Click here to see an archive of stories featured: 29/06/2004 - 29/06/2005
Click here to see an archive of stories featured: 29/06/2005 - 31/12/2005

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The third archive of news stories that have appeared on the CRN:UK

31st December 2005 - 4th June 2006

Read past news articles by clicking here or browse the index below:

Knives rule the playgrounds as inter-racial violence soars

Sunday June 4, 2006
The Observer
Anushka Asthana and Mark Townsend

Pupils across the country are scared - scared of children from other ethnic backgrounds and of the blades that are now being used with terrifying regularity. Anushka Asthana and Mark Townsend report on the tensions that threaten to turn playgrounds into battlegrounds

Click here for the story in full (external link).

Conflict costs business £33 billion every year

Announcement at the CBI shows the damage UK business inflicts on itself through poor conflict management

Press Release
Thursday 25th May, 2006

Comparable amounts:

- Gross Domestic Product - if the cost of conflict to British business were a country it would have the world’s 57th biggest economy (out of 180 countries)

- Entertainment – three times the amount that California makes each year from the TV, Movies and Entertainment business

- Government spending - this is over half the total budget for the National Health Service last year

Tonight at the CBI, CEDR(Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution), Europe’s biggest alternative dispute resolution body, celebrating over 15 years of helping UK business cut the cost of conflict within the legal system, reveals the results of its study into the true amount business wastes on conflict each year. From an unhappy customer to a disgruntled director, business can have the challenge of conflict come from any direction – a challenge that is not always adequately faced-up to. According to the research by CEDR it is how you approach conflict that makes the difference and - as the 200 guests from top British companies will hear - the UK is failing to manage its conflicts adequately.

Key conclusions from CEDR:

British business conflict costs £33 billion a year

80 percent of disputes have a significant impact on the smooth running of business

In a case that is a million pounds in value a company will consume an average of over 3 years of managers ' time trying to sort it out

Over a third of managers would rather parachute jump for the first time (35%) than address a problem with their team at work, and just under a third would rather shave their head for charity (27%). Some even said they would rather eat ‘bush tucker’ bugs for a week (8%)

Many managers do not feel comfortable addressing conflict. Half (49%) would rather attend an event at which they knew no one than tell a client a home truth and over two thirds (69%) would rather send back a bottle of wine in a restaurant than confront a boss’s underperformance directly

Few managers, only 37%, feel trained to cope with business conflict. The lack of confidence in managers feeling prepared to deal with disputes is worrying given that the significant consequences of conflict include the following business headaches:

-Damage to company reputation
-Exposure in the public domain
-Effects on company morale
-Effects on personal reputation
-Damaged business relationships
-Lost customers
-Increased staff turnover
-Failure to meet targets

Chief Executive of CEDR Karl Mackie said, “Conflict is part of working life but it is how we deal with it that is important. Effective management of conflict can reduce the amount of time and money spent in trying to sort out a problem, reduce the damage it could cause to those involved and enable decision makers to make smarter choices earlier on. It is time that business woke up to the wastage that lack of proper conflict management causes.”

The event at the CBI today commemorates that CEDR was founded with the backing of the CBI and the support of organisations in business, public and legal sectors. In the last 15 years CEDR has raised the profile of alternative dispute resolution and mediation in commercial disputes that reach the legal system, trained 2,800 mediators and had over 11,500 disputes referred to it for mediation.

At the CBI CEDR also announces its new effective conflict management approach, rooted in its experience as conflict resolution specialists, with services designed to assist organisations address conflict early and effectively, cutting the cost of conflict, and thereby improving organisational productivity.

University of Ulster Exports Peace Studies Expertise to Spain
University of Ulster
Wednesday 24th May, 2006
John O'Farrell

A University of Ulster academic has been asked to help form a new peace institute in the Catalonian region of Spain.

Professor Gillian Robinson, Director of INCORE, UU’s peace and conflict research centre, was invited by the Catalonian Ministry of Institutional Relations and Participation to share her expertise in the field.

She will advise on a programme to develop a public policy of peace creation which includes a proposal to establish the International Catalan Institute for Peace.

The invitation is further international recognition of the expertise of INCORE in the study of peace and conflict resolution.

At a meeting with the Minister of Institutional Relations Snr. Joan Saura, the Minister thanked Professor Robinson for INCORE’s willingness to share its expertise in the development of a centre of excellence for peace and conflict studies and expressed the hope that the new centre could in time partner INCORE in a range of activities. 

Click here for the story in full (external link).

Try to see it our way

Who is the best person to sort out an argument between children? More often than not, another child

Tuesday May 23, 2006
The Guardian
Joanna Moorhead

Five years on, an angry town finds a fragile peace

Ned Temko reports from Oldham, torn apart by race riots in 2001. Now, a report warns, it must get out of its 'comfort zone'

Sunday May 21, 2006
The Observer
Ned Temko

None of the half-dozen old-timers having a drink at Oldham's Live and Let Live pub can recall how it got its name, but they cannot forget its more recent claim to fame. It was here, on a warm evening almost exactly five years ago, that a salvo of bricks and the sound of shattering glass signalled the start of Britain's worst racial violence since the Eighties.

Click here for the story in full (external link).

Deutsh Courage
Sunday Herald
Sunday 21 st May, 2006
Torcuil Crichton

Germany has worked hard to come to terms with a difficult past. But as it prepares to host the World Cup, racism has hit the headlines. Torcuil Crichton reports from Nuremberg and Berlin on the nation’s struggle for fair play.

Click here for the story in full (external link).

Russians Get a Little Help with Community Relations
Lancashire Evening Telegraph
Thursday 11th May 2006
David Watkinson

A delegation of Russian diplomats has visited East Lancashire in a bid to learn about successful youth projects in the area. The five high-ranking visitors from the Ministry of Education and Science were on a fact-finding mission and held meetings with the East Lancs Together (ELT) group, based in Accrington's Globe Centre.

Anayat Mohammad from ELT said the meetings saw the Russians asking about the work the group has completed to aid community relations across the region, particularly among the young.

Click here for the story in full (external link).

The Tent is Open!
St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace
Saturday 6 May, 2006

After eight months of building works, involving 60 people in four countries, HRH The Prince of Wales visited St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace to open The Tent, a remarkable new meeting space dedicated to the meeting of faiths. Representatives of nine faiths presented copies of their scriptures for use in the Tent. Messages of support were received from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bono and President Clinton.

The Tent is a unique sixteen-sided structure, covered in woven goat hair in Bedouin style, with comfortable cushions and seating for up to 30 people inside. It's set in a beautiful new garden with a fountain and mosaic paving, which creates a wonderfully unexpected sense of being in Andalucia in the heart of the City. Look at the St Ethelburga's website for details of the many events that will take place in The Tent over the next three months.

St Ethelburga's also published "Sharing the Space" - a new report which illustrates how we are attempting to promote conversations between Christian and Muslims on difficult issues such as violence against religious minorities, apostasy and proselytising.

You can read The Times report about the opening here (external link).

Visit St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace online by clicking here (external link).

Mayor Announces Concert to Fight Racism
Mayor of London News Release
Saturday 6 May, 2006

Thousands to gather for Rise: London United, UK's largest anti-racism music festival - Graham Coxon, Buzzcocks, The Wailers, Sway and Roy Ayers to play

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has announced that Finsbury Park will hold a free concert and festival this summer to combat racism and celebrate London's diversity, organised by the Mayor in partnership with the National Assembly Against Racism and TUC South East Region (SERTUC).

Londoners in their tens of thousands will underline their opposition to racism and commitment to London's multi-cultural diversity, when they gather at Rise: London United, the UK's largest anti-racist music festival, on Saturday 8 July in Finsbury Park, north London.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: 'There will be no concessions to racism in London - London is a successful city because it is diverse and open and we will fight for that diversity with every breath because it is our city's lifeblood.

'Now more than ever we have to stand up against racism.

Graham Coxon, whose critically acclaimed fifth solo album 'Love Travels At Illegal Speeds' has been riding high in the charts, will perform on the main stage, as well as punk legends Buzzcocks, reggae icons The Wailers, celebrated jazz man Roy Ayers, plus UK rap stars Sway and Killa Kela.

Other artists will be announced over the coming weeks.

Reflecting the wide range of music from around the world that is to be heard in the capital, other music stages will feature Latin American, urban, African and Asian music, as well as music and dance with roots in cultures from Turkey to Morocco.

Music fans rally against the BNP
Saturday April 29, 2006
dotmusic

Thousands of people gathered for a music rally to protest against the BNP ahead of the local elections.

Scotland Yard estimated that about 3,000 adults and children turned out to see bands including headliners Belle & Sebastian, Lethal Bizzle and The Mentalists with 80s icon Poly Styrene as part of the Love Music Hate Racism event.

There was a festive atmosphere among the crowds enjoying the sunshine in London's Trafalgar Square during the rally, which was aimed at encouraging the public to vote on Thursday May 4.

The sister and cousin of murdered black Liverpool teenager Anthony Walker were among those urging members of the public to participate in local elections, to prevent the BNP getting a foothold in councils round the country.

Click here for the full story (external link)

Bradford Riots   
26 April 2006
Institute of Race Relations, Independent Race and Refugee News Network
Arun Kundnani

An important new drama by Neil Biswas, to be broadcast on Channel 4 next week, shows how the lives of members of the Pakistani community of Mannigham were defined and destroyed by the Bradford riots of July 2001.

Read a review by Arun Kundnani of the Institute of Race Relations, Independent Race and Refugee News Network by clicking here.

Bradford Riots, will be broadcast on
Thursday 4 May 2006 at 9.00pm on Channel 4

Report Backs Private Donations in Education but Urges Caution Over Academies
Tuesday 25 April 2006
New Philanthropy Capital

Private money can transform the opportunities for children in state education but funding academies may not be the best option, according to a new report out today.

The report on education and the opportunities for private donors, On your marks*, is published by New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), an independent, non-profit making organisation which advises donors on how to give more effectively to charities. NPC says there is clear evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of private donations to many charities working in the field of education. The report highlights a wide range of options from tackling bullying to special educational needs. Martin Brookes, Head of Research at NPC, said: “Private donations should be encouraged. Well-targeted giving can transform opportunities and lives of disadvantaged children, helping to build self-confidence, motivation and basic skills.”

However, NPC says academies are a risky investment compared with the other options and donors should think hard about sponsoring them. Brookes said: “There simply isn’t enough evidence to make a conclusive assessment on whether academies are a good investment for donors. Academies show mixed results for their pupils. But there is enough evidence to raise doubts about their cost effectiveness.” NPC says the £25m price tag on a new academy – of which £2m is paid by the sponsor - is very expensive, particularly given the lack of a strong relationship between school performance and investment in buildings. According to Department for Education and Skills figures, it is also significantly more than the cost of building a conventional state school, which is typically £16m to £17m.

“Perhaps the most powerful criticism of academies is the £8m difference between the cost of building an academy and the cost of building a conventional school,” the report says. The report, which includes an extensive review of the available research into academies as well as first hand visits to several schools, suggests that many of the 27 existing academies have achieved improved exam results over their predecessor schools.

However, NPC says it is unclear whether this is because the new school is an academy or because they are better run than predecessor schools. There is little existing research into academies. Despite the lack of clear evidence, NPC says the Government is rushing headlong into building academies to replace failing schools. It has built 27 so far and aims to have 200 by 2010 at a cost of £5bn. NPC believes the debate over academies has tended to obscure the other options open to those who want to donate money to education. The report aims to help donors make a more informed choice and sets out nine different options for giving. These range from providing social and emotional support to children and post-16 education through to backing academies and specialist schools. The report recommends a range of charities working in these areas including Springboard for Children, beatbullying, the Independent Panel for Special Education Advice and ContinYou.

On your marks, along with some examples of recommended charities, can be downloaded free of charge from www.philanthropycapital.org
Copies can also be ordered from Central Books, telephone 0845 458 9910.

Peace Workers Hold a Key to Iraq Solution, says Think Tank
17 April 2006
Ekklesia

The UK think tank which has challenged the head of the British army to acknowledge he was wrong to imply that Christian peacemaker Norman Kember snubbed the soldiers who freed him in Iraq, has said that there can be no military solution to the country’s worsening violence – and that civilians with expertise in ‘conflict resolution’ techniques can play a vital role in transforming the situation.

Click here for the story in full. (External Link)

iPods Boost Distance Learning in CR
14 April, 2006
By Macworld staff

A US college has begun an experiment that uses video iPods as distance learning tools.

Abilene Christian University has introduced new iPod-based tuition resources for external students enrolling in two of its courses: the MA in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation and the MAe in Leadership of Learning.

Click here for the story in full. (External Link)

7 million Londoners, 1 London -
photography competition aims to capture London's diversity

6th April 2006

The Mayor of London’s annual anti-racism rise photography competition launched today and runs until 2nd June 2006. Young people, adult amateur and professional photographers are being invited to capture images that reflect London’s diversity, inspired by the theme ‘7 million Londoners, 1 London’.

Prize winners will receive digital cameras and have their work displayed at a major outdoor exhibition on Trafalgar Square during July, plus exhibitions at City Hall and at the Rise: London United Music Festival which is due to take place in Finsbury Park on Saturday 8th July.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: “I want to see images which reflect one of the greatest aspects of this city – that London is one of the most diverse cities in the world and its different communities enjoy living side by side. This competition forms part of the rise festival, which is the largest anti-racism event in Europe and urges all communities to rise against prejudice “

“One of the best aspects of this contest is that everyone from children to adults to grandparents has the same chance of winning if they take the right picture. Look around in your neighbourhood, you might find you have a scene that captures London’s diversity right on your door step. Good luck to everyone who enters.”

The fourth annual competition forms part of rise: London United, which is the largest anti-racism festival in Europe and urges all communities to rise against prejudice. The three entry categories are: under 18; 18 and over (amateur); 18 and over (professional).  All entries must be received no later than 2nd June 2006.

For more details, please visit the official website by clicking here.

Educating for Peace
Peace Pledge Union

Mural at PPU office

Peace Education Network Conference 2006
Peace Pledge Union

The Peace Education Network took place in London on 11 March. The conference, Learning for Peace, was a day for teachers and others who work with young people to find and share ideas, support, inspiration and resources. There were six excellent workshops, a wonderful film by local schoolchildren about the arms fair in London's Docklands, lots of resources to browse and a very good lunch.

A new online Catalogue of resources for education for peace was launched by the PPU education officer, Oliver Haslam. The Catalogue provides online access to details of about 100 resources. At the moment most of these are books and some CDs but in time there will be music, videos, websites and more books too.

John Morris (Peace Research and Education Trust) presented a new guide to education for peace, which PEN members have been working hard on for some time. 'Education for Peace: a guide' is a major update to the education for peace curriculum that PEN produced at the start of the UN International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World. We are now half way through the decade and the need for education for peace is as great as ever.

Both the 'PEN Resource Catalogue' and 'Education for Peace: a guide' can be found via the Resources page of the PEN Website. Please recommend them to your local school.

More: http://www.peaceeducation.org.uk/

Stirling launches degree in conflict resolution
Education Guardian
4 April, 2006
Liz Ford

The University of Stirling is seeking to promote world peace with a new masters degree that aims to produce future leaders who are "able to understand the past, intervene in the present and shape a more just, fair and equitable world".

The MSc in international conflict and cooperation, which launches in the autumn, will be a practical course to equip present and future policymakers, professionals, politicians and academics with the skills needed for conflict prevention, management and resolution.

Click here to read the story in full (External Link).

Pupils Work to Bridge Cultural Divide
Community Newswire
3rd April 2006
Ben Pindar

Eight pupils from a Grimsby school were today joining young people from Israel, the Palestinian Territories and the USA in a unique peace-building adventure in the Lake District. The young people were joining 12 fellow teenagers as part of a joint charity initiative which aims to help promote understanding between different cultures and highlight the role of charities in conflict resolution.

Pupils from Hereford Technology School won the chance to take part in the event after scooping an award from the Giving Nation charity, which promotes voluntary work in schools, after they completed a raft of charitable initiatives. Charity chiefs at Giving Nation have organised this week-long event in partnership with Encompass, a reconciliation charity set up by the family of Daniel Braden who was killed by the Bali bomb in 2002 to promote peaceful co-existence between people of different backgrounds, cultures and faith.

During the week at an outward-bound centre in the Lake District the young people get the chance to learn more about the role charities play in conflict resolution and reconciliation, and in turn how young people can get involved and make a difference in the world.

Commenting on the prize, Andy Thornton, the director of Giving Nation, said: "This year we thought it was time to expose young people to the work of a highly contemporary charity addressing issues of current concern. "Encompass shows young people viable alternatives to violence and enmity and we are deeply honoured to bring their work to wider attention."

Josh Cass, from Encompass, said: "Our weeks bring young people together to learn interdependence through mastering physical challenges whilst exploring their own cultural influences and what it is like to grow up in countries in conflict. Encompass work with highly trained facilitators and are able to stimulate powerful discussions on deeply personal issues such as beliefs, negative preconceptions and cultural misunderstandings."

A project run by the Citizenship Foundation, Giving Nation is a charity initiative celebrating the power of young people and encouraging them to reshape their world through giving to others.

Encompass seeks to tackle the grass roots of terrorism by promoting understanding and tolerance of people from different backgrounds, cultures and faiths.

Story courtesy of Community Newswire. Click here to visit their website.

Murder Sparks New Bid to Beat Violence
Community Newswire
22 March 2006
Ben Pindar

A leading voluntary organisation was today staging a major event for young people in London which aims to prevent another tragedy following the murder of a 16-year-old boy in the area just six months ago.

Teenager Kashif Mahmood was stabbed to death in an attack in an Ilford Subway last September but the Seedtime Project charity is aiming to make sure he didn't die in vain.

In the wake of the murder, charity staff were today staging the "Sort it Out" event at St Luke's Centre, Ilford, in a bid to stop young people resorting to violence to solve problems.

At the event a host of young people were attending a range of conflict management workshops and will see a range of different methods for dealing with aggressive behaviour.

The sessions at the event, which was being opened by the Mayor of Redbridge, Councillor Charles Elliman, were due to include music, MC-ing and drama, as well as personal safety and top tips for diffusing conflict.

Charity staff were also hoping to raise more than £50,000 during the day to fund the future development of the project by attracting a host of sponsors.

A spokesperson for the Seedtime Project said: "In a disturbing culture where many young people believe that violence is the only way to settle disputes, this occasion is just a small step in preventing further tragedies from happening.

"Seedtime Projects is committed to initiating a long-term project in Ilford that will engage the youth and address the issues of violence facing them.

"However, there is currently no funding to deliver this, so it is vital that Wednesday's event generates the awareness and subsequent funds to make a full-scale project possible."

Kashif's parents were also attending the event to advocate the conflict resolution methods being presented and to support an initiative that is dedicated to preventing further tragedies from occurring.

For more information about the work of Seedtimes Project visit the charity's website at www.seedtimeprojects.org.uk

Police investigating the attack on Kashif Mahmood want to speak to 18-year-old Fasal Hussein and are appealling for anyone with information about him to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Story courtesy of Community Newswire. Click here to visit their website.

Chief Rabbi Calls for Religious UN
Ekklesia
20 March, 2006

The Chief Rabbi of Israel has called for the formation of a "United Nations of religious groups".

Rabbi Yona Metzger was addressing the Second World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville, Spain.

He called for the creation of a world body with representatives from the major religious groups.

Many of the Imams and Rabbis, who number in excess of 150 and are among the most influential Jewish and Moslem leaders in the world, say the world is in crisis and it is time they acted to restore justice, respect and peace.

Click here to read the story in full (External Link).

Avoid Gun Crime...with Armouries Project
Leeds Today
17th March, 2006
Suzanne McTaggart

YOUNG people in Leeds will be able to learn how to avoid gun crime through a new series of initatives from the Royal Armouries.

Following the launch of the Impact gun crime exhibition, the museum has started a programme called Flashpoint, a drama-based conflict resolution programme for school pupils. The project aims to tackle the underlying issues of weapon crime, teaching children how to resolve conflicts before a situation gets out of hand and guns and knives are used.

Students are asked to explore the subject of conflict resolution using discussion, role-play, character building technique and improvisation.

Royal Armouries director Peter Armstrong said: "This is the start of a new programme to say we're going to use the weapons in the Royal Armouries to actually make a difference to the society that we all exist in."

The Armouries has also formed partnerships with two conflict-related organisations, Leap and Community Action and Support against Crime (Casac).

Click here to read the story in full (External Link).

Campaigners Welcome New FIFA Rules
but Warn that More Education is Needed

Kick It Out
17th March 2006

Campaigners from Kick It Out, football’s anti- racism campaign, have welcomed FIFA’s announcement to toughen up sanctions for racial abuse but have warned of the need to continue "to change hearts and minds".
 
FIFA is to use match suspensions, points deductions and disqualification from competitions as possible punishments against acts of racism. Clubs and National Associations face being deducted three points for a first offence, six for a second and relegation or expulsion from competitions for further
offences.
 
Member associations failing to implement them face being banned from international football for two years.
 
Chairman Lord Herman Ouseley said, "There are no panaceas in tackling racism but this is a significant development and will mean a harmonisation of sporting sanctions. We hope it will result in an end to European FA's imposing pitiful fines for the worst types of mass racism."
 
He continued, "Longer term the answer must lie with educational measures. We must maintain the initiative to change hearts and minds, but for now it means better protection for the victims of abuse at all levels of the game."

New Resources Tackle Racist Bullying in Schools
14 March 2006

The Department for Education and Skills today continued its drive to tackle bullying in schools with the publication of new guidelines for schools on tackling racist bullying.

A partnership of anti-racist organisations, schools, local authorities, professional associations, community and voluntary sector groups and young people themselves, developed the material. The guidelines offer suggestions for lessons, staff training and anti-bullying strategies to help schools identify and prevent racist bullying and deal with it robustly.

Click here for the guidelines (external site).

New Project:

PeacePays.org

Conscience is launching a new project on 2 March: PeacePays.org. The project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of non-violent peacebuilding initiatives. Security options conscientious objectors, and everyone else, can pay tax for with a clear conscience.

For an animated advertisement for PeacePays.org please visit:
http://peacepays.pipeten.com/PeacePays/images/peacepaysanimation.html

Go to http://www.PeacePays.org to find out more.

To find out more or download the background document, please visit the International Peace Bureau or International Fellowship of Reconciliation

Salam

A groundbreaking exhibition of artworks is set to take place in Dubai featuring two influential British artists, Peter Sanders - acclaimed photographer of the Muslim world and Mohammed Ali - urban Islamic artist.

The exhibition entitled “Salam In the City” is set to run from February 25 th until March 4 th 2006 . The Artspace Gallery, renowned for its promotion of contemporary art, located at the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai U.A.E will play host to the exhibition, media and dignitaries.

Salam In The City, a refreshing look at a universal message of peace, features a unique display of contrasting styles, representing Islamic and spiritual art through a unique urban art style and contemplative photographic imagery, all of which are intended to “awaken the soul”.

The collection features the renowned photographer Peter Sanders whom before converting to Islam, was known for his iconic photography, of rock n roll legends Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. His work now encompasses imagery captured throughout the Muslim world, from Saudi Arabia to China described as “Inspirational…..evoking a response from the soul”. The art of Mohammed Ali has been described by various media as the “British Artist spreading a universal message”. His unique take on Islamic Art, influenced by urban-street graffiti fused with Islamic calligraphy, results in a form dubbed by the media as “urban spiritual art”.

This major work is commissioned by HSBC Amanah in association with the Arts Council of England, to bring this unique exhibition to the Arab region for the first time. The exhibition is intended for people of all faiths and cultures, communicating a new language of peace for all in any city.

Visit the exhibition website by clicking here.

Exhibition Gives Voice to Young Refugees
The Guardian
February 23, 2006
Sara Gaines

Young refugees who arrived in Britain alone and teenagers living in London have been brought together through a pioneering photographic project set up to help the refugees integrate and find a voice.

In the Moving Lives project, 32 teenagers put together photographic stories to reveal their hopes, fears and interests for an online exhibition launched today. The pictures also premier today at the Stratford Picture House, east London, with an accompanying documentary about the project.

Click here to read the story in full (External Link).

Click here to visit the online gallery (External Link).

Labour's love lost?
Institute of Race Relations News Network
22 February 2006
Jenny Bourne

A new book on London's East End blames multiculturalism, and especially the sharing of welfare benefits with 'newcomer' Bengalis, for white working-class racism.

Click here to read this article in full (External Link).

The Encompass Trust: A New Journey of Understanding
15th February 2006

Following the success of the first Journey of Understanding, as featured on BBC Radio 4's Open Country Programme, Encompass- The Daniel Braden Reconciliation Trust is delighted to announce that they are now recruiting UK-based participants for the Third Journey of Understanding, to be held in July 2006.

Encompass has eight places for UK-based participants to take part on the program which will run from 22nd-29th July. These participants will join a group drawn from Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Indonesia and the USA. Full scholarships are available for all places.

If you are aged between 16-23 and are interested in finding out about other cultures and faiths, then get in touch with the Encompass office for an application form!

For further information please email info@encompasstrust.org or visit the Encompass website.

'A life-changing event for all who took part'
Belfast Telegraph Home 
14 February 2006
Cathy Loughran

Loyalist killer Michael Stone sits across the table from the widow and brother of a man he murdered in 1987 and talks candidly about the killing of Dermot Hackett and his feelings, 18 years on.

At one point, the man who gained notoriety after he murdered three men at Belfast's Milltown cemetery during an IRA funeral, explains: "I don't want to come across as hard-hearted, as some kind of psychopath."

Dermot Hackett's widow Sylvia asks Stone why her Catholic husband was gunned down on his way to work, before she collapses with grief, feet away from the former paramilitary hitman, comforted by her brother-in-law and observed by the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu - the broker in this almost unbelievable encounter.

Click here for the story in full (External Link).

Armouries Wants Firms to Join Knight Clubbers
Leeds Today
Tuesday, 7 th February 2006
Charles Heslett

IN Arthurian legend it was the highest accolade to be asked to become a member of the Round Table.

Even today a commoner normally has to be touched on the shoulders with a sword by the Queen before the transaformation into a fully-fledged knight is complete.
But a new breed of noblemen and women is emerging in the heart of Leeds.
Bosses at The Royal Armouries are offering firms the chance to join their elite "Knight Club". The "club" is in fact a new corporate membership scheme being offered by the Clarence Dock-based museum as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations. By paying a graded fee – there are three levels of membership called appropriately Galahad, Lancelot and King Arthur – each company gets to sponsor various community events put on by the museum as part of its "conflict" programme being run throughout 2006.

Click here for the story in full (External Link).

A New Discussion Forum between UK and Palestine
www.linkpalestine.org
Tuesday, 7 th February 2006

Behind the dramatic scenes of the international political climate, a new web site has been formed with the aim to create grass routes dialogue between schools and groups in the UK and Palestine. 

The idea for the web site was formed when Loughborough artist, Paul Gent, Head Teacher of Hope Hamilton School, Jacky Farnell, in Leicester and Daoud Nasser of Tent of Nations in Palestine put their heads together while running workshops for Palestinian children in Bethlehem during last summer.

Paul Gent says: "The workshops were very successful and the Palestinian children were enthusiastic about meeting Jacky's pupils. We decided that we could keep the torch burning by setting up a discussion forum. There are specific forums for the use of schools, artists, youth groups or for general interest- anybody can set up their own forum!"

The Arts Council funded website is stylishly designed by Nottingham artist and web-designer Stacey Prenderville and includes easy-to-understand information about Palestine, a gallery displaying Paul Gent's photographs and drawings from his community artwork and travels in Palestine and has link to many other sites concerned with peace and co-existence in Palestine.

www.linkpalestine.org invites anybody who wants to create links with Palestine. For further enquiries please contact: pablogent@yahoo.com

Racism alive and kicking in England, say Uefa

In a truly extraordinary outburst, high-ranking official claims problem has been 'swept under carpet'

The Observer (External Link)
Sunday February 5, 2006
Anna Kessel

Anger grows over Muhammad (pbuh) cartoon
bbc.co.uk (external link)
Thursday, 2 February 2006

Protests have spread across the Muslim world over the publication in Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The drawings, first printed in Denmark, sparked a fresh row when they were re-run in several European papers.

Click here for the story in full.

New Research Report: Faith-based Peacebuilding: Mapping of Christian, Muslim and Multi-faith Actors

Authors: Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael

Produced by: Netherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael'(2005)

This document considers how faith based organisations can operate as peace makers. The authors argue that whilst religion is often blamed for inciting conflict, it can also help to resolve instability.

Based on an analysis of 27 Christian, Muslim and Multi- faith organisations, the study advises donors on how they can work with faith-based peace-building in policy.

Findings include:

• Faith based organisations have provided emotional and spiritual support to war-affected communities and promoted reconciliation.
• Muslim peace building organisations are relatively hard to identify possibly due to a lack of institutionization.
• Faith based and secular peace building could be interrelated and complementary in certain settings.           

Recommendations to donors include:

• Donors should demand more consideration for faith based     organisations in international discussions.
• Donors should train and sensitise staff to the role and topic of faith based organisations.
• Donors should make an extra effort to identify local Muslim peace workers
  
  Available online at:
  http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC20634

Conference: Resolving Conflicts in School
Conflict Resolution Network UK
02 February 2006

Young people from schools across Norfolk came together on Tuesday, 31 January to talk about resolving conflicts at a unique conference in Norwich.

Pupils and staff from more than 25 high schools and special schools from across the county were present at the 'Resolving Conflicts in Schools' conference, at the Open Youth Venue, on Bank Plain, Norwich.

This conference aimed to help schools contribute to the five national outcomes of the Government's Every Child Matters programme, including staying safe, making a positive contribution and being healthy.

Conference-goers also learnt conflict resolution skills and teachers were able to take the learning back into schools and develop their own schemes to help resolve conflicts. Rachel Boyd, a School Council Support Worker at Norfolk County Council Children's Services, is the conference organiser.

"If young people learn how to resolve conflicts in a positive way, their self-esteem and mental health will improve. The knock-on effects for society can be seen on many levels, from reduced anti-social behaviour to fewer family breakdowns."

Ms Boyd added: "We are hoping that this conference will lead to peer mediation schemes being set up in some of Norfolk's high schools."

The schemes give students who are having a conflict the opportunity to meet with trained student mediators who help them to resolve their issues together.

Natasha Applegate, a student at Flegg High, was a keynote speaker at the conference and other speakers included Lorna Farrington, an educational consultant who has worked with the United Nations and the Council of Europe on pupil participation. She talked about the impact of conflict resolution skills training in the school where she was headteacher.

Workshops at the conference included:

Rosalie Monbiot, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: "The conference is an excellent idea. It will help schools achieve some of the key outcomes of Every Child Matters, by giving students the opportunity to make a positive contribution, by improving their mental health and well being, and by making their school a safer environment for everyone."

UEFA calls for tougher action over racism
Wednesday 1st February, 2006
Reuters (External Link)

By Simon Baskett

Barcelona, February 1 (Reuters) - Calls for tougher sanctions and European-wide legislation to tackle racism in soccer topped the agenda at a UEFA conference in Barcelona on Wednesday.

Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, Piara Powar (Kick it Out), Paul Elliot (CRE)

UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson told the "Unite against Racism" conference that Europe's governing body was using a carrot and stick to encourage clubs and national associations to adopt a more pro-active approach to the problem.

Click here for the story in full. (External Link)

Peace champion Dr Zaki Badawi dies
25th January 2005

The Muslim cleric Dr Zaki Badawi died in London on Tuesday, aged 83. Dr Badawi worked tirelessly to advance inter-faith dialogue and preached harmony between different faiths as the chairman of the Council of Mosques and Imams of the United Kingdom and the Maimonides Foundation. Click on a link below to read how various news sources have remembered Dr Badawi (all external links):

The Guardian
The BBC
Black Information Link
The Muslim Council of Britain

Wiley from Roll Deep

The contest encourages pupils and their schools to use creative writing and art to express their feelings about what racial equality and cultural diversity mean to today's society and has won the support of leading urban music act, Roll Deep.

Roll Deep were nominated for a MOBO award in 2005 and their first album, In At the Deep End won rave reviews in The Guardian, The Observer and NME.

David Laub, the band's manager, said:

"Judging people by the colour of their skin is totally unacceptable; it always has been, but nowadays even more so, because of the integration in our society. Getting into schools and teaching children of the harm of racism is something we look forward to doing in the future and we endorse completely the Arts & Minds competition."

Chris Keates, General Secretary of NASUWT, said:

"The competition was designed to profile the importance of race equality and the value of cultural diversity. Roll Deep's support will undoubtedly help to spread this crucial message in a way that will engage young people. I am delighted the band has given its backing.

The contest is open to primary, secondary and special schools. Joint or individual entries can be submitted to one of two categories: art (drawings, paintings, sculpture, music or dance) or creative writing (poetry, short stories or picture books).

In each category there will be three winners (special, primary and secondary schools) for each of the four countries ( England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) - a total of 24 regional winners, with each winning £300 worth of education equipment for their school.

For more details about the competition please visit the NASUWT website by clicking here.

New Study Examines Conflict in Communities

Rosamond Hutt, Community Newswire

16 January 2006

A voluntary organisation has produced new research into how people resolve conflict using case studies taken from mainly refugee communities in East London.

Conflict and Change, which works to ease intercultural tensions between Newham's diverse ethnic groups, has compiled a book exploring the methods communities use to settle their differences both in their places of origin and in adoptive countries.

The study, entitled "Staying Connected: Echoes of Conflict, Stories of How Communities Cope", is based on a series of interviews with refugees and migrants living in Newham.

Researchers questioned new arrivals from Albania, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Colombia about how they handled conflicts in their home countries and how they dealt with any tensions they encountered after settling in Newham.

Ruth Musgrave, co-ordinator of Conflict and Change, said: "We have a great deal to learn from hearing our friends and neighbours tell stories of conflict resolution from their own perspective and within their own culture.

"These are remarkable processes - that work. There is something we could all learn from understanding the pressures faced by new communities in the UK."

The book, which is part of a wider three-year project to study conflict resolution within the UK's communities, aims to give community workers and those working to prevent and resolve intercultural tensions a better understanding of the pressures faced by communities and how they are coping with them.

"Staying Connected: Echoes of Conflict, Stories of How Communities Cope" is published by social action network Community Links and is priced at £5 per copy plus £1.25 post and packaging. Call 020 7473 2270, or visit our publications section for online ordering information.

Story courtesy of Community Newswire. Click here to visit their website.

Click here to read about Conflict and Change on the CRN:UK

18-26 March 2006

European-Wide Action Week Against Racism

March 21st was declared International Day for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the General Assembly of the United Nations as a reaction to the murder of 70 anti-apartheid demonstrators in Sharpeville, South-Africa, in 1960. During the annual European-wide Action Week, which centres around 21 March, thousands of people actively engage themselves for tolerance, equal rights and celebrate the diversity of Europe. This campaign aims to highlight the issues of racism from a non-gouvernmental perspective on all levels - local, national and European.

The campaign, centred around 21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, involves tens thousands of people in all bigger European cities and almost all European countries.

This year once again hundreds of activities will take place all around Europe, organised by a very wide variety of organisations. Activities range from demonstrations and debates to film festivals and from special TV programs to cleaning the walls of racist slogans. It is the variety and creativity of many different simultaneous activities all over Europe that make the UNITED campaigns unique.

UNITED co-ordinates the European-Wide Action Week Against Racism, functions as an information point and distributes free posters and other campaigning tools to support organisations and activists.

In 2005 activities in 45 countries took place and hundreds of thousands of people were involved making this the biggest anti-racism campaign ever. 'Get active' and speak out against racism and intolerance.

For more information visit the United for Intercultural Action website

UNITED for Intercultural Action is a network against racism consisting of 560 organisations all over Europe. Activities are carried out by organisations from 39 countries. The campaign is co-ordinated by the International Secretariat of UNITED