Coventry Peace Month is just in its second year and has already gathered huge momentum. It started out as a series of events to accompany a Hiroshima exhibition and has grown to become a festival of considerable size. | "It's a wonderful opportunity to remind people about our city's unique international reputation as a city of peace and reconciliation..." | | Ken Taylor |
The event organiser, Louisa Shorland, said the expansion has been mainly thanks to groups and communities already in Coventry. She said: “Once we started contacting people we realised how many peace organisations and activities there are already in the city. "Groups started to approach us with details of what they do and everyone wanted to be part of the month. Coventry is like a magnet for people interested in peace and reconciliation and really this event is just to recognise and publicise that. Most of these events are things that happen anyway, we’d just like more people to be aware of them and to celebrate them.” The event ethos
 | | A veteran and Japanese visitor together |
Councillor Ken Taylor explained why the event is relevant to the city: “[Coventry Peace Month] is a wonderful opportunity to remind people about our city's unique international reputation as a city of peace and reconciliation and to promote and celebrate peace abroad and in our local communities. Coventry Peace Month 2004 will be a time for reflection and a time to look forward and I’m delighted that so many people are taking part.” The 2004 festival has a Russian theme because the city is commemorating the 60th anniversary of Coventry's twinning with Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad). Stalingrad shares Coventry’s unfortunate history of devastation from the Second World War. The twinning was the first link of its kind between two major cities and was made while the war was still being fought. In a time of war?
 | | Children at a peace service |
You may ask if it’s appropriate to have a peace month when much of the world isn’t in peace. But the Coventry Peace Month events are varied enough to tackle world and local issues, sometimes with fun activities and sometimes more seriously. There are numerous celebrations of diversity and activities to get involved in locally as well as a series of talks on more global issues. Louisa Shorland explained: “There are a couple of events based on the Middle East Conflict and we have experts that will be giving talks to explain the recent history and some of the causes of the conflicts in an unbiased way. Some of these experts have worked in war-torn countries such as Nigeria, Iraq and Africa and they will be able to give their first-hand experiences. Some of these are inevitably sombre but overall we’re aiming for a message of hope. If people can come together and find out more that has to be positive.” Join in the events
 | | Civic group at the 2003 event opening |
There are too many events in Coventry Peace Month to list them here, but Coventry City Council have produced a comprehensive brochure with all the details. Call Louisa Shorland on 024 7683 4861 for a copy. Our coverage We will be going to a number of the Coventry Peace Month events and will be covering them with galleries and more information here online. If you would also like to contribute your photographs, stories or thoughts on the events, then please email us.
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