The following blog was written by Alan Plummer, an attendee of our introductory event in Cornwall on Saturday 18th August.

Interested people from all over Cornwall met on Sunday at Par Community Hall to attend an introduction to the work of the UK charity Peace Partners.
 
Pauline Cook, one of Peace Partners trustees, explained how the charity had been set up to sponsor peace initiatives in the UK and to support the international projects being funded by The Prem Rawat Foundation.
 
A number of inspiring video presentations showcasing the Food for People project and the Peace Education Program (PEP) were viewed, together with footage of Prem Rawat`s recent visit to Zonderwater high security prison in South Africa, where he spoke and responded to questions from inmates who have been attending PEP in the prison  
 
Further recent interviews with people who have been attending PEP in London concluded the presentation, which was very warmly received. Several people expressed an interest in finding out about volunteering with Peace Partners and there were a number of suggestions for possible fundraising events in Cornwall.  
 
Great interest was also shown at the possibility of a local screening of the documentary Inside Peace, which highlights the profound impact of PEP on some Texas prison inmates. 
 
A total of more than £500 of donations to Peace Partners was contributed at the event, which was almost doubled by the offer of matching funds by one very generous supporter.

Peace Partners will be hosting more national introductory events. Watch this space for more information.

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By Chrissie Waite

I was fortunate to be invited to attend a PEP session recently.  It took place at a friendly over fifty-five’s club in London. 

The subject of the day was ‘understanding’ and that’s definitely what I witnessed taking place. I was impressed by how the attendees felt comfortable and able to share their expressions during the reflection times.

The learning environment was relaxed yet focused and seemed to provide a kind of safe haven.  One lady read out a poem that she’d written, based on her learning of the PEP so far. Others expressed their own understanding in relation to the day’s topic or asked questions which were received with sensitivity by the facilitator.  I felt privileged to witness how attendees were relating the subject matter of the course to their own everyday lives, and how they planned to apply their learning.

From my own perspective, I realised that there was so much to learn.  The video clips were short and the session seemed to whiz by, yet there was such a depth of learning to be had.  One lady even asked if we were too old to take this on board!  Luckily that’s definitely not the case – something we were able to learn from Prem’s message about ‘understanding’ that day.

​“The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) recently released a short new video film ‘A World of Difference: 2017 News’ which highlights some of the achievements of the Foundation during the past year. Included are segments on the Peace Education and Food for People programs, the flagship projects supported by Peace Partners.

From their beginnings back in 2001, TPRF’s initiatives - all sponsored entirely by supporters - have gone from strength to strength. Though still small by some international standards, The Foundation has had a deep impact on many individuals, from all around the world, whose lives have been touched by its work. This film includes an interview with a participant in a veteran’s PEP here in the UK, an amazing item about how PEP is being used to help thousands of ex-combatants and victims heal from the wounds of the longstanding sectarian conflict in Columbia, as well as news and updates about Food for People and recent emergency relief efforts.

The film concludes with an excerpt of founder Prem Rawat speaking at a peace forum convened in Medellin, Columbia in July. The video runs for just over 12 minutes, and makes for essential and inspiring viewing!”

Rukaya Iddris and her husband are pictured here with their eight children, all of whom eat at the Ghana Food for People facility.
During the early morning hours of January 9, more than 750 wide-eyed students from the village of Otinibi, Ghana returned to class after the holidays, ready to learn and catch up with their friends. When lunchtime came around, they had worked up quite an appetite, and because of the generosity of donors from around the world, they were greeted at the Food for People (FFP) kitchen by the smell of fresh local vegetables, rice, and fish stew. It was the opening day of 2018 at the “Canteen” as the locals fondly call it, and the kids beamed as they enjoyed their meals and shared their hopes for the year ahead.
You can read more about the Ghana Food For People facility and the children it serves here.

This year, Peace Partners is relaunching its campaign to raise funds through Give as you Live: a free way of supporting a worthwhile cause whilst shopping online!

It’s really simple: when you sign up to Give as you Live, you have access to over 4,000 retailers, which include Amazon, John Lewis and Sainsbury’s.

Once you have made a purchase online, the retailer will send a donation to Peace Partners through Give as you Live.

It will cost you absolutely nothing, but will make a massive difference in supporting causes we raise money for, such as Food for People, where £0.75p will feed a child one meal a day in some of the poorest parts of the world.

Through these donations, Give as you Live has raised over £9 million to support charities across the UK. Peace Partners is delighted to be part of its campaign to deliver much needed funds to incredible causes. We would love it if you could support ours!

Whether you are doing your weekly food shop, buying a Valentine’s gift or booking your next holiday, you can get so much more than what you pay for simply by shopping through Give as you Live and raising free funds for Peace Partners.

You can sign up to support Peace Partners here and start raising money as you shop straight away: giveasyoulive.com/join/peace-partners/1166456/0