30 August 2017, Minutes of KW Peace Potluck Meeting

• Gehan is trying to get a plaque put in Victoria Park. The plaque would say something about how we are a multicultural community that is mutually respectful of all people.
  • Background: several years ago, someone from the Caribbean community was shot in Victoria Park, and 2 south Sudanese men were attacked by 11 people with racist motivations. The one man was on crutches because of polio and the attackers stabbed him with the crutches; he was left for dead, but his friend ran and got help. There was no conviction of hate crime because it’s harder to get a conviction for hate crime. Went for just assault instead.
  • Mayor is ok with the idea of the plaque, has to consult with his staff
  • An idea would be having posters everywhere, local businesses, as a publicity campaign to spread the word everywhere that we are open and welcoming
  • She wants the project to be community funded to send a strong message
  •  Need broad support – tell your friends that this is happening!
• Fair Vote
  • In June, Justin Trudeau had a press conference in which he answered the question “Are you disappointed that you weren’t able to make good on your promise of electoral reform” by saying he was very clear from the beginning that he wanted Alternative Vote. He was never considering other options
  • Fair Vote is trying to keep the issue alive for 2019. They’ve been going to all the local festivals, have a petition to be signed, and are trying to generally educate the public
  • Looking to connect with groups that share common ground
• Waterloo Region Nonviolence
  • IDOPAN events
    •  Human Peace Sign and Karaoke night
    • Movie and potluck night
    • Dates and locations TBA (need to be confirmed), but IDOPAN (International days of peace and nonviolence) runs September 21 to Oct 2. If anyone else has events during that time that want to be added to our publicity, let us know
• TransitionKW will be having a series of themed potlucks

• SHEN conference is on the 23rd on the theme Ancient Wisdom of Oneness and Wellness for Modern Living.

•  Most important right now is publicity!
  • There is a poster, share the word! Extra posters are at Queen Street Commons. Let us know if they run out.
  • If someone can take some to the City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo, they will post in community centres (community services, 7th floor of the Kitchener City Hall, also in Waterloo)
    • Already have volunteers to post at KPL, Waterloo Libraries
  • Emily will post to community calendars, make a Facebook event page, write press release, email last year’s participants
• Volunteers needed
  • Will need volunteers for food prep and cleanup. More info to come.
  • Maybe we can get school kids out to get their volunteer hours, will ask Colin and Dwyer
• Capacity
  • Can probably only manage making food for 100 people. Should we limit the tickets at 100? Have meal and non-meal tickets?
  • Let’s wait until we see what our registration numbers look like
• Gehan will print program
  • Participating groups. So far we have…
    • Cross Cultures
    • WRNonviolence
    • Conscience Canada
    • Community Justice Initiatives
    • Living Wage Waterloo Region
    • Fair Vote Canada
    • Alliance Against Poverty
    • Basic Income WR
    • Amnesty Group 9

    Maybes:

    • Council of Canadians
    • SHEN
  • Should have another organizers meeting two weeks before, and next potluck at the end of October.

Previous Organizational Meeting: KW Peace Meeting Minutes June 29
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