Peace Day Awards

Today is a special day. It is International Day of Peace, but it is special for another reason – those that are close to me know why. A Gaelic Blessing for some special twins:

Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep Peace of the flowing air to you,
Depp peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the gentle night to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you,
Deep peace of the One who is Light of the World to you.

Moved to tears I was today, as the spirit of the Lord was upon me (not in a Samuel L Jackson kind of way). Only one man was missing.

So on to business on this day of days. I promised an award. And without a shadow of a doubt first prize goes to Carl in Spain. Not simply for his account of his time in Sri Lanka – a place of course dear to my heart after a three years stint 2000-2003, but on account of Carl’s eloquent contributions on the BC discussion boards. So top Blogel Peace Prize goes to him.

But I haven’t finished there. Per chance I was awarded a Blogging Friends award from another favourite this week. Hanifa from Singapore. I am encouraged to nominate four of my favourites.

The task is easy. Carl, Hanifa, you are up there (although I have to confess Carl, I have NO idea what you are on about most of the time. For me Serendipity means only one thing – that wonderful island that you and I know). Hanifa, I am blessed that you have reached out to me. I commend you in return. For those of you unaware, Hanifa aka Hello Annie is a diverse well travelled linguist, who blogs about language. As I am about to add French to boost my smatterings of useless languages, I found her an inspiration.

The other two are also clear winners for me. Alex in India (although I kinda know that isn’t really his name) and I have been BC pals a while. For some reason he seems to follow my every move, comment on my every blog, not only that - he is articulate and funny himself – and rattles a few cages from time to time.

And Tony. No, I am not being a creep. The owner of Blog Catalogue doessn’t HAVE to care, but he does. He has developed Bloggers Unite and clearly has a conscience. He didn’t think twice about supporting the Blog 4 Peace campaign, and I do enjoy the clear simple blog he runs. http://antonyberkman.com/ check out his simple words on being an entrepreneur – very poignant for me at the moment.

So to recap:

Carl Galloway - http://www.carlgalloway.com/archives/466-International-Peace-Day,-21st-September.html

Hanifa http://childhoodspeech.com/?p=224

Tony http://antonyberkman.com/

Little pink bear – sometimes known as Alex http://www.livefrombangalore.blogspot.com/

And here is a list of links to other BC bloggers who have taken part in Peace day. Thank you so much for your support!

Lord I want to be whole http://lordiwanttobewhole.blogspot.com/

What does Peace mean by Shiley http://proofpositivity.blogspot.com/2008/09/proof-positivity-what-does-peace-mean.html

Our World: Our responsibility by Irtiza http://lifeasiknowit22.blogspot.com/2008/09/our-worldour-responsibility.html

Human rights Digest: http://www.humanrightsdigest.org/1461/un-international-peace-day-21st-september-2008

Weblogian - http://weblogian.com/blog/index.php/2008/09/showcast-the-power-of-bloggingblogging-for-change/

And of course all those I haven’t mentioned who have linked and blogged – many thanks. I am sure I will report more on it in coming days.

Shamelessly mine own
My path to peace in Iraq two years ago 4nomadic.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/path-to-peace/

How do we Sell Peace? publicsphere.worldbank.org/how-do-we-make-people-value-peace

Apparently those I have nominated have to pass it on. Yes I guess it’s a chain letter, but a very nice one. You have to nominate an award to:

1. A máximum of five bloggers
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award

International day of Peace - 21 September 2008

Fellow bloggers, why not Blog for Peace this Sunday?




And Dont' Forget to TXT 4 PEACE!

Or send a postcard - For more visit the UN peace day site.

"International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind."

The Reverend Nomadic discusses Ramadan

My summer recess is over and I am back. A warning to those expecting a tight piece of written work from me this evening – I am liable to ramble on a bit as I skip through civil war and onto true love, passing through a Muslim festival en route. Not quite Kerouac, but largely unedited and helped with a large glass on red nonetheless. After prompting a discussion on the Blogcatalg discussion boards about Ramadan, my fellow bloggers have asked me to blog about it. What does Ramadan mean to me, as an uber-nomad who has lived amongst Muslims? Hmmm, with respect and peace be upon you all, I am not a follower of Allah – it doesn’t ring my bells. Those close to me who are, show signs of increased compassion and thoughtfulness, but also fatigue and a quiet distance akin to a hangover. I will point you randomly in the direction of my favourite Muslim blogger, Hanifa.

I can, however tell you what fasting and contemplation mean to me – which play their part in Ramadan. Fasting, as I get it, is about giving up something generally taken for granted and an observation of what is to follow. I sometimes fast for a couple of days at a time. It focuses the mind, and cleanses the body. I am usually at my most inspired and creative following a period of abstinence.

Contemplation is probably even more boring for you to hear about. It is a reassessment of my position in life, and most importantly, this year it has meant some important changes. Ramadan is an appropriate time to announce my plans to launch an organisation that promotes non-violent resolution of conflict (using media and arts). Sound a bit hippy? I am fairly determined to make this as dynamic as it has to be. Never before has it felt so right. As with a lot of things in my life at the moment, not least the true love for a Land Rover 90 and the man set to drive her.
So in contemplating peace I got to thinking about a country I stopped in for a good three years and got to know better than most – Sri Lanka. I am not about to give my views on the complex civil war that has engulfed the island for over two decades, killing over 70,000 people. OK, well I might hint at it. I won’t take sides though, I can see both arguments – as distorted and distressed as they are. I do refuse to buy into the demonising of the Tamil Tigers thing. Their violent murderous crime is well catalogued, but perhaps what isn’t, is their ability to protect and give order amongst a chaos brought about by an oppressive government (which I witnessed first hand in 2003).

This is not simply about fighting terrorists as Ravindra Wickremasinghe seems to think in the Asian Tribune this week. In Afghanistan last month I was told that “anyone could become a Taleban in the eye of a foreigner”, then I guess any Tamil could become a terrorist in some eyes. Careful.

I was thinking about Sri Lanka when a friends Facebook status informed me that he was once again displaced. I found out he had left the island of Sri and Serendipity and headed where many have headed - to another much larger island full of strange creatures such as wombats. During the ceasefire a few years ago, I travelled with this friend to Jaffna and the north and saw the places he grew up in shattered by what Lankans loving call “the problems”. His departure from Sri Lanka is as significant to me as the assassination of my friend in Basra last year. A hope extinguished. One less ray of sunshine in a difficult place.

So, (she says in her best Radio 4 voice), thought for the day is to consider all those who tonight are not where they want to be. Those who are apart from their lovers (a-hem). Removed from their children, or displaced from their cherished homelands (for whatever reason). Or, like the blogger Mohammad Erraji, away from their families (because he is in prison in Morocco).

I am beginning to sound like Reverend Nomadic. My summer was filled with wine and good times, and I have much to think about, so a fast may be long overdue to bring me back round. So, a Ramadan Mubarak to you all. And most importantly may peace be upon you.