PEACE PARTNERS
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • Pledge to Peace
    • Humanitarian Aid >
      • Food for People
    • Peace Education >
      • Peace Education Support
      • Peace Education FAQs
  • Who we are
    • Meet our Team
    • Volunteer with Us
  • News & Stories
    • Latest News
    • Writings for Peace
    • e-Bulletin
  • Our Partnerships
    • Partnership Initiatives
    • Become a Partner
    • Our Memberships
  • Donate
    • Fundraising
  • Events
  • Contact Us

Latest News

Peace is Inevitable screening in Croydon

8/6/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
An account of the screening event at the David Lean Cinema in Croydon on the 29th May. Many thanks to Maneesh Bharadia and Alan Plummer.

A very special screening of the film, Peace is Inevitable, took place in Croydon at the end of May, attended by forty six interested people from the local community.


Barbara welcomed the audience and outlined the agenda for the evening, which began with an introduction to the Ubuntu Roundtable by Kheron Kenardo, a motivational speaker who works to facilitate dialogue between the Police and young people at risk in pupil referral units, young offender units and prisons across the country.

Kheron very movingly recounted his personal experiences of struggling with dyslexia, challenges at school and the violent death of a relative in Jamaica which had a profound effect on him. Kheron's life appeared to be spiralling inevitably into gang membership and crime. However, after the violent deaths of numerous friends in his community he had an epiphany to break the cycle of violence, and became inspired by motivational videos he encountered online. His new understanding, that we all have an innate desire for peace, led to a dramatic change of direction in his life. He is now dedicated to spreading this message and he has subsequently become a championship boxer.

Kheron's personal story led seamlessly into the showing of Peace is Inevitable, which documents the work of The Prem Rawat Foundation in Ecuador. Focusing primarily on former child members of the Bloods gang, the film explores their personal experiences of gang membership and the culture of gang rivalry and violence, against a backdrop of a poverty stricken neighbourhood. The young people being filmed described the transformative effect that The Peace Education Programme has had on their lives; numerous success stories were shared and the view was expressed that this programme would be of immense benefit to other communities facing similar problems. The film also included inspirational footage of Prem Rawat during his visit to Ecuador, with excerpts from his addresses and interviews with local media.

The film was followed by a powerful message of support from members of the Bloods gang, who described the beneficial effects of the Peace Education Programme, and felt strongly that it should be made available in all educational settings worldwide.

The evening concluded with a Q & A session during which Christian, a former gang member, participated via a live Skype session with the audience. Christian strongly emphasised that young people at risk needed to be approached with respect, love, humility and kindness. He also described how as part of the transforming process local government in Ecuador had assisted in the creation of workshops in the arts and sport, and with vocational training.

Kheron then responded to questions about the Ubuntu Roundtable project, describing how the Police in Brixton repeatedly stopped him and his friends, with mistrust and misunderstanding on both sides. These negative experiences were the impetus for the Roundtable initiative to set up a regular face-to-face forum, which has been successful in building rapport between the police and local young people.

Picture
A personal account of the evening by Kathy Miller, a further education teacher and Peace Partners volunteer who helped organise the event:

What a Moving Movie!

The David Lean cinema saw a different kind of evening when 46 people, of all backgrounds it must be noted, gathered to view an award winning film made by Simon and Marianne who graciously talked with the audience and did a fascinating Q and A session afterwards, on Wednesday 28th May.

The keynote speaker Kheron, gave a genuinely personal address which in itself demonstrated how a life can be transformed. An astonishing young man, he deeply connected with and impressed the audience with his story of tragedy to triumph.

This film, in a word, was about transformation. And about life. About how peace can be looked for and peace can be found and that a young group of people found that Peace is Inevitable. The film was made in Ecuador and is very realistic in its portrayal about the difficulties young people find themselves in through no fault of their own, including lack of resources, even food at times and violence leads individuals into gangs which thrive on conflict.

The message conveyed by Prem Rawat, which the gang members listened to - a little reluctantly at first - led to the transformation of many lives to the point where opposing gangs put down their weapons to work together.

The evidence was here on screen and in the words and actions of those featured in the documentary Peace is Inevitable, and the audience members left reflecting on their own lives and how to inevitably find peace in themselves.​

Watch videos from the event and the Peace is Inevitable Trailer:


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    December 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    April 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019

    Archive
    ​2016-2019

    ​

    Categories

    All
    Campaigns And Initiatives
    Events
    Humanitarianism
    Peace
    Update From Our Partner
    Update From Peace Partners

    RSS Feed

    Join our Mailing List

​

​​​​©Peace Partners. All Rights Reserved.
Peace Partners is a UK Registered Charity No. 1166456
Institute of Fundraising Organisational Membership No: Z1038713
Website last updated - 25 May 2024
​Donate
Contact Us
Join our Mailing List
​Privacy Policy

​Safe-guarding Policy
​Annual Reports
  • Home
  • What We Do
    • Pledge to Peace
    • Humanitarian Aid >
      • Food for People
    • Peace Education >
      • Peace Education Support
      • Peace Education FAQs
  • Who we are
    • Meet our Team
    • Volunteer with Us
  • News & Stories
    • Latest News
    • Writings for Peace
    • e-Bulletin
  • Our Partnerships
    • Partnership Initiatives
    • Become a Partner
    • Our Memberships
  • Donate
    • Fundraising
  • Events
  • Contact Us