Transformation of aims and some idea to liberate peace from its "chains" and "biases"

The text is a challenge to the writer, reader, archiver and destroyer, alike !

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Dear Friends in Peace,

                            I hope that you are all well!  At last night's "Candlelight Peace Vigil" those of us who were present discussed the fact that our original purpose for coming together as a group was to hold a Candlelight Peace Vigil during the war against Iraq, and that, although the ending of the war against Iraq does not signify an ending to the pain and suffering which has been, and is still being caused by it, it does signify the ending of the purpose for which we originally came together as a Candlelight Peace Vigil Group. 

Therefore, it was felt by those of us who attended last night that the Candlelight Peace Vigil now needs to undergo a transformation as we adopt a new purpose for coming together as a group.  In the light of this, the following decisions were made by those of us who were there last night: 

Our new group will be called either "Candlelight Peace Journey" or "Candlelight Way For Peace"(I realise that we had settled on "Candlelight Peace Journey" last night, but Gavin sent this suggestion through to me this morning for your thoughts).  Our new purpose, as I understood it from our discussions last night, is to meet together to discuss ways of actively creating and promoting peace in our world.  Because of this new purpose it was thought that a new meeting venue would also be appropriate, and so I will be approaching the City Council (and whoever else may be necessary) to seek permission for us to meet in front of the State Library instead of at the War Memorial. 

Our reasons for choosing this new venue were many, but essentially, we wish to remain in the same general locale so that we can still continue to incorporate parts of our old walking trail into our new Peace Journey Path, and it was felt that the Library's focus on encouraging creativity and learning were very much in keeping with our purpose of finding new ways to actively and creatively promote peace in our world. 

It was also decided that because this new purpose places the group within a much more long-term time frame, it may be more appropriate for us to meet once a month rather than once a week.  After much discussion it was decided that we will now meet at 6:30pm (hopefully in front of the State Library) on the fourth Sunday of each month.  Therefore, next week there will be NO gathering!  PLEASE make a note of this, as I would hate for any of you to have to turn up only to find that no one else was there! 

Our next meeting will take place on Sunday the 27th of April at 6:30pm, and I will advise you of the new meeting place as soon as I know for sure where it will be.  Please still bring candles and holders as we feel that it is still important for us to meet by candlelight to symbolise us shining our light of hope for peace into the darkness of our world. 

The basic structure of the meetings will now be that we will gather together at 6:30pm, have a few minutes of silence into which we can all place our own hopes and prayers for peace, and then walk together along our Peace Journey Path as we discuss our ideas and thoughts together.  This path will go down Kintore Avenue (crossing at the traffic lights), along the Pathway of Honour behind Government House, back up along King William Street to North Terrace, and then back along North Terrace to the Library, crossing once again at the traffic lights. 

Our gathering will then come together again as a whole group and focus on what necessary actions need to take place before our next meeting.  We will then confirm our next meeting time and depart from one another peacefully.  If any of you would like to comment on any of the things which were decided upon which I have written about, please do not hesitate to e-mail me with your thoughts.

    Something else which was discussed in quite some detail last night was Leah's "Doves for Peace" idea.  Alma and Patrick have come up with a beautiful concept of commissioning (an) Adelaide artist(s) to create doves made of glass which can be permanently displayed along the Pathway of Honour as a way of returning this area to its original purpose of being a Pathway for Peace!  These glass doves could then provide the permanent roosting place from which the Doves for Peace could fly out into Australia (and around the world?)!  This whole concept is becoming incredibly exciting, and Leah is currently researching how the "Sea of Hands" was put together so that we can create our Doves for Peace in a similar manner, and hopefully on a similar scale!!  We are beginning to turn our dreams into reality!!!  

  The website for our group is now also well on the way to being up and running, thanks to the incredible generosity of Mick at PARIAH ! https://peaceliberation.tripod.com/index.htm

 Thank you to all of you for your continuing support and for not being afraid to dream of a world filled with peace!!!     May the Spirit of Peace always dwell in your hearts and minds!     Yours in love and peace, Sarah!:)               "Unity comes through embracing diversity, not through enforcing uniformity!"

Rationale :- a retrospective, by "Sarah"
pre-ANZAC (Turkey invasion) Day, 2002