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Welcome to the first newsletter of the Coventry Peace Festival 2017. This annual event takes place in November to help the city celebrate Coventry's unique role as a City of Peace, Reconciliation and Equality.
The two week festival is a chance to promote peace and understanding between the many faiths, cultures and communities that flourish within Coventry. Most of the events take place from 1 - 14 November, with other events happening through the remainder of the month and some pre-festival events happening this week.
There is something for everyone within the festival. Come and support, participate in or just listen to many events,including live radio shows, film screenings, concerts and much more. The festival always includes in its dates the Remembrance Sunday Service and Parade at the War Memorial Park which takes place on Sunday 12 November. Join hundreds of people as they commemorate the lives of the fallen of the world wars and other conflicts.
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One of the highlights this year is the Lord Mayor's Annual Peace Lecture which has former Director of Coventry Cathedral's Centre for International Reconciliation asking the question "Justice and Peace- Can we have both?" Reverend Canon Paul Oestreicher is an Anglican priest, Quaker and human rights activist and is a Vice-President of CND. The lecture takes place on the 13 November in Coventry Cathedral.
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 The launch of the Coventry Peace Trail booklet takes place during the festival with two guided walks around the trail on the 4 and 11 November and a FREE copy of the booklet for participants.
The Annual Peace Pilgrimage takes place on the 4 November. The walk visits four places of worship, promoting and demonstrating harmony and unity between people of different backgrounds.
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Coventry’s libraries are always very supportive and this year have "Peace Through Poetry." Poetry inspires thoughts and reflection and helps people find inner peace. As part of the Peace Festival everyone can pick up a free "Poetry on Loan" postcard at your local library. Find out more at www.coventry.gov.uk/whatsonlibraries
Poetry also features with two competitions running, Writeabridge and Listen To The World, both already open for entries. The Listen to the World competition has the prize giving ceremony taking place in November following it's launch during the hugely successful Positve Images Festival earlier in the year. There is also a Poetry for Peace poetry exchange event between the twin cities of Coventry and Cork on the 8 November. The Writeabridge competition has a £5 fee for 1 poem, or £10 fee for 3 poems.
The lovely St John the Baptist Church in Fleet St will be holding their own Peace Festival from the 30 October to 14 November which includes events and services including poetry readings, peace garden, tours, music recitals and more.
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The Positive Youth Foundation presents Changing Trax at the Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre on the 1 November which showcases 12 of Coventry's finest young emerging artists alongside a 30-piece orchestra and 22 strong youth choir. |
"Beyond Forgiving" is an award winning film about reconciliation in South Africa showing in the Humber Lecture Theatre, Coventry University on Friday 3 November. We also have a documentary, "Two Sided Story" showing in the Council House, Committee Room 2 on Thursday 2 November made by The Parents Circle Families Forum (Bereaved Palestinian and Israeli families) following 27 Palestinians and Israelis who meet under the frame of a unique project called " History through the human eye".
 Coventry Cathedral is hosting the Remembrance concert on Saturday 11 November which features Bach's monumental B Minor Mass. Also from Coventry Cathedral and the Community of the Cross of Nails are a series of short video interviews Reflections on Reconciliation with some of the most eminent theologians and leaders in reconciliation, past present and present. These will be released online every couple of days throughout the festival.
Coventry Schools Peace and Justice Forum launch their search for a Coventry Schools Peace Song on the 9 November and the composer will win a beautiful digital piano.
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The former Coventry Evening Telegraph building hosts two exhibitions. One is an interactive photography project, Hands of Hope, which is a celebration of the resilience, courage and determination of the Palestinian people. The other Home, Beit asks the question "What does home mean to you?" |
Unfortunately, the Coventry Association for International Friendship concert that was going ahead at The Hub, Coventry University has had to be cancelled due to illness.
The information above shows just a few of the events taking part in this year's festival.
Further newsletters will be sent out highlighting all the events happening in the first week followed by another detailing all the remaining events.
For a full list of events, a downloadable copy of the brochure and more information please visit www.coventry.gov.uk/peace.
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