Kevin Clements (Chair & Foundation Director of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Otago University) packed Knox Hall on Friday night (10 August 2018) with a public lecture powerfully analysing the “Politics of Compassion in an Age of Ruthless Power”. Not only covering the Trump-effect in the US and the neo-Nazis in Europe, Clements also highlighted troubling examples on our Asian doorstep. He also shared steps ordinary citizens can take to begin to build a kinder politics of compassion and hope. 

This was followed up on Saturday with an experiential workshop on peace-making, in which approximately 30 people from a wide range of faith-based and social justice organisations participated. Both events were sponsored by Durham Street Methodists as our contribution towards an annual celebration of Peace Sunday.