27 Third Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1S 2J5
tel. (613)230-4123
e-mail: adixon@web.apc.org
May 27, 1995
Announcement of upcoming training:
PBI seeks to establish international and nonpartisan approaches
to peace-making and to the support of basic human rights. We
challenge the belief that violent institutions and warfare
inevitably must dominate human affairs. We seek to demonstrate
that as international volunteers citizens can act boldly as
peacemakers when their governments cannot.
Peace Brigades sends unarmed peace teams, when invited, into
areas of violent repression or conflict. These teams can
flexibly pursue avenues not open to partisan groups. Their work
is to reduce the violence and support local social justice
initiatives.
Our work in the North America Project began with the formation of
ready-response teams to act as non-partisan, international observers during
confrontations such as those at Akwesasne and Oka in 1990. We have been
active in this capacity at the request of the Coalition for Nitassinan
during their protests of the Ste. Marguerite-3 dam construction, as well at
Davis Inlet, Labrador.
During our 4 years of activity, we have also been exploring other ways of
contributing to the efforts made to confront violence of many forms faced by
First Nations communities across North America. Our current team is in
Labrador looking at structural violence from the legal system (report posted
in this conference in early May).
Teams are formed from a pool of trained volunteers from North America and
around the world. Currently, we have a pool of about 20 volunteers in North
America. Trainings are about a week long. At the end of the training, the
volunteer meets with the training team to jointly evaluate their
suitability for the work, and joins our volunteer pool. They may then
be asked to join a team to any one of our existing areas of work, or
to respond to new requests. Volunteers are also encouraged and
supported to do outreach work in their own communities and regions.
We have two trainings planned for 1995. From August 11-17, we will
be offering a training near Hamilton, Ontario (Canada). If there is
enough interest, there will be a second training in New York state,
November 3-10.
The training in Canada will begin at 6 pm on Friday, Aug 11 and end
at 2 pm Thursday, Aug 17. The cost for the participants is C$250,
which includes room and board for the 6 days, plus your own travel
costs (rides from Toronto may be available). The trainers will be Alan
Dixon and Anne Harrison. Alan is the coordinator of the North America
Project, and has been a field volunteer with both the Central America
Project and North America Project of PBI. Anne Harrison is a
nonviolence trainer and recently returned NAP volunteer who has just
spent 3 months in Labrador looking at the structural violence
experienced by the Innu through the legal system. An important part of
the training will be presentations/workshops by First Nations people.
If you would like to join us for one of the trainings, we ask you to
let us know soon of your interest. We ask for deposit of $50 to
reserve a space. Upon receipt of the deposit, we will send you a
package of background material and an application for volunteer
service. There will be a limit of 10 participants at both trainings.
For applications or more information, contact Alan Dixon (see
above for address).