Give Peace a Chance...

I've had a realisation this week that we need to really talk more about Peace.

What is it really? How much responsibility do we take for it, or is it an aspiration that we one day will feel it, as our famous song Oseh Shalom infers?

On Wednesday evening, I had the absolute privilege of attending an Evening of Peace at a youth centre in an inner city part of Leeds, famous for crime, violence and last year's riot where the image of a bus in flames, and a police car overturned made it's way around the world: Harehills.

Ten years ago, a local policeman had a vision of something different for Harehills and he set about making it happen. First he cleared an area of wasteland of its fly-tipping, discarded needles and condoms, and nettles. When he managed to get West Yorkshire Police to donate and deliver a surplus portacabin, CATCH was born.

CATCH is a place you need to visit to believe it. It's a youth centre, event hire space, educational centre, a farm, a safe haven, a home and a sanctuary.

97% of it powered by volunteers, most of whom are under 18. They show up every day to repair the water troughs, prepare the food, play pool, go to a workshop, water the plants, fix the dodgy handle, hoover the floor, set up for an event; if it needs doing, there's an army of Harehills youth waiting to do it. They care, they have passion and purpose. They are the most dynamic, powerful example of community and peace builidng in action and it is extraordinary.

The Evening of Peace celebrated their achievements and progress, and shared some of the myriad of stories that make it the most remarkable place that it is. I urge you to watch some of their videos on their YouTube channel (all created by young people), follow them on social media, and if you're local, go visit and see it for yourself.

Through personal stories (including from a young lad who was part of the Harehills disorder last summer, and a different young man who's mum and dad both died from drug addiction), I caught a glimpse of the personal transformations, community spirit, collaboration and hard graft that is peace in action.

It truly humbled me to think about what my own relationship to peace has been like recently; sure promote the peacemakers in Israel and Palestine however I can, and I am careful with my language in dialogue especially when talking about difficult subjects. In my prayers, I pray for peace, and the words plead with God who makes peace in heaven to also make peace for us here on earth.

The view of the alpacas - can you believe this is inner city Leeds?!

What I had my eyes opened wide to on Wednesday evening was that we all have the tools and opportunities to create peace for ourselves, for our communities and for our shared planet, that what we need is a brit shalom - a covenant of peace, that we must be active seekers, keepers and builders of peace, and CATCH is truly leading the way.