In a world that is full of uncertainty and fear, Armidale Women in Black have banded together to curate a unique, month long series of events designed to strengthen the community’s bonds and resilience. The event is called, Hand-in-Hand: Peace with Justice and will run from 17 August to 17 September across a wide range of venues around Armidale.
Barbara Finch, one of the event organisers and spokesperson for Armidale Women in Black said, “A lot happens in Armidale across all the community groups, but we all tend to get stuck in our little silos and don’t realise what’s out there, so we had this idea to have a month where people could go and have a try of some different things and meet some different groups of people.”
The event, will encompass a broad range of interests and all walks of life and will feature poetry, live music, environmental working bees, yoga, film screenings, live theatre and art.
“A particular highlight will be our Hand-in-Hand concert in the Armidale Mall on Friday 13 September from 4:30. We held one of these prior to the Voice to Parliament referendum last year and it was a really beautiful celebration of some of our fantastic indigenous and non-indigenous musicians,” said Ms Finch.
The University of New England has also come on board, chairing a dinner and forum event at the New England Hotel on Dangar Street on Friday 30 August from 6pm. The forum, entitled Peace Through Non-Violence, aims to examine the history, successes and potential future of nonviolence.
It is this rejection of violence and segregation in our community that the Hand-in-Hand event has at its heart.
In an official press release by Armidale Women in Black, they say, “The aim is to counter injustice at all levels by building community connections; to demonstrate a wide range of creative responses to local or global events that may seem overwhelming; to make space for creativity; to link concerns that are often treated separately, and to have fun while raising important issues.”
The full program is as follows:
Saturday August 17- Barney Street Band from 1:30pm, 2pm HAND-IN-HAND Exhibition Opening (continues to14 September) Armidale Art Gallery, in the mall
Tuesday August 20 – SKEPTICS IN THE PUB 6pm The Railway Hotel, Rusden Street.
Wednesday August 21 – COLLECTOR’S TALK Alex Moule 6pm – 7pm New England Regional Art Museum
Thursday August 22 – POETRY FOR PEACE 6pm Boobooks in the Mall
Sunday August 25 – STRETCH, CHAI, CHAT 4pm The Yoga Way, 3/82 Rusden St.
Wednesday August 28 – NECOM WINTER CHORAL CONCERT 5:30pm OTC Auditorium, Mossman St.
Thursday August 29 – UNFINISHED BUSINESS yarning and truth telling 10:30- 4pm ACCKP, Kentucky St
Tuesday 27 August – MEDITATION FOR PEACE 5:15pm – 6:15pm Buddhist Centre, 211 Beardy St.
Friday 30 August -PEACE THRU NON-VIOLENCE. Forum and Dinner 6pm New England Hotel
Sunday 1 September – ART FOR PEACE WORKSHOP 10am–12:30 Packsaddle Studio NERAM
Friday 6-14 September – THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE Armidale Playhouse, 309 Beardy Street
Saturday 7 September – SHIREEN OF AL-WALAJA Screening and discussion with Director 6pm
Sun 8 September – ARMIDALE URBAN RIVERCARE WORKING BEE 8:30–12:30 Armidale Creeklands, access from end of Kennedy St, south of creek.
Tuesday 10 September -THE BIRTHPLACE OF JESUS IS PALESTINE (Book discussion) 10:30 – 12:00 Boobooks in the Mall
Friday 13 September -HAND-IN-HAND CONCERT 4:30–8pm Armidale Mall Stage
Sunday 15 September – HAIKU-WONDER-WANDER 3:30pm Racecourse Lagoon, Uralla
Most of the events in the program are free, or cost nothing more than whatever you wish to eat or drink at the venue, with the exception of tickets for the Australian play Things I Know to be True.
Outside of Hand-in-Hand, Women in Black also hold a monthly silent vigil outside the Old Courthouse in the Mall on the last Sunday of each month from 10.30am to mourn violence and it’s victims, and as a peaceful protest against the use of military action.
On Saturday 31 August, from 10.30am they will hold a special vigil as a part of Hand-in-Hand and all are welcome to join, including men and children.
A full program of events will be circulated by ArmEvents and the Armidale Regional Council Events page. For further information contact 0491 021 306.
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