PMA what's on where listings

* INTERNATIONAL

~ Sunday, 8 March - International Women's Day, for local events, see Auckland listings (7 and 9 March) below.

* NATIONAL

~ Ongoing - UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples petition: the deadline of 1 March for return of signatures on the petition has been extended as the petition has not yet been scheduled for consideration by a Select Committee. The final deadline is thus uncertain but we will let you know as soon as we do. Thanks to all who've posted forms back to us, and if you can keep on collecting signatures that would be great - the form is at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/declpet.pdf or from Peace Movement Aotearoa.

~ Ongoing - 2009 Walk for the Planet: Walk for the Planet is an opportunity for people to express concern for the well-being of planet Earth and to share hope for the future. Starting from Rakiura (Stewart Island) on 25 February, this is an opportunity for people to express concern for the well-being of planet Earth and to share hope for the future. During the 40 days of Lent, participants will follow State Highway One to Wellington. You can join in by walking a section, offering accommodation and meals to walkers, organising supporting events, and sharing good news stories of ecological care in your local area. See the Walk 4 the Planet website at http://www.walk4theplanet.org.nz for more information and ways to take part.

~ Friday, 27 March to Sunday, 29 March - 2009 National Peace Workshops (NPW): the national gathering for people interested in peace, social justice, and human rights. This year's theme is 'Promoting peace through active non-violent resistance', and the main focus is workshops and participatory discussion with contributors who have experience of community and individual non-violent resistance, and/or non-violent direct action in Aotearoa and overseas - including Waihopai Ploughshares, Alternatives to Violence Project in Jordan, the West Papua land of peace campaign, and more! The programme includes campaign updates from peace and related groups. The 2009 NPW will be at the Quaker Settlement in Whanganui; more information, including the registration form, is at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/npw09.htm - the deadline for registration is Wednesday, 18 March.

~ Aotearoa NZ Peace and Conflict Studies Centre Trust - the Trust's February newsletter, with an update on progress at the Centre, is now available at http://www.peacetrust.org.nz/downloads/2009-02Newsletter.pdf

* AUCKLAND

~ Monday, 2 March - Announcement of the winners of the 2008 Roger Award, the Award for the transnational corporation that has the most negative impact in each or all of the following categories: economic dominance - monopoly, profiteering, tax dodging, cultural imperialism; people - unemployment, impact on tangata whenua, impact on women, impact on children, abuse of workers/conditions, health and safety of workers and the public, cultural imperialism; environment - environmental damage, abuse of animals; political interference - cultural imperialism, running an ideological crusade. The 2008 finalists are ANZ, BAT (British American Tobacco NZ), Contact Energy, GlaxoSmithKline, Infratil, McDonalds, Rio Tinto Aluminium NZ (nominated under its former, better known, name of Comalco), and Telecom. Starts at 7.30 pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn. For more information, see the printable flyer at http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/community/CAFCA/publications/Roger/2008Event.pdf or contact Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa.

~ Tuesday, 3 March - Auckland Human Rights Network monthly meeting: agenda items this month include the HR film festival, major human rights issues in New Zealand this year, and reports from groups in the network. Starts 5.30pm in the first floor meeting room, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn.

~ Wednesday, 4 March - Human Rights Foundation Annual General Meeting: includes a presentation 'Creating the foundation for stronger New Zealand human rights through education', with Ced Simpson briefing colleagues on the exciting work being done by a small network of lead schools as part of a collaborative initiative instigated by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Commission and others to strengthen human rights-based education in New Zealand. Drinks and nibbles from 5:30pm, meeting starts at 6pm, St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby. For more information about the Human Rights Foundation go to http://www.humanrights.co.nz A printable flyer for this event is at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/hrf09agm.pdf

~ Thursday, 5 March - following the release of the government's draft report for the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Human Rights Foundation is holding a civil society strategy meeting for NGOs to discuss and coordinate responses to the current stage of the UPR process. The meeting will include a report back on the Wellington MFAT consultation on 2 March. If time permits, strategy in relation to other human rights processes will be discussed, in particular the voluntary pledges the government is currently forming as part of its bid for election to the Human Rights Council. From 5pm to 7pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn; for more information or to RSVP if you are planning on attending, please contact Margo Baars. A printable flyer for the meeting is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/upr0309.pdf More information about the UPR is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nzupr09.htm

~ Saturday, 7 March - Rally for Justice and Peace in Palestine, come and support justice and peace based on an end to 40 years of Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (including East Jerusalem), the right of return for Palestinian refugees, sharing Jerusalem, vacating all settlement colonies in Israeli occupied Palestine, and stopping Israel's annexation / apartheid wall in occupied Palestine. Starts 2pm, QEII Square, Customs Street and Queen Street intersection, outside Downtown Shopping Centre. Organised by the Palestine Human Rights Campaign.

~ Saturday, 7 March - 'A Vote for Cynthia: Cynthia Fortitude for Prime Minister!' A performance of the play written by Helen Moulder and Alison Holcroft, with Helen Moulder as Cynthia, directed by Jeff Kingsford-Brown. Starts 7.30pm, Quaker Meeting House, 113 Mt. Eden Road, Mt Eden; tickets $30, includes light supper. Sponsored by WILPF Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland Branch.

~ Monday 9 March - International Women's Day Breakfast, with speaker Dr Yvonne Underhill-Sem, Director, Centre for Development Studies, University of Auckland. Yvonne is a feminist development geographer of Cook Island and New Zealand heritage who combines her academic interests with her commitment to advancing gender equality throughout the Pacific. She will discuss contemporary women’s movements in Oceania highlighting some important shifts seen at the recent Association of Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) conference held in Cape Town in November 2008 and will be joined by other women who took part in the AWID conference. From 7am to 8.30am, please be seated by 6.50am, Ellerslie Convention Centre, Ellerslie Racecourse, Greenlane, (just off Greenlane Road East, very close to the motorway, parking is free); tickets $35 for adults ($320 per table of 10), $28 for college students. Organised by UNIFEM - please RSVP by Wednesday 4 March if you are planning on attending.

* WELLINGTON AREA

~ Thursday, 5 March - End NZ support for the 'war on terrorism' peace vigil, from 5pm to 6pm at the Cenotaph (corner Lambton Quay and Bowen Street). The vigils are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month; for more information contact Peace Movement Aotearoa

~ Saturday, 7 March - Pathways to Resilient Communities: a group of committed individuals - including representatives from community groups, transition towns members and Councillors with a strong interest in supporting the development of sustainability - have put together an event with the aim of assessing the Wellington region’s resiliency preparedness, and to explore ideas to improve our position. The objective is to enable our region to identify the community’s most important vulnerabilities. From 8.30am to 5pm, Oceania Room, Te Papa, Oceania Room, no charge for attendees although koha or sponsorship is welcome to help cover costs. For more information, the agenda, and to register please go to http://www.resilientpathways.org.nz

~ Tuesday, 10 March - Transition towns', with Natalie Hofman and other Transition Hutt speakers. Transition Town initiatives are bringing people together out of a desire to explore how we - and our communities - can respond to the twin challenges of climate change and peak oil. We know we don’t have all the answers but we believe we have the innovation to create those solutions. Each transition group networks with their local community on a coordinated range of projects designed to transition from high energy to low energy lifestyles in a positive and creative manner. Our aim is to re-localise our communities, making them vibrant, resilient and truly sustainable. Starts 7.30pm, Waiwhetu Uniting Church, corner Grenville and Trafalgar Streets, Lower Hutt. Organised by the Waiwhetu-Lower Hutt Peace group. Information about transition towns is at http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz

* CHRISTCHURCH

~ Saturday, 7 March - Justice For Palestine presents Viva Palestina! Learn more about the situation in Palestine and Gaza - workshops, speakers, films, Palestinian performers and a shared Halal dinner, bring a plate of halal or vegetarian food to share if you wish! Speakers include * Lois Griffiths, member of Justice for Palestine, Peace Action Aotearoa New Zealand, and Depleted Uranium Education Team, will speak about why we should support the UN calls for an investigation into war crimes. Lois, who comes originally from the US, will also discuss the political power of the 'Israel lobby' * Mary Hamilton, researcher and writer of a Christian World Service booklet explaining the background to the situation in Palestine/Israel, will discuss Palestinian Agriculture Relief Committees, and practical ways we can help the people of Palestine * Ali Nissenbaum, a Jewish anti-Zionist who was in Israel and the West Bank during the recent war in Gaza; she will be speaking about Israeli and joint Israeli-Palestinian resistance to the occupation * Christina Gibb, from Dunedin, has served 4 stints in Hebron, in the West Bank, Palestine as a member of the Christian Peacemakers Team and who will share eye-witness stories * Omar El-Hadad, one of the imams at the mosque, and has been involved in political activities in Egypt against the American air bombing in Iraq in 1998, which resulted in him getting fired by the university. He will speak about the older history of the area, and how everything in that place was peaceful for about 14 centuries, except for the crusades and now the Arab- Israeli wars * John Edmundson, a member of the Workers Party who has a long history of involvement with the Palestinian cause, most recently as a leading member of the Christchurch Mid-East Information and Solidarity Committee. Speakers are from 2 to 5pm, dinner will be from 5pm to 7pm, with film screenings from 7pm to 9pm, at the WEA, 59 Gloucester Street, entry by gold coin donation.

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