During October we were very happy that almost 300 university students expressed an interest in finding out more about UNA Coventry, and many of them attended a follow-up meeting.

We are now putting together a programme in which some of these students will go into schools to talk about child soldiers in war, what the UN does to prevent war and why reconciliation is so important in preventing future wars.

More details below under the section "Schools Peace & Justice Meeting", along with a list of our other forthcoming events plus UN-related news.

We welcome contributions to our website and newsletter about issues of international importance. If you wish to contribute please send me an outline of your idea.

Philip Brown
Secretary, UNA Coventry Branch
philip@unacov.uk

Forthcoming Events

Coventry Peace Festival 2017

The Coventry Peace Festival 2017 will be taking place from the 1 to 14 November. Coventry has a leading role in the world as a city of Peace and Reconciliation and this festival has taken place for many years highlighting the work going on in and around the city. This includes many different types of event from the large high …

Beyond Forgiving: Cine UNACov

Beyond Forgiving: Cine UNACov

This inspirational documentary to be shown in Coventry University on 3 November during Coventry Peace Festival depicts the journey of two South Africans to bring healing and reconciliation to South Africa. The film will be followed by a discussion with Howard Grace, the executive producer of the film and Talia Smith who works full time for Initiatives of Change (the group which …

Schools Peace & Justice Meeting

Schools Peace & Justice Meeting

Coventry Schools Peace and Justice Forum invite all local teachers to a meeting on 9 November during Coventry Peace Festival 2017. At this continuing professional development (CPD) event we will demonstrate our newly created database of online resources for schools and unveil our plans to search for a Coventry Schools Peace Poem and Song. Delegates will find out about ways of …

Peace Conference

A meeting where participants can present their view about causes of lack of peace in their countries and the possible solutions. Participants will share music, songs and dances in a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. Refreshments and snacks will be available and everyone is welcome. Contact Abdi Telephone: 079 0402 5208

Annual Peace Lecture 2017

Paul Oestreicher will deliver the Coventry Annual Peace Lecture 2017 on 13 November in Coventry Cathedral on the subject Justice And Peace – can we have both? Revd Canon Paul Oestreicher is an Anglican priest, Quaker, peace and human rights activist. He is a Vice President CND and former Director of Coventry Cathedral’s Centre for International Reconciliation. In 2011, Paul …

Among the Believers: Cine UNACov

Among the Believers: Cine UNACov

This film will be shown on 2 February at the University of Coventry as part of the Cine UNACov programme. Intimate and shocking, "Among the Believers" offers rare insights into the ideological battles shaping Pakistan and the Muslim world. The film has been nominated for an Emmy Award and has received many others, but has been banned in Pakistan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YG1YdeR0Yo This …

Across the tracks: Cine UNACov

Across the tracks: Cine UNACov

Cine UNACov will show Across the Tracks on 2 March, which addresses Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all, followed by a discussion between the audience and a panel of experts. As the Clean India campaign gets underway, with its ambitious target of a toilet for every household by 2019, WaterAid explores how something …

4 May Cine UNACov

4 May Cine UNACov

On 4 May Cine UNACov will show another film related to an international topic, followed by a discussion with the audience and experts. We are currently finalising our selection of film and speaker.

Remembering Srebrenica Cine UNACov

Remembering Srebrenica Cine UNACov

On 6 July Cine UNACov will show the film "Remembering Srebrenica" in commemoration of the massacre of over 8,000 Muslims, mostly men and boys, killed by Bosnian Serb troops under the command of former General Ratko Mladic at Srebrenica in July 1995, the worst mass killing on European soil since World War Two. The failure of UN peacekeepers to protect the Muslims …

UN News this month

Nobel Peace Prize 2017

The Nobel Peace Prize 2017 was awarded to International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons". The organization received the award for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian …

Great Success at Warwick Uni Volunteer Fair

Over 150 volunteers visited the UNA Coventry stand at Warwick Volunteer Fair on Friday. Many thanks to them all and especially to Ananya Tiwari who helped us explain what UNA Cov is all about. There will be a follow-up meeting on Wednesday 11 Oct to explain more about our projects and help volunteers decide what they want to do.

UNA-UK regrets Trump’s decision to decertify Iran nuclear agreement

UNA-UK regrets Trump’s decision to decertify Iran nuclear agreement

The decision by the US President not to certify Iran’s compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or “Iran nuclear deal”, means the UK needs to redouble its efforts to champion diplomacy, UNA-UK argued today. UNA-UK believes that President Trump’s announcement is as reckless as it is unnecessary. The deal brokered between the EU, Iran and the “P5+1” (the …

UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is one of the specialised agencies of the United Nations. It is responsible for coordinating international cooperation in education, science, culture and communication. It strengthens the ties between nations and societies, and mobilizes the wider public so that each child and citizen: has access to quality education; a basic human right and an …

United States and Israel Withdraw from UNESCO

On 12 October 2017 both the USA and Israel withdrew from UNESCO. The US State Department said On October 12, 2017, the Department of State notified UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the organization and to seek to establish a permanent observer mission to UNESCO. This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns …

Care Pakistan

Pakistan faces a serious education emergency. 21% of school-aged children in Pakistan do not receive an education, a right guaranteed in the country’s constitution, while 57% of class 5 children cannot read sentences or do two‐digit division. Over half of all women in Pakistan are illiterate; in rural areas this increases to two-thirds of women. Funding for schools decreased …

Elders applaud Palestinian reconciliation and renew call for end to blockade of Gaza

Elders applaud Palestinian reconciliation and renew call for end to blockade of Gaza

The Elders today warmly welcomed the reconciliation agreement reached by Fatah and Hamas in Cairo last Thursday. The agreement is an essential step towards the full reunification of the West Bank and Gaza, and keeps alive prospects for the peaceful emergence of a Palestinian state. After 10 years of internal conflict, and several previous failed attempts at reconciliation, the latest …

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