Armistice Day Peace Vigils

From Hokianga to Dunedin: Peace vigils to mark Armistice Day 2014

On Armistice Day 2014, the second in the series of peace vigils that will take place three times each year during the World War One centenary will be held in Hokianga, Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Otaki, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Takaka and Dunedin.

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 are the same at all of the vigils, including the central message 'Honour the war dead by ending war', which unites the three themes.

The vigils are coordinated by Peace Movement Aotearoa, in association with Quakers, as part of Peace Movement Aotearoa’s World War One Centenary Peace Project, and are held in conjunction with peace and faith groups in other parts of the world who will be holding vigils to mark Armistice Day and to highlight our mutual belief that conflict must be resolved peacefully rather than by war.

Details of the Armistice Day peace vigils around the country are available below and online at www.ww1.org.nz If you would like to mark this anniversary and cannot get along to a vigil, please consider lighting a candle at 6pm on Tuesday, 11 November, in solidarity with all who resist war and promote peace.

Armistice Day peace vigils on Tuesday, 11 November:

• Hokianga - Armistice Day peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm, at the Opononi boat ramp; please bring a candle and a prayer for peace. Organised by Hokianga Catholic Workers and St. Francis Farm.

• Whangarei - Armistice Day peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm, at the Whangarei waterfront Town Basin. Organised by Whangarei Quakers.

• Auckland - Armistice Day peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm, at the Devonport War Memorial, corner Victoria Street and King Edward Parade, Devonport; placards and banners will be available at the vigil. Organised by WILPF Tamaki Makaurau.

• Hamilton - Candlelit peace vigil at 7pm, at the entrance to the HCC Central Library in Garden Place; please bring posters and candles. Organised by Organised by Hamilton Quakers.

• Tauranga - 'Honour the war dead by ending war' peace vigil on Armistice Day, from 11am to 12 noon at the Edgewater Fan, The Strand; please bring placards and posters with you. Organised by Tauranga Quakers and Pax Christi.

• Otaki - Armistice Day peace vigil from 6pm to 6.30pm at the Otaki War Memorial, 6 Main Street, next to the Otaki theatre; placards will be available at the vigil. Organised by Kapiti Quakers and Otaki Catholic Workers.

• Lower Hutt - Armistice Day peace vigil: 'Honour the war dead by ending war', from 6pm to 6.30pm at the Lower Hutt Cenotaph (on the Queens Drive side of the library). You are invited to gather with us there, to stand in solidarity with all those who meant what they said when they called the First World War "the war to end all wars". Their hope that there would be no more need for war in our world continues to be kept alive through us. We commit ourselves to seeking ways to solve conflict that do not include violence. We stand with one another in that. You are invited to bring a flower with you to offer as part of the vigil, and a short reflection to share. The wet weather alternative venue is St James Church, Woburn Road. Organised by Hutt representatives of faith and peace communities - the A4 for this vigil is poster available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-hutt-nov14.pdf and the Facebook event is at https://www.facebook.com/events/780764101984283

• Wellington - Armistice Day peace vigil: 'Honour the war dead by ending war', from 6pm to 6.30pm at the Wellington Cenotaph (corner Bowen Street and Lambton Quay) - gather between the Cenotaph and parliament gates as the Cenotaph is currently fenced off for refurbishment. Please bring a reflection to share if you wish, placards and banners will be available at the vigil. Organised by Peace Movement Aotearoa - the A4 poster for this vigil is available at http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/vigil-wgtn-nov14.pdf and the Facebook event is at https://www.facebook.com/events/1539948032919146/

• Takaka - Silent vigil at 6pm on the Village Green; placards will be available at the vigil. Organised by Golden Bay Quakers.

• Dunedin - Prayers for peace, from 12 noon to 1pm at Holy Name Church, 420 Great King Street, Dunedin North. Come and join those who spend an hour on the second Tuesday of each month in silence praying for peace within our troubled world, organised by the Dominican Family Community.

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