We have recently witnessed another remarkable success for nonviolence, when an Egyptian uprising toppled the entrenched dictator Hosni Mubarak, who had held onto power for 30 years, propped up by US financial and military support. At the core of this uprising was a subtle, long-term campaign by a group of dedicated activists who had studied and trained in nonviolence.
To help the public understand nonviolence, UNE’s Peace Studies presents a week of free lunchtime films. The second annual Nonviolence Film Festival will take place from Monday 23rd to Friday 27th of May in the Di Watson Lecture Theatre, near UNE’s Northern Carpark. Each film commences at 1 pm.
The first films deal with the best-known examples of nonviolence – the liberation of India, and the US civil rights movement. Contrary to popular belief, however, these films show that the successes were not against ‘civilised’ opponents but against extremely violent and repressive regimes.
There are also home-grown films describing Australian activism, from the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra to environmental actions such as the Franklin River blockade and modern activism (Given that the military-industrial complex is the world’s single biggest polluter, replacing militarism with nonviolence is essential for environmental sustainability). Other films document resistance to Nazism by Jehovah’s Witnesses during WWII, and the 2004 ‘Orange Revolution’ in the Ukraine. The festival concludes with ‘The Day After Peace’, about one man’s crusade for an annual day of global ceasefire and nonviolence.
Each free film will be followed by a discussion. This was an inspiring festival last year and will no doubt be so again. Anyone is welcome, so bring your friends and family and learn about the world’s most powerful philosophy of social change.
The festival will be accompanied by an inspiring and highly-topical exhibition ‘Transforming the Human Spirit’, presented by international Buddhist peace organisation Soka Gakkai. This will be held in the UNE Bistro over the week (admission free).
For further information, contact Dr Marty Branagan, Lecturer in Peace Studies, UNE
Phone: {local land line}3 3951
