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Booking: Annual Conference of National Justice & Peace Network


The 44th annual conference of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales will take place 22-24 July 2022 at The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. The theme is: 'Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.'

The opening address - 'TOWARDS A CIVILISATION OF HOPE' will be given by Philip McDonagh. He will speak of a hope that requires courage and action for the sake of the future. Philip is co-author of the recently published work 'On the Significance of Religion for Global Diplomacy' (Routledge 2021), Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at Dublin City University, and Director of the Centre for Religion, Human Values, and International Relations. As a serving Irish diplomat and as Political Counsellor in London, Philip played a part in the Northern Ireland peace process in the build-up to the Good Friday Agreement. He later served as Head of Mission in India, the Holy See, Finland, Russia, and the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe). Philip has published poetry and works for the theatre.

Another speaker is Fr Patrick Devine SMA of the Shalom Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation. A missionary priest, he has 25 years of experience helping to mitigate conflict and poverty in Africa. Fr Devine serves as the organisation's executive director, leading an international team of conflict resolution experts from various religious backgrounds and disciplines who are based in Kenya and neighbouring countries. In 2013, he was honoured with the International Caring Award, whose previous recipients include the Dalai Lama, Bill Clinton, and Mother Teresa.

The Conference Chair is Tim Livesey, CEO of Embrace the Middle East, who works with Christian partners in Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Syria and Iraq. They serve marginalised and excluded communities including refugees, people living with disabilities, vulnerable women and girls, very poor rural and urban slum communities. Previously Tim has worked as Director of Public Affairs for Dr Rowan Williams when he was Archbishop of Canterbury, and was Chief of Staff for Ed Milliband, Leader of the Labour Party. He had 19 years in a variety of roles in the Foreign Office and Downing Street, including four years running the UK's development programme in Nigeria.

Rev Ruth Gee, a Methodist Minister and one of NJPN's Patrons, will lead an Ecumenical Service on the Saturday.

Workshops include:

- Universal Credit & working with people in their communities.

- Guardians of Creation

- Restoring Dignity to Prisoners and their families:

- Interfaith working with Christians Aware

- Church Action for Tax Justice will explore the reality of our tax system and why its just functioning is of crucial concern to people of faith

- Synodal listening with ACTA

- Stella Maris Chaplains will focus on their work supporting fisherfolk who have experienced modern slavery and human trafficking

- Fr Patrick Devine will lead a workshop.

On Saturday afternoon a range of optional activities is planned, including developing a creative response to the weekend with Philip MacDonagh.

On Sunday, Journey to 2030 and the NJPN Environment Group will lead a morning session, looking at what NJPN members have done following last year's Environment-themed conference. Also, what we can take from this year's conference and how we move forward to next year's gathering.

See Conference booking form at: www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/conference/

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