastructure of human rights law reflected in the Land Mines Treaty and International Criminal Court, and accept accountability for their own officials who are probable war criminals.

7. Policy changes and the concept of reckless behavior

Governments sometimes make choices that invite — almost beg for — a terrorist response. Political scientist and sometime U.S. Air Force consultant Robert A. Pape showed in 2005 that the United States has repeatedly done this, often by putting troops on someone else’s land. In his recent book “Cutting the Fuse,” he and James K. Feldman give concrete examples of governments reducing the terror threat by ending such reckless behavior. To protect themselves from terror, citizens in all countries need to gain control of their own governments and force them to behave.

8. Negotiation

Governments often say “we don’t negotiate with terrorists,” but when they say that they are often lying. Governments have often reduced or eliminated terrorism through negotiation, and negotiation skills continue to grow in sophistication.

Realistic application of non-military defense against terror

At the request of a group of U.S. experts on counter-terrorism, I described our Swarthmore work and especially the eight techniques. The experts recognized that each of these tools have indeed been used in real-life situations in one place or another, with some degree of success. They also saw no problem, in principle, in devising a comprehensive strategy that would create synergies among the tools.

The problem they saw was persuading a government to take such a bold, innovative leap.

Continue reading here : http://wagingnonviolence.org/feature/8-ways-defend-terror-nonviolently/

Peace-building with The Shift and with the Australian troubador, Murray Kyle

Below is an American e-zine that drops into the gmail from time to time. This is being published as a reminder, a nudge to further thinking about peace. One thing that must be overcome is the idea that peace is merely an absence of war.

At this time in our world, we see the flames of war and uprising across the planet. We see nations not technically at war expanding their military budgets and ordering the next technological level of military equipment. This is part and parcel of everything that is NOT peace. So it is hoped that you take time to read some of the articles in this missive and give some consideration to the thought that peace has to be worked for as actively as some work for militarism and war. We won't get a productive and creative existence that recognises the value of all human beings in any other way.

By Stephen Dinan, founder and CEO of The Shift Network

The politics of peace is dear to my heart as it’s an essential ingredient for making the shift to a sustainable culture of peace.

It is easy to become disillusioned with political processes when we see polarized parties battling each other instead of working together to address critical issues. Yet, all you have to do is visit a country where people are struggling for violence-free elections and good governance to remember the importance of participating in a democracy and ensuring it thrives.

Many of us at The Shift Network are pro-actively engaged with our national representatives to lobby for issues such as the multinational nuclear deal with Iran (very important this month, click here to learn more!) and the Youth Promise Act, an innovative program to address the root causes of youth violence.

To advance this work, The Shift Network has developed relationships with the Friends Committee on National Legislation (the largest and oldest peace lobby), The Peace Alliance (one of the original co-creators of the Summer of Peace), and the Alliance for Peacebuilding (a prominent global peacebuilding association). Several of our team members, including myself, will join the FCNL’s “lobby day” in Washington, DC again this November. I strongly encourage you to join us for an illuminating and effective time (last year we had 400 people citizens lobbying our congresspeople on Iran on the Hill on one day). (See Movement News)

This week in the Summer of Peace we will feature exciting sessions on the politics of peace with Jim Cason of FCNL and Bob Baskin and Heart Phoenix of The Peace Alliance highlighting how you can get involved from grassroots to national levels. (Click here to register free.)

In this edition of The Catalyst, we have an article by our very own Alison Weeks about why and how to support the Iran nuclear deal. We must help stabilize the Middle East and prevent nuclear proliferation. I believe the Iran nuclear agreement is an absolutely essential step in the right direction (and make sure your congress people know you agree if you do).

We also have a profound piece from the Alliance for Peacebuilding on countering violent extremism through practical initiatives that go beyond the use of military options. This is a very well-thought out article and we are proud to support a Joint Statement on Countering Violent Extremism that was presented to President Obama.

Our good friend Matthew Albracht from The Peace Alliance has an excellent piece about bringing peace education to schools as part of their BeTheMovement initiative.

Glen Martin has a visionary piece on global democracy and our member profile is from Peace Ambassador Ella Matheson in the United Kingdom.

Finally, we have a featured article about a peace contest where you can win a free trip to New York to celebrate the International Day of Peace! The contest is part of 1 Billion Acts of Peace, a program sponsored by PeaceJam and supported by 13 Nobel Peace Laureates, the Summer of Peace and many partner organizations. The contest ends on September 14, 2015. To participate all you do is to share peace – click here to learn more. Our featured video is Erica Chenoweth giving a compelling presentation about how nonviolent civil resistance campaigns were twice as effective as violent approaches the past few decades. Our Shift Philanthropy this week is the Friends Committee of National Legislation and our partner spotlight is the Alliance for Peacebuilding. Finally, our featured artist is Murray Kyle from Australia.

Significant events: the Dale Hess Calendar for the week beginning 17 August 2015

 

Dale Hess

and on Facebook

Monday 24 August, 10 am-12 pm: What we are learning about transformative pedagogy: reflections on the edge - Schumacher and OASES. Speaker: Jonathan Dawson, Head of Economics, Schumacher College. Venue: OASES Graduate School, 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn (Cost free or gold coin donation ). Book here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/what-we-are-learning-about-transformative-pedagogy-reflections-on-the-edge-tickets-18129912055

Monday 24 August, 6 pm-8 pm: EU Transition: A conversation with Jonathan Dawson. Jonathan Dawson is the Head of Economics at Schumacher College. The Emily McPherson Building, Russell Street, RMIT, Melbourne (Cost $15.00, $10 for EEV/AAEE members, Free for OASES/RMIT students). Book here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/eu-transition-a-conversation-with-jonathan-dawson-tickets-18130092595

Tuesday 25th August, 2.30 pm – 5 pm: Supporting the transition towards a low carbon economy. Speaker: Jonathan Dawson. CERES Learning Centre, Brunswick (Cost $10, free to CERES and OASES staff, students and Board members.) Book here:
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/supporting-the-transition-towards-a-low-carbon-economy-tickets-18130040439

Friday 28 August – Sunday 30 August: Pax Christi Conference: A World without Weapons, a Vision and a Challenge. Keynote speakers: Rev Dr Wes Campbell,  Fr Brian Johnstone, C.SS.R, STD, Rev Merrill Kitchen OAM,  Associate Professor Tilman Ruff OAM. We seek to explore the possibilities and challenges of a World without Weapons, spiritually and politically; to hear from people who are already “living the dream” ; to consider key challenges the issue poses for people of faith in Australia and Pax Christi in particular. Location: Kildara (Brigidine) Centre  39 Stanhope Street (rear), Malvern.  Costs: Friday-Sunday , Conference and  National Meeting:  $120 or $80 low income.   Friday and Saturday, Conference  only  $100 or $70 low income. Friday Evening $30. Please send with cheque for $30 deposit or full fee to Pax Christi P.O Box 31, Carlton South, VIC 3053  by 21 August. Further info: Phone Harry Kerr 03 9893 4946 ahmkerr@hotmail.com;  Rita Camilleri 03 9379 3889 camrita44@gmail.com.

Saturday 29 August, 6 pm:  An audience with Naomi Klein. Naomi Klein is a Canadian author, social activist and filmmaker known for her political analyses and criticism of corporate globalisation and capitalism. She is best known for No Logo, about branding and the alter-globalisation movement,The Take, a documentary about Argentina’s occupied factories, and The Shock Doctrine, a critical analysis of the history of neoliberal economics. Her 2014 book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate argues that the climate crisis can’t be addressed in the current era of neoliberal market fundamentalism. Federation Square, Melbourne. Book now @ mwf.com.au/writers/naomi-klein

Sunday 30 August, 4 pm: Naomi Klein: Capitalism & the Climate. Naomi Klein is a Canadian author, social activist and filmmaker known for her political analyses and criticism of corporate globalisation and capitalism. She is best known for No Logo, about branding and the alter-globalisation movement, The Take, a documentary about Argentina’s occupied factories, and The Shock Doctrine, a critical analysis of the history of neoliberal economics. Her 2014 book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate argues that the climate crisis can’t be addressed in the current era of neoliberal market fundamentalism. Federation Square, Melbourne. Book now @ mwf.com.au/writers/naomi-klein

Tuesday 1 September, 6 pm – 8 pm: Life on Planet Earth: Sustaining hope in the midst of fragility and uncertainty. St Michael’s is proud to host this fascinating lecture series presented  by one of Australia’s leading International Relations scholars and commentators, Professor Joseph A. Camilleri OAM. This series aims to shed light on the critical psycho-social, economic,  environmental and security challenges of our times – how they  affect us personally, our life prospects, our networks and communities,  Australia and the world. It will open up new ways of thinking about the past and present and new possibilities for reshaping the future. Venue: St Michael’s Hall, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Tickets: $15 per lecture or $50 series pass. Bookings: www.stmichaels.org.au.

Saturday 5 September, 9 am – 11.30 am: Breakfast: Exploring local initiatives for living a good, low carbon life. Join us for a lively breakfast where practitioners Donna Livermore, Sally MacAdams, Ben Habib, Nathan Alison and Catherine O'Shea will share their learnings and experiences transitioning towards a low carbon, localized lifestyle: transition towns, co-housing, permaculture and local energy trading systems (LETS).

Tuesday 8 September, 6 pm – 8 pm: The World Economy: An ‘ocean liner without lifeboats’: Financial crises and the myths of the free market: the case for regulation. St Michael’s is proud to host this fascinating lecture series presented  by one of Australia’s leading International Relations scholars and commentators, Professor Joseph A. Camilleri OAM. This series aims to shed light on the critical psycho-social, economic,  environmental and security challenges of our times – how they  affect us personally, our life prospects, our networks and communities,  Australia and the world. It will open up new ways of thinking about the past and present and new possibilities for reshaping the future. Venue: St Michael’s Hall, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Tickets: $15 per lecture or $50 series pass. Bookings: www.stmichaels.org.au.

Friday 11 September, 6.30 pm – 9.30 pm: Film Screening: The Good Lie. The Bayside Refugee Advocacy & Support Association invites you to a special screening of an inspiring and powerful story of triumph, friendship and compassion. Orphaned by the brutal Civil War in Sudan, Mamere, his sister Abital, and friends Jeremiah and Paul face a gruelling trip across Africa to a refugee camp. Much later, they are selected for re-settlement in the U.S.A. Carrie (Reese Witherspoon) is contracted to find them jobs, and she soon finds herself swept up in their struggle for a better life. Followed by guest speaker: Russell Broadbent M.H.R. [Lib. McMillan].  St John’s Uniting Church 567 Glenhuntly Road, Elsternwick. Melway Map 67J3 Light supper provided. This is a free event. Donations welcome. RSVP email gm_moore@bigpond.net.au.

Saturday 12 September, 9 am – 4.30 pm: Youth Humanitarian Festival. Venue: Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn Campus Room ATC101. Cost: $15. http://www.youthhumanitarianfestival.com/

Tuesday 15 September, 6 pm – 8 pm: Islam, Islamism and Islamophobia    Religion and politics; terrorism and the ‘war on terror’. St Michael’s is proud to host this fascinating lecture series presented  by one of Australia’s leading International Relations scholars and commentators, Professor Joseph A. Camilleri OAM. This series aims to shed light on the critical psycho-social, economic,  environmental and security challenges of our times – how they  affect us personally, our life prospects, our networks and communities,  Australia and the world. It will open up new ways of thinking about the past and present and new possibilities for reshaping the future. Venue: St Michael’s Hall, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Tickets: $15 per lecture or $50 series pass. Bookings: www.stmichaels.org.au.

Wednesday 16 September, 9 am – 4 pm:  Youth Engaging the World: Living Pope Francis’ Vision of Faith. Registration: $35. St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Registrations –  https://www.acu.edu.au/616950; Email: iace@acu.edu.au  Phone: +61 2 9701 4176

Thursday 17 September – Friday 18 September: Conference: Pope Francis and other Prophetic Voices: Calling Us to Reshape the Public Sphere.

Speakers for the conference include: Rev. Fr. Jerry Rosario SJ (India) – the Barefoot Priest from India , Dr. Jenny Te Paa Daniel (New Zealand) - Convenor of the International Anglican Peace and Justice Network, Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO – Australian Jesuit priest, human rights lawyer and academic, Professor Patrick Dodson – a Yawuru man from Broome, Western Australia, he is a former Chairman of the "Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Dr Rachael Kohn - produces and presents The Spirit of Things on ABC Radio National, Emeritus Professor Joseph Camilleri OAM - Managing Director, Alexandria Agenda and founder of the Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University. Venue St Michael’s Uniting Church, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Registration is $125 for the 2 day conference. Registrations –  https://www.acu.edu.au/616950; Email: iace@acu.edu.au  Phone: +61 2 9701 4176.  

Thursday 17 September, 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm: Public Forum: Reclaiming Justice, Truth and Compassion in the Public Sphere. Registration: $10+ donation. Australian Catholic University, Cathedral Hall, 20 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne (Please note: different venue to the Conference and Youth Forum). Registrations –  https://www.acu.edu.au/616950; Email: iace@acu.edu.au  Phone: +61 2 9701 4176

Tuesday 22 September, 6 pm – 8 pm: The Democratic Deficit: What it is and what to do about it. St Michael’s is proud to host this fascinating lecture series presented  by one of Australia’s leading International Relations scholars and commentators, Professor Joseph A. Camilleri OAM. This series aims to shed light on the critical psycho-social, economic,  environmental and security challenges of our times – how they  affect us personally, our life prospects, our networks and communities,  Australia and the world. It will open up new ways of thinking about the past and present and new possibilities for reshaping the future. Venue: St Michael’s Hall, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Tickets: $15 per lecture or $50 series pass. Bookings:www.stmichaels.org.au.

Monday 28 September,  8.45 am to 5.30 pm: Ecological Aspects of War: Religious Perspectives from Australia. A one-day symposium to consider intersections between war and ecology, through the lenses of religious social teachings and sacred texts, representative of the multi-cultural and inter-faith constitution of contemporary Australian society.  Keynote presentation  “Planet Earth as a Victim of War”  by Dr Jenny Grounds. Venue:Trinity College Theological School Trinity College Royal Parade, Parkville. Cost: Full $40 Concession $30 Skype $15 (you will be supplied with a url and password via email nearer the date). Register here. Early registrations are appreciated. Registrations close: Friday 11 September 2015. For further information contact Anne Elvey: aelvey@tpg.com.au

Tuesday 29 September, 6 pm – 8 pm: State of the Nation   How is Australia faring? A fresh look at its society, economy and politics. St Michael’s is proud to host this fascinating lecture series presented  by one of Australia’s leading International Relations scholars and commentators, Professor Joseph A. Camilleri OAM. This series aims to shed light on the critical psycho-social, economic,  environmental and security challenges of our times – how they  affect us personally, our life prospects, our networks and communities,  Australia and the world. It will open up new ways of thinking about the past and present and new possibilities for reshaping the future. Venue: St Michael’s Hall, 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. Tickets: $15 per lecture or $50 series pass. Bookings: www.stmichaels.org.au.

Friday 16 October – Sunday 18 October: Local Lives – Global Matter: A Conference for Future’s Sake. Now is the time to announce a new paradigm and tell the story that has a future. Inspired by and following in the footsteps of a worldwide series of Economics of Happiness Conferences,this three day conference will include presentations, workshops, panel discussions, plenaries, story-telling, arts, music and site visits showcasing local initiatives. OASES is pleased to support this gathering of international and local thinkers and activists who will speak about: local economies and livelihoods; equitable, re-democratised societies; inclusive ethical culture; and the spirituality that connects us to the land and each other. Castlemaine Town Hall. For more information, to offer a presentation or generally get involved click here.

Sunday 18 October: Run 4 Refugees for the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre. Run 4 Refugees is our major fundraising event for the year and we'd love for you to take part. Last year we had over 500 amazing people who ran and walked for refugees, and raised over $250,000. This year we're aiming to raise over $300,000. The main event will be taking place in Melbourne on Sunday October 18th as part of the Melbourne Marathon Festival.You don't need to be a serious runner to take part, there are distances to suit everyone- from 3km to the full marathon. To sign up for the run click here. To create your fundraising page click here.

Monday 9 November – Tuesday 10 November, 9 am – 5 pm: Community Development: Introductory Course. Become more confident in designing & facilitating community development programs & activities. Learn practical ways of empowering communities; understand the basic concepts of Community Development; examine power and change processes; discuss community development practices; hold conversations with experienced Community Development workers; access to further learning resources; come to understand the field; use the modes of head (intellect), heart (feelings), hands (practical work with people) and feet (groundedness). Venue: 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn.

Wednesday 11 November – Thursday 12 November, 9 am – 5 pm: Community Development: Intermediate Course. Become more confident in designing & facilitating community development programs & activities. Learn practical ways of empowering communities; understand the basic concepts of Community Development; examine power and change processes; discuss community development practices; hold conversations with experienced Community Development workers; access to further learning resources; come to understand the field; use the modes of head (intellect), heart (feelings), hands (practical work with people) and feet (groundedness). Venue: 2 Minona Street, Hawthorn.