The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are distressing, causing horrifying levels of death, and devastation to ordinary people now and into the future. Northern Friends Peace Board has, during the past two years, sought to promote understanding of the nature of the conflicts and also of possible routes to peace. The very nature of war is that it is messy, and our responses, individually and collectively, are varied – sometimes very clear, and sometimes grappling with dilemmas.
We are working towards a short publication that gathers a range of Quaker voices, seeking to continue the process of learning from one another in this current challenging context. We would be glad to hear from Friends who may wish to contribute; our invitation letter can be downloaded here and the text is pasted below.
Please note – we hope to have written contributions by the end of April.
Dear Friend,
Seeking contributions
Against the background of disturbing reports of untold suffering in the Ukraine and the Middle East, many Friends are wondering how to respond to these conflicts and how we might campaign for peace in these uncertain times.
How can we speak our Truth in this moment? What can we say about our condition?
What is our Witness?
Northern Friends Peace Board has supported Friends in the North and beyond by providing a different perspective on developments through its Peace Round-Ups and its website.
For over a year, our Ukraine working group has encouraged Friends to share responses to the war. In February 2023, we organised an online forum with prepared ministry that invited Friends to share their feelings about the war. Later that year, NFPB adopted a statement on the war at its meeting in June (https://nfpb.org.uk/ukraine_nfpb_july2023 ).
Building on this work, we plan to publish a collection of contributions by ten to twelve Northern Friends reflecting on the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the impact of these wars on global cooperation and climate crisis, and the meaning of our peace testimony in our time. We hope to publish this short collection in print and online in June/July 2024.
We are inviting contributions from interested Friends which reflect on current events/ developments, our personal responses and our visions for the future from a Quaker perspective. Contributions should be between 300 and 1500 words. If you want contribute, please contact Philip Austin (NFPB coordinator [email protected]) or the editor Till Geiger ([email protected]) with a rough outline of your contribution.
We would like to have completed contributions by the end of April 2024
In Peace,
NFPB Ukraine working group
Possible prompt questions:
· What has your response been to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza?
· What particular issues or concerns have these raised for you and with other Quakers with whom you’re in contact?
· What do you see as the challenges and opportunities in working for peace in relation to these wars?