Seeking Peace in a Difficult Place –
A hard task to follow

 Saturday 20th October, 2012
At Churchtown Meeting House
10.30am- 1.00pm

 Last May, Ireland Yearly Meeting Peace Committee co-operated with Dublin Monthly Meeting Peace Committee and Churchtown Meeting to arrange a seminar at Churchtown Meeting House.  We discussed the situation in Palestine and Israel.

 The four speakers there gave quite differing views on the subject.  It was important that this breadth of thinking was equally shared and respected. These talks were followed by a general discussion, followed by lively discussions in groups.

 Friends there made it clear that they would like to see this followed up by other meetings. To help us to address an often contentious and emotive subject, we all felt that the input of qualified information and experience was vital.

 With this in mind, we are arranging a further meeting, again in Churchtown Meeting House, for 20th October, 2012.

 Ian Bell, a non-resident-in-Ireland Friend of Lisburn Meeting, with wide experience of the Palestininian/Israeli situation and other international problem areas, has been asked to speak to us.  Ian has spoken widely on the subject to many people in many places throughout the British Isles and beyond. 

 He was an ecumenical accompanier in EAPPI [The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel].

 As well as talking about his own experiences, he will put them in the context of what EAPPI seeks to achieve, why, the rationale of its methods and their effectiveness and its selection process. He has wide international experience in his career. Why did EAPPI seem a good project for him to become involved in?

 Yourquestions and your part in the open discussion are absolutely central to this event. So please put Saturday 20^th October into your diary.

 The Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) brings internationals to the West Bank to experience life under occupation. Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) provide protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitor and report human rights abuses and support Palestinians and Israelis working together for peace.

The World Council of Churches set up this programme in 2002 in response to requests from Palestinian Christians to people of goodwill around the world who wish to see the realities of occupation for themselves.

It is managed by the Religious Society of Friends from Friends House in London.

10.30-11.00am – coffee
11.00 a.m. – Ian Bell
12.00 – open discussion and questions. Finishing at approximately 1.00 p.m.

Tea and Coffee will be provided.  Please bring your own lunch.