Dear Reader,

Coventry Lord Mayor's 2020 lecture by Sir David King was a memorable event. His message, that we need to take urgent action on climate change and make plans for how to reverse it in the future, deserves a wider audience.

United Nations Association Coventry Branch ran the world's first Peace Essay Competition which was so successful they plan to continue in future years. Taking the messages from these essays to heart, the group has created a social media website where people from around the world can send messages to each other and so build understanding and peaceful relations.

Details of these and other activities in November and forthcoming events are given below.

Please do let us know of any peace-related news or activities happening in or near Coventry and we will be happy to add them to our website http://coventrycityofpeace.uk and include them in a future edition of this newsletter.

Philip Brown
Chair, Coventry Lord Mayor's Committee for Peace & Reconciliation
covlmpc@gmail.com

Peace News

Young People’s Peace Essay Competition 2020

In November 2020 the United Nations Association Coventry Branch ran the world’s first Young People’s Peace Essay Competition the winners of which were announced during Coventry Peace Festival. Young people aged up to 25 submitted their essays of up to 500 words on the subject: The Role of Young People in Building Peace. Winners There were 3 winners from each …

International Chat Website

The best way to promote peaceful relations between people of different communities, religions, races and nations is to enable them to talk to and (above all) to listen to each other. This was a clear message that emerged both from entries to the Peace Essay Competition and from the UN75 conversations that UNA Coventry has been running during 2020. As …

Lord Mayor's Peace Lecture 2020

https://youtu.be/wSMuVaTFi6E?rel=0 Professor Sir David King is uniquely qualified to give an authoritative insight into the threat of climate change and what governments and their citizens need do to deal with it. Sir David was Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s chief scientific adviser. At that time, he was outspoken on the subject of climate change, saying “I see climate change as …

Peace at last in hearts of Black Americans after Joe Biden wins US Presidential Election - video

CNN's Van Jones brought to tears as he discusses Joe Biden's wins US Presidential election and explains the pain of Black Americans during the years of Trump. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMoCW1Pq54

Coventry World Tree of Peace - Video

We believe our World Tree of Peace will celebrate our world in Coventry using multi- lingual languages written by the Godiva Sisters to inspire and encourage world peace and by using the natural environment reach out like the branches to our city and beyond inspiring new generations. Pru Porretta Director,Godiva Trust www.godiva.uk.com

Forthcoming Peace-Related Events

FREE training for teachers creating inclusive communities

On 2 and 9 December, PeaceJam will deliver free CPD training for teachers based on the Compassion in Action curriculum. This uses the stories of PeaceJam's 14 Nobel Peace Prize winners to promote inclusivity and cohesiveness. The curriculum is tailored to meet OFSTED criteria, from literacy through to personal and social development and is not prescriptive. This means schools can integrate the …

Anniversary of First UN General Assembly Meeting

The first meeting of the General Assembly was held in Westminster Central Hall, London, on 10 January 1946. The Security Council met for the first time a week later in Church House, Westminster. 10 January was also the date of the founding of the UN's predecessor, the League of Nations, which was founded on 10 January 1920. The League of …

Cross of Nails Presentation and Opening of Japanese Peace Garden

On 26th March 2021 His Excellency the Ambassador from the Embassy of Japan will be presented with the Cross of Nails in Coventry Cathedral at 10.30am. This will be followed by an exhibition of Japanese arts (pupil work). After this, guests will be invited to the official opening of the Japanese Peace Garden at the War Memorial Park.

City of Culture Programme to Begin in May 2021

On 3 July 2020, Coventry City of Culture Trust announced that it will officially commence its programme in May 2021. Co-created with national and local partners, and grassroots organisations across the city, the programme will include major international artistic events, world premieres and commissions across theatre, music, dance, literature, comedy and visual art. As Covid-19 continues to have a major …

Ruined and Rebuilt

This classic book is on sale now in hardback or paperback and would make an ideal and unique gift. On the night of 14 November 1940, Reverend Richard Howard, Provost of Coventry Cathedral, was one of four firefighters who climbed onto the roof to smother with sand the incendiary bombs that were landing not just on the Cathedral but starting …

Thank you for subscribing. If you find this newsletter interesting please tell your friends to visit coventrycityofpeace.uk and subscribe!

Please follow us on Twitter @CovCityOfPeace and like our Facebook page

Website and newsletter created by Coventry Lord Mayor's Committee for Peace and Reconciliation

For their generous support, the Lord Mayor's Committee for Peace and Reconciliation expresses our thanks to the Lord Mayor's Office and Coventry City Council. We also thank Coventry Cathedral, Coventry University and Warwick University for their support and assistance.