Tag: picnic

Peacenic 2024: A picnic for peace

Dave Moskovitz

Join us for the fifth Wellington Peacenic, a picnic for peace!
Where: Shorland Park, Island Bay
When: Sunday 18 February 2024 4pm-6pm
Theme: Kids and games

We’ll get together with our Jewish, Christian, and Muslim friends, share some food, enjoy conversation, play some games, and make new friends.

Peacenic began in Auckland in 2016. It grew out of a desire to replace the polarising bad-news stories that dominate the media with real experiences of hospitality and friendship in our own backyard. The simplest gift of sharing time and food is rewarding in itself but goes beyond that to offer a glimpse of the world as it could be. In our increasingly multi-religious, multi-ethnic community, we want to help build bridges across the divisions that have historically separated Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Shorland Park is right at the main beach at Island Bay, and is right on the popular #1 bus route. Parking is available on Reef Street, and access is via a sealed pathway. Bring food to share (ideally kosher, halal, or vegetarian) but be sensitive to other faiths’ dietary requirements; ask if you are not sure. Please take rubbish away with you. Invite friends of other faiths, consider car pooling…and enjoy yourself!

Bring your kids, and we’ll all have fun together.

For further info, contact Ann Desmond on 022 494 1775.

You can also download our flyer you’d like to invite others from your faith community or post it in your church, mosque, or synagogue.

Peacenic 2022 – warm fellowship whilst dodging raindrops

Dave Moskovitz

Wellington Abrahamic Council (WAC) went ahead and held its third annual Peacenic on what was forecast to have been a wet Sunday afternoon in February. Miraculously, after heavy rain all night continuing late into the morning, it remained dry for the duration of the three-hour event.

Someone commented dryly (no pun intended), “What’s the worst that can happen? We get wet!” And a Jewish member of the council said, “Funny thing is, we have prayers in Judaism for dew and rain, but I’m not aware of any for dryness.”

Like all WAC events in current times, this one was entry by vaccine pass. All three religions are clear on our obligations to protect ourselves and others from harm, including infection.

The small gathering of Christians, Jews and Muslims met in the newly selected, family-friendly location of Trentham Memorial Park in Upper Hutt, half an hour’s drive from downtown Wellington.

The food people brought to share was mainly vegetarian and it was good to see the sensitivity shown towards others’ religious requirements in this respect.

One attendee who was welcomed was Massey University chaplain Jill Shaw, who had driven from Auckland for other reasons and took the opportunity to meet the diverse faith group.

New connections were forged and beneficial projects were discussed.

Peacenic began in Auckland in 2016 under the auspices of the Council of Christians and Muslims (CCM). It grew out of a desire to replace the polarising bad-news stories that dominate the media with real experiences of hospitality and friendship in our own backyard. The simplest gift of sharing time and food is rewarding in itself but goes beyond that to offer a glimpse of the world as it could be.

In our increasingly multi-religious, multi-ethnic community, the desire was to help build bridges across the divisions that have historically separated Muslims, Jews and Christians.

The weather and the pandemic combined to put many people off attending this year’s event, so WAC are looking forward to next year’s Peacenic (Sunday 12 February 2023) and clearly hoping for better weather, a pandemic in retreat, and greater numbers attending.

David Blocksidge

Peacenic 2022 – An Abrahamic picnic for peace

Dave Moskovitz

Join us for the Third Wellington Peacenic, a picnic for peace!
Where: Trentham Memorial Park, Upper Hutt
When: Sunday 20 February 2022 2pm-5pm

We’ll get together with our Jewish, Christian, and Muslim friends, share some food, enjoy conversation, play some games, and make new friends.

Peacenic began in Auckland in 2016. It grew out of a desire to replace the polarising bad-news stories that dominate the media with real experiences of hospitality and friendship in our own backyard. The simplest gift of sharing time and food is rewarding in itself but goes beyond that to offer a glimpse of the world as it could be. In our increasingly multi-religious, multi-ethnic community, we want to help build bridges across the divisions that have historically separated Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Trentham Memorial Park is just half an hour’s drive from Wellington CBD (put ‘43 Brentwood Street’ into Maps). Bring food to share but be sensitive to other faiths’ dietary requirements; ask if you are not sure. Please take rubbish away with you. Invite friends of other faiths, consider car pooling…and enjoy yourself!

There will be a maximum of 100 people at this gathering, and vaccine passes will be required.

For further info, contact David Blocksidge on 021 054 8443.

You can also download our flyer if you’d like to invite others from your faith community or post it in your church, mosque, or synagogue.

Peacenic – a picnic for peace

Dave Moskovitz

What: Wellington Peacenic
Where: Te Ngākau / Wellington Civic Square
When: Sunday 23 February 2020, 11:45am – 3:00pm

Join us for the first Wellington Peacenic, a picnic for peace!

Peacenic began in Auckland in 2016. It grew out of a desire to replace the polarising bad-news stories that dominate the media with real experiences of hospitality and friendship in our own backyard. The simplest gift of sharing time and food together is rewarding in itself but goes beyond that to offer a glimpse of the world as it could be. In our increasingly multi-religious, multi-ethnic community, we want to help build bridges across the divisions that have historically separated Muslims, Jews and Christians.

Rick The Clown will perform at midday.

Bring a picnic blanket to sit on and food to share but be sensitive about other faiths’ dietary requirements – ask if you are not sure.

Parking charges usually apply in the city so consider car pooling or using public transport.

You can help publicise our event by printing out and posting our event flyer. Thanks!