Nation-wide peace vigils to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One “the war to end all wars”

Peace Movement Aotearoa

4 August 2014

Peace vigils to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One - "the war to end all wars" - will be held today in Hokianga, Waiwera, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Whanganui, Fielding, Otaki, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson, Lower Moutere, Takaka, Dunedin, and Invercargill, updated details are at www.ww1.org.nz

The peace vigils on Monday, 4 August, are coordinated nation-wide by Peace Movement Aotearoa, in association with Quakers, and in conjunction with peace and faith groups in other parts of the world who are holding peace vigils to mark the anniversary and to highlight our mutual belief that conflict must be resolved peacefully rather than by war.

The peace vigils have three themes: remembrance of all of the casualties of war and of war resisters, ending war as a response to conflict, and promoting peace. There are four core messages that will be the same at all of the vigils, including the central message 'Honour the war dead by ending war', which unites the three themes.

Details of the WW1 anniversary peace vigils around the country are available below and online at www.ww1.org.nz If you would like to mark the anniversary and cannot get along to a vigil or there isn't one in your area, please consider lighting a candle at 6pm on Monday, 4 August, in solidarity with all who resist war and promote peace.

Photos: please send any photos - whether of your solidarity candle lighting or from your peace or prayer vigil - to Peace Movement Aotearoa email pma@xtra.co.nz so they can be uploaded as a permanent record of our collective witness for peace on Monday, thank you.

Candlelit peace vigils on Monday, 4 August:

• Hokianga - Candlelit peace vigil at 6pm, at the Opononi boat ramp. Please bring your own candle, placards and banners will be available at the vigil. Organised by Hokianga Catholic Workers.

• Waiwera - Candlelit peace vigil at 6pm, at the south end of Waiwera beach. Organised by local peace people,

• Auckland - Candlelit peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm, at the Devonport War Memorial, corner Victoria Street and King Edward Parade, Devonport. Please bring your own candle, placards and banners will be available at the vigil. Organised by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and Pax Christi. The A4 poster is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-akl-aug14.pdf and the Facebook event listing is at http://www.facebook.com/wilpfaotearoa.newzealand

• Hamilton - Candlelit peace vigil, at 6pm in front of the Hamilton City Library in Garden Place. Organised by Hamilton Quakers, in conjunction with AVP Maori Focus.

• Tauranga - Torchlight silent peace vigil, from 5pm to 9 pm at the Edgewater Fan, The Strand. Please bring a small torch and a sign with your message. Any sign must be free standing or held and not fixed to trees or structures. We welcome everyone who feels they wish to show their concern for the victims of the human tragedies due to the conflicts and wars which are every day news. Violence is not OK. Our combined hope is that peaceful solutions will be found to resolve grievances. Organised by Tauranga Quakers and the Tauranga Interfaith Council.

• Gisborne - Lest we forget: candle light vigil for peace, gather at 5.30pm at the Wi Pere Memorial on Reads Quay (on the corner of Lowe Street), to walk as a group over Peel Street Bridge to the site of the Statue of the Soldier. Please bring a candle in a jar, an LED candle, a glowstick, a torch, any safe light to illuminate the dark. Organised by the Tairawhiti Interfaith Group. The A4 poster is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-gis-aug14.pdf

• Napier - Light a candle for peace / prayer vigil, from 12 noon to 12.30pm, St John's Cathedral, 28 Browning Street. You are invited to bring your own prayers / reflections to share with others, the emphasis is on remembering, on praying for an end to all war and for the promotion of the peaceful resolution of all conflict. People of all faiths and churches are invited to bring their own prayers or reflections to share with others. Organised by the Cathedral Environment, Justice and Peace Network.

• Whanganui - Peace vigil from 12 noon to 12.30pm in Majestic Square. Organised by Whanganui Quakers and Operation Peace Through Unity.

• Fielding - Details available on request from pma@xtra.co.nz

• Otaki - Candlelit peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm at the Otaki War Memorial, 6 Main Street, next to the Otaki theatre. Organised by Kapiti Quakers and Otaki Catholic Workers.

• Lower Hutt - World War One Memorial Vigil for Peace, from 6pm to 6.20pm in the carpark outside 153 Randwick Road, Moera. To remember all who have died or suffered in war - soldiers, civilians, war resisters - to end war as a response to conflict, and to promote peace in all that we do. Let us begin commemorations of World War One - the 'war to end all wars' - by praying for an end to all war. Organised by the local intentional Christian community.

• Wellington - Candlelit peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm at the Cenotaph, corner Bowen Street and Lambton Quay. Please bring your own candle, placards and banners will be available at the vigil. Organised by Peace Movement Aotearoa. The A4 poster is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-wgtn-aug14.pdf and the Facebook event listing is at http://www.facebook.com/PeaceMovementAotearoa/events

• Blenheim - Lest we forget: candlelit peace vigil at 6pm at the Seymour Square Memorial, help to find an alternative to war to solve our differences. Organised by Blenheim Quakers. The A4 poster is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-blen-aug14.pdf

• Nelson - Candlelit peace vigil from 5.30pm to 6.30pm at the Cathedral Steps, Trafalgar Street. Please being your candle to mark the anniversary and to highlight our collective belief that conflict must be resolved peacefully rather than by war. Organised by Nelson Quakers. The A4 poster is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-nels-aug14.pdf - please note, Nelson Quakers are also holding vigils to mark Hiroshima and Nagasaki Days, details are on the poster.

• Lower Moutere - 'Promoting peace' vigil, at 6pm at the Riverside Centre, 289 Main Road, Lower Moutere (Moutere Highway). The Inakord choir will sing, followed by a reading and a minute’s silence; please bring your own candles. Organised by the Riverside Community, the Facebook event listing is at https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1444743095802048&id=1416689081940783

• Takaka - Silent candlelit vigil at 6pm on Village Green, with an earlier gathering there for information sharing at 12.30pm. Organised by Golden Bay Quakers.

• Dunedin - Candlelit procession at 5.45pm from First Church, 415 Moray Place, to the Cenotaph, Queens Gardens - the candlelit peace vigil will be at 6pm at the Cenotaph and will include a time of silence and speakers. Organised by Dunedin Quakers, in conjunction with the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies. The A4 poster is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-dun-aug14.pdf

• Invercargill - Details will be available at www.ww1.org.nz when confirmed.
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