LUNCH IN A SHORT MONTH, GAZA EXHIB, UN ACTION, MORE PEOPLE and MORE ACTION

Sunday is the monthly community lunch, drop in from twelve till two on Sunday 23rd for a free lunch and a chance to join those of us who will go into Edinburgh for a demonstration to highlight that our security does not come from spending resources on the military.

Join Scottish WILPF, Secure Scotland, Peace and Justice, CAAT, TP, and others at 3pm at St Giles in the Royal Mile (after WandA community lunch, 12 - 2.00) on Sunday February 23, 2025 at Scotland's most iconic military base - Edinburgh Castle!

Closing bases is a necessary step to shift the global security paradigm towards a demilitarized approach that centres common security — no one is safe until all are safe. 

Join the Global Day of Action to #CloseBases on February 23 by attending a protest at Edinburgh Castle. |Come to St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile for 3pm, and walk up to Edinburgh Castle together in solidarity against this oppressive military presence. Banners and placards welcome!

Why Is It So Important To #CloseBases? 

1. Bases often perpetuate colonialism, removing Indigenous people from their lands. 

2. Bases cost an exorbitant amount of £. 

3. Bases exacerbate environmental damage and the climate crisis. 

4. Bases can have violent and harmful impacts on local communities.

5. Bases heighten tensions and provoke war-making.

    

We encourage you to share this with your wider networks! Please RSVP to wilpfscotbranch@gmail.com if you are planning to attend. 

NUCLEAR BAN WEEK

THE UN in NEW YORK

During the UN negotiations for nuclear disarmament 3 – 7 March the delegation from Scotland attending in New York will be posting on the nuclearban.scot website, as well as on the Secure Scotland Substack and website, Scottish CND and UN House Scotland sites.

Thank you to those who responded so far to the Fundraising Appeal, the sale of art and the donations mean we have extended the period we can definitely pay for till the end of April and we are particularly pleased that some folks are helping with regular monthly payments, which give stability. If we had 200 individuals or groups with a standing order for £10 a month we’d be able to plan and budget for months at a time so if you can, please do it, and also please let us know that you are doing that – and tell your friends.

At a time of much despair and anxiety globally as well as locally, looking for the opportunities to identify how insecurity is fuelling conflict and giving folks reason to apply a common security approach. Secure Scotland has have been working with others to consider ways to explore Scottish Enterprise's connections to the arms trade,and At Words and Actions there are lots of new and interesting visitors, with individuals popping in as well as new groups using our space. Edinburgh Soroptomists and the Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty are now Centre Users. Nevya is our Wednesday afternoon UN volunteer from the University of California, replacing Aileen who was with us from September till December and will be joining the team in New York. Another new volunteer is Murielle from Martinique, while Marika is still in touch - she has swapped her volunteering on Tuesdays to put her physics degree to good use in a more appropriate fulltime job!

The March visiting art exhibition,

heART of Gaza

is going to run from the 17th until the 23rd with opportunities to participate in workshops, learn about how the project works with children in Gaza, and send messages or your own artworks to the young artists. There will be lots of info coming soon here, and on Facebook and Instagram from: heART of Gaza, & the project organisers, In Solidarity.

On the 18th March, at 7.00pm Secure Scotland welcomes four special guests to Words and Actions for an event that focusses on a new book about Palestine,

Monica Spooner is the author, and will be speaking about the book,  ‘Why Didn’t I Know? as well as signing copies which will be for sale. 

The book tells the story of Britain’s Legacy in Palestine.

Also speaking at the event will be Roger Spooner, co-founder of The Balfour Project, based on the history and lead up to the Balfour declaration, and exploring Britain’s historic and continuing responsibilities.

In​ addition, we will have an input from Frances Guy, former British ambassador to Lebanon and adviser on the Middle East to the UK foreign Secretary , now chief executive of Scotland's International Development Alliance.

Our moderator will be the Reverend Dr Alexander Forsyth, Minister at Newington Trinity Church of Scotland in Mayfield Road, who has visited the region. Check the events page on the Secure Scotland website.

Words and Actions for Peace (WandA), is hosted by Secure Scotland, which receives financial support from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

WandA is drop-in gallery and resource base - available for public or private meetings, film and acoustic music nights

General enquiries contact@wordsandactions.scot 

Open Monday - Friday 10.00 - 16.00 

(Secure Scotland, Peace & Justice Scotland, Scottish WILPF, CAAT and others work from WandA )

Secure Scotland Media enquiries +44 (0)7795594573

or +44 (0)7876593016

Secure Scotland Project enquiries hello@securescotland.scot  

Socials : @securescotland on Substack, instagram, Youtube, X , Facebook