A Peace Festival will take place in Launceston on and around 29-31 July 2016. Over 50 local organisations and groups participated in the 2015 Festival and attracted direct participation by over 7000 people.
The concept of the Peace Trust was initiated by long-time peace activist Mrs Jean Hearn. Jean, now in her mid-90s, was inspired by the late Tasmanian Governor Peter Underwood’s 2014 Anzac Day address where he issued a challenge to all Tasmanians to “actively strive for peace on a daily basis and learn ways of resolving conflict without violence”. He challenged us, in remembrance of all those who died or were damaged in war, to “do something, to learn how to create peace”.
Peace, in this context, is not only about the conflict of wars: it is about our behaviour as citizens of local communities and global societies. It relates to the conflict and violence in our homes, workplaces and on our streets, and it is also about celebrating diversity.
In the spirit of creating a time and place to ‘learn peace’, the Launceston and Tamar community will once again come together for a three-day festival. The Festival will celebrate the roles of art, diversity, education and sport in building community cohesion and goodwill between people.
How to get involved
Festival participation does not need to be about creating work or spending money. It can be about the rich diversity in our community overlaying a theme of peace onto existing activities, from the simple concept of a Peace Wall - that encourages"Peace Begins with Me"
promises, peace assemblies, books of peace on display in the school library to discussing peace in class.