White Poppies for Peace Annual Appeal, 17 to 24 April 2012

19 April 2012

An update on the 2012 White Poppies for Peace Annual Appeal which is currently underway. There are street collections in Wellington and Dunedin on Monday, 23 April - the timetable for collectors for both street collections is being finalised tomorrow, so if you can help with either, please refer to the details in the 'Helping with a street collection in Wellington and Dunedin' section below and contact us as soon as possible.

Information about the white poppy, the Annual Appeal and how you can support it, and an update on the White Poppy Peace Scholarships is also included below. This information is available online at http://www.whitepoppies.org.nz (including the printable formatted edition of this message) and you can RSVP to indicate your support for White Poppies for Peace at http://www.facebook.com/events/124740597658323

* About the white poppy

The white poppy is an international symbol of remembrance for all the casualties of war, civilians and armed forces personnel, and of peace. Some people wear it as an alternative to the red poppy, others see it as complementary; some choose to wear both poppies, some one or the other, and some no poppy at all. More information about the white poppy is available at http://www.whitepoppies.org.nz

White poppies are available for a donation to the White Poppy Peace Scholarships.

* The White Poppies for Peace Annual Appeal

The White Poppies for Peace Appeal is held annually from 17 to 24 April. The Annual Appeal is the main fundraiser for the White Poppy Peace Scholarships.

* How you can support the Appeal

There are three ways you can support the Annual Appeal - helping with a street collection, making a donation via a collection box in your area, or ordering white poppies for yourself or your group.

1) Helping with a street collection in Wellington and Dunedin

* Wellington: the street collection in Wellington is on Monday, 23 April, and there will be three collections in and around the central city: from 7am to 8.30am, from 12.30pm to 2pm, and from 4.30pm to 6pm. If you can help with the Wellington street collection, please email whitepoppies@ymail.com as soon as possible and let us know what time/s you are available. Please include your phone number in your message, thank you. You can RSVP for this collection at http://www.facebook.com/events/227455394023347/

* Dunedin: the street collection in Dunedin is on Monday, 23 April, and there will be collections at various locations around the city, including the Peace Pole on the Museum Green and in George Street, times to be confirmed. If you can help with the Dunedin street collection, please email whitepoppies@ymail.com as soon as possible, include your phone number in your message, and let us know what time/s you are available on the 23rd. Please note that your email and phone number will be passed on to the Dunedin collection coordinator. You can RSVP for this collection at http://www.facebook.com/events/335010186554924/

2) White Poppies for Peace collection boxes

White Poppies for Peace collection boxes have now been distributed throughout the country from the far north to Dunedin - keep an eye out for the distinctive collection boxes with the White Poppies for Peace graphic. Each collector has a collection box and ID card with a unique identification code.

3) Ordering white poppies

If you would like to order some white poppies for yourself or your group (rather than have a collection box), please use the form available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/poppiesform.pdf or email whitepoppies@ymail.com - if you would like one or more white poppies for ANZAC Day, you will need to email whitepoppies@ymail.com rather than using the order form, thank you.

* About the White Poppy Peace Scholarships

The White Poppy Peace Scholarships comprise at least two grants that are awarded each year to assist with research into: the impacts of militarism, militarisation and warfare; alternatives to militarism, militarisation and warfare; or collective non-violent responses to state violence. The Peace Scholarships are for students studying at any tertiary education institution in Aotearoa New Zealand. Each grant is a minimum of $1,000 - one is for a Maori or Moriori student, with the other/s open to any student with New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency.

The White Poppy Peace Scholarships were launched in October 2009, and the first two Scholarships were awarded in April 2010 to Ryan Bodman and Marianne Bevan. Ryan’s dissertation ‘Don’t be a conscript, be a man!’: A History of the Passive Resisters’ Union, 1912 - 1914 and a summary of Marianne’s dissertation ‘The Hero Stuff’ and the ‘Softer Side of Things’: Exploring Masculinities in Gendered Police Reform in Timor-Leste are available on the White Poppy Peace Scholarship web site at http://www.peacescholar.org.nz

The 2011 White Poppy Peace Scholarships recipients were Karly Christ and Audrey Wong - information about their research, which will be completed this year, is available at http://www.peacescholar.org.nz

Applications for the 2012 White Poppy Peace Scholarships are currently being considered, and the recipients will be announced as soon as all of the referees for the short-listed candidates have been contacted.

* How you can support the White Poppy Peace Scholarships

You can support the peace scholarships by making a donation during the Annual Appeal or at any time during the year - your generosity will help to promote peace by directly supporting research into alternatives to militarism and war, and collective non-violent responses to state violence.

To make a donation by cheque, please use the form available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/poppiesform.pdf - if you would prefer to make a donation by direct credit or internet banking, please email whitepoppies@gmail.com and we will provide the details for you - a tax credit receipt is sent for all donations.

http://www.whitepoppies.org.nz

ENDS

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