World Refugee Day, 18 June 2013

Eleanor Grant writes:

Events will be held throughout June in honour of the refugees among us:

History of Seeking and Providing Refuge in Waterloo Region

Museum displays, open house, books, art, story-telling, concert, community BBQ and much more!

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com

Refugee Sponsorship: Obstacles to a Good Life for Refugees – Monday, 17 June 2013

Theme: Refugee Sponsorship (Obstacles to a Good Life for Refugees) – with discussion.
Guest presenters:

  • Jennifer Ardon, Church Liaison and Volunteer Coordinator, Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR)
  • Janet Howitt, Trinity United Church and Chair of the Refugee Committee

at First United Church – King & William Street, Waterloo map at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)

(This is a World Refugee Day Kitchener-Waterloo Event. See http://worldrefugeedaykw.ca for complete listing.)

Tools for Change: Farm to Fork – Tuesday, 11 June 2013

TransitionKW presents: Tools for change: Farm to fork on Tuesday, 11 June 2013 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Kitchener Farmers Market, 300 King St E in Kitchener.

TransitionKW is hosting a local food cooking demo at the Kitchener Farmers’ Market (2nd floor). Come out to learn about the link between local food and sustainable living, and learn how to cook a great meal with seasonal, local produce! Just $5. Invite your friends!

Register by emailing resilientcommunities@transitionkw.ca

Water Symposium – Saturday, 8 June 2013

Eleanor Grant writes:

Saturday June 8, at the rare Nature Reserve on Blair Rd, Cambridge:
– Water Symposium: Conserve & Protect – Symposium on Water quantity and quality in Grand River basin – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. – at the RARE ECO Centre Historic Slit Barn.

Read more and Pre-register ($10) at: CREW: Symposium on Water quantity and quality in Grand River basin

Enjoy the day at rare on the banks of the Grand River: rare Charitable Research Reserve

Record story on the restoration of the slit barn: Rare Blair Road barn gets new life

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com

Animate the Trail, Sunday, 2 June 2013

Animate the Trail, the Kitchener community party along the Iron Horse Trail, is back for its second year:

On Sunday, June 2nd, from 1-5pm, the Iron Horse Trail will come alive! Join us and neighbours from across the city, as we turn the trail into a cultural pot-pourri.

This event is a natural evolution from the original “Car Free Sundays” event, moving it to a well loved and yet often forgotten urban trail, which already has all the infrastructure required to welcome active transportation of all sorts: walking, jogging, biking, skateboarding.

Last year’s event saw an acoustic stage and artisan bazaar at the Henry Sturm Green, art displays from local artists, buskers, school groups, and more. And this year will be even bigger and better.

There’s much more info on the Animate the Trail web site.

–Bob.

Two new actions and events

Two actions, two events: Petition against tax evaders, Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Israeli settlements, Dorothy Day documentary

Here’s the latest newsletter from Eleanor Grant:

Hello KW peace and justice supporters.

Two Events and two Actions:

ACTION 1 on Tax Evaders:

The G8 meeting this week in Northern Ireland will discuss a public registry to prevent individuals or corporations hiding their income or profits behind shell companies. But to implement this much-needed plan, the G8 needs unanimity. CANADA can either be the reason it fails, dooming us all to billions in extra taxes, or it can be the champion that ensures the deal passes.

Tell PM Harper you want Canada to be a backer not a blocker:
Avaaz – Harper: End the great tax scam

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ACTION 2 on Climate:

In early May we passed the milestone of 400 parts per million of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere. This trend must be reversed if there’s to be a sustainable future on this planet.

A local chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby is being formed. Read more at We Generate Political Will for a Livable World

There will be an initial meeting, at the organizer’s home, on Sat June 1, with lots more to follow. If you’d like to get involved in this, please let me know and I’ll put you in touch.

——————————–

EVENT 1 on Israeli Settlements:

Thurs May 30, 7 to 9 pm,
UW Student Life Centre, Multi-Purpose Room:

A CHALLENGE TO JUSTICE: a PowerPoint presentation by Omar Ramahi, on Israel’s policy of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Omar was a 1948 refugee. Read more at Israeli Settlements: A Challenge to Justice | Waterloo Public Interest Research Group

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EVENT 2 on Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker movement:

Tues June 4 at 7 pm,
Queen St Commons (43 Queen S Kit):

Documentary Screening: DON’T CALL ME A SAINT

Local sponsor Isaiah Boronka writes:
Dorothy Day’s life and the movement she founded exemplify an approach to issues surrounding peace and justice that place an equal emphasis on personal commitment & change as on social change – her remarkable life and the movement she helped start has had a profound influence on many, including KW’s own Working Centre.

Read more at: Dorothy Day: Don’t Call Me a Saint

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Hope to see you at these events.

And please sign the Avaaz petition at the top of this msg.

Eleanor Grant

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com

Multicultural Festival and Non-Violence Festival

From Eleanor Grant’s newsletter:

And looking ahead:

MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL

Sat June 22 and Sun June 23
Victoria Park map 1
more at:
http://www.kwmc.on.ca/content/multicultural-festival

Nonviolence Festival’s 9th annual
DAY IN THE PARK

Sat July 13 from noon to 5
on Victoria Park Island map 2
Read more, or request a table for your group, at
http://www.nonviolencefestival.com/

* * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks to all the good folks who are working to organize these events.

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com

Affordable Housing and Refugee Sponsorship

From Eleanor Grant’s newsletter:

And from KAIROS Grand River:

Here is a friendly reminder about our last two KAIROS-Grand River events this spring, on the theme Restoring A Good Life for All.

Both events are at First United Church – King & William Street, Waterloo map at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6:45 p.m.)

Monday MAY 27

Theme: Affordable housing for everyone – with discussion.
Guest presenters:

  • Michael Schuster, former Commissioner Social Services at Region of Waterloo
  • Colin Gage, GM Victoria Park Community Homes

Monday JUNE 17

Theme: Refugee Sponsorship (Obstacles to a Good Life for Refugees) – with discussion.
Guest presenters:

  • Jennifer Ardon, Church Liaison and Volunteer Coordinator, Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR)
  • Janet Howitt, Trinity United Church and Chair of the Refugee Committee

(This is a World Refugee Day Kitchener-Waterloo Event. See http://worldrefugeedaykw.ca for complete listing.)

All are welcome.

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com

Walk A Mile In Her Shoes – Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Eleanor Grant writes:

MEN WANTED to WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES !!

On Wed June 5, the men in our community will combine their big hearts and big feet at the 3rd annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, in support of YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo.

The walk begins at the Waterloo Public Square map at 11:30. Walk (in red high-heeled shoes!) to Kitchener City Hall, where a lunch is provided. Event ends by 1 pm.

Get your pledge form at: Walk A Mile In Her Shoes – KW YWCA

Photograph of a similar event:

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com

March Against Monsanto Everywhere – Saturday, 25 May 2013

In her e-mail newsletter Eleanor Grant tells us:

Marches are planned in over 250 cities around the world, to take back our food supply from the growing use of genetically modified crops (GMOs).

Marchers will meet in front of the KITCHENER MARKET map at 2 pm, and peacefully walk to Kitchener City Hall, where great speakers are planned. WEAR A RED T-SHIRT – and bring a sign if you like! Contact <misslissa.m@gmail.com>

For more info on the world-wide movement, please visit March Against Monsanto. If you click on the drop box in the “Home” bar, there’s a Links tab with informative articles on GMOs. For example, Der Spiegel on-line reports that German scientists are investigating suspected links between GMOs and Colony Collapse Disorder in bees – but can’t get funding to continue their research.

And view for free the feature-length documentary The World According to Monsanto (YouTube video, 1h49m)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=N6_DbVdVo-k

Eleanor Grant writes a semi-regular e-mail newsletter on social justice issues. You can contact Eleanor at eleanor7000@gmail.com