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Clerk: Rick Grier-Reynolds, 302 592-0534 Wilmington Monthly Meeting
Minutes December 8, 1999
Present: Lyn Back, George Willoughby, Samuel Snipes, Rob Grow, Rick and Rachel Grier-Reynolds, Joe DiGarbo, Steve Angell, Mary Arnett, Ruth Matson, Ted Herman, Libby Marsh
Lyn Back Trip Report
Lyn Back spoke of her travel and work in the Balkans as part of the Balkans Peace Teams, a European based program providing support to grassroots peace efforts in the Balkans. She was part of a three-person team that worked inside Serbia and Kosovo this past year. The highlights of her talk included observations about:
- the non violence movement within Kosho during the early 1990's led by Ibrahim Rogova
- the non violence movement inside Serbia before the NATO airstrikes o the realities of the Milosevic regime as war became inevitable o the various NGO groups within the region who were providing invaluable services and who might be good contacts for the future o the isolation and despair of these activists once the NATO bombing began
A spirited question and answer session followed her talk. Key questions were:
- What are the next steps for peace and reconciliation work in the region?
- What could we have done differently?
Some ideas discussed by the group were: AVP training, connecting with the Mercycorps NGO in Washington, her work publicized in the PYM Newsletter other publications, and connecting with the remnants of the various non violence groups inside the region. Lyn would like to take her story to schools and Meetings and would like help in making contact with interested parties.
Other Agenda
- Greg Barnes notified the BCG that he was closing down his project with the Library in Osijek due to differences in their wants (ESL materials) versus his(peace materials).
- Joe DiGarbo reported that Lancaster MM is running a first level AVP training program during the last week of January (29-30-31). There are 12 to 15 signed up. Mary Arnett reported that Central Phila. MM will be running three levels of training: 1st level on 1st weekend in February (5,6,7), 2nd level the last weekend in Feb. and the third level for facilitators in March (17,18,19).
- Ted Herman reported on a recent US Institute for Peace article on the difficulties of military personnel being asked to be peacekeepers. He still is seeking to get the AFSC and the BCG to connect and discuss possible program overlap and coordination.
- Volunteer hours - would all members please report to Rick the number of volunteer hour since July 1, 1999 to the present 12/8/99. Thanks.
- A request has come from Laurence Sigmond and the Peace and Concerns standing Committee to post the work of this committee on the PYM web site. Anyone interested in taking this one on?
- Suzanne O'Hatnick emailed to correct the October 1999 minutes. She reports that the project received a grant to help with the rent from Norwegian People's Aid, and the UN send them a marketing expert to assist them. Over 500 refugee women are involved in this project.
- Our next Meeting will be on Wednesday, January 12th, 7:30- 9:00pm at 1515 Cherry St.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rick Grier-Reynolds
Copyright © 1999, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM