Looking for a Way to Contribute to Reconciliation?

We are looking for guides to take groups of people on the Kaurna Walk, which winds round some places of interest to the Kaurna people in Adelaide. By volunteering to be a guide you would be helping in all sorts of ways, as well as learning about Adelaide and the Kaurna people.

‘Kaurna meyunna, Kaurna yerta tampendi’ means ‘Recognising Kaurna people and Kaurna land’. The trail is a gift to the people who were here before Europeans; it helps raise awareness of Kaurna culture and is an opportunity to celebrate their history.

The trail begins at tarnda kanya (red kangaroo rock), site of the reconciliation sculpture in front of the Adelaide Festival Centre. It includes Karrawirra parri (the River Torrens) and a series of sites which recall encounters between the Kaurna people, other indigenous groups and white settlers.

There is a booklet associated with this walk which tells you about the trail.

If you think you would like to be involved use the contact details at the end to find out more. Full training will be provided.

Contact Léonie Ebert by phone at (08) 8267 3915, Email info@artspeacetrust.org or complete the Volunteer Registration Form

The Peace Trust Award is open to all Adelaide Fringe Festival artists who promote human rights, social justice and environmental sustainability through their work.

The Peace Trust has been a long supporter of working for peace through the arts by providing seed funding and arts grants for projects. By being part of the Adelaide Fringe Awards, The Peace Trust is able to support artists whose work aligns with the objectives of The Peace Trust and at the same time furthers their commitment to experimentation, excellence and innovation in the arts. The award winner will receive a statuette and $2000 to support their work.

The winner of the 2011 inaugural Peace Trust Award was ‘Trapped’ by No Strings Attached Theatre of Disabled. Trapped had previously been nominated for the 2006 Fringe Critics’ Innovation and Excellence Award. Developed by No Strings Attached over a number of years, the story concerns two men held in detention, one because he is an asylum seeker, a situation sadly all too familiar. The other isolated in society as a result of a disability, is detained as he has few options for accommodation, a situation not uncommon but one that is less visible to the wider community.

Applications are now open – click ‘apply now’ for more info!

Elliott Johnston AO, QC, LLB, LLD died  on  Thursday night, 25 August, aged 93.

On behalf of the Peace Trust the Board and Management Committee we pay tribute to Elliott  Johnston for his pursuit of justice and equality,  and for the work he did to improve the lives of  working people and make the world a better  place. Elliott Johnston founded the law firm  Johnston Withers in 1946 which acted for  legally and economically disadvantaged  people.

Elliott Johnston and his wife Elizabeth became Communists in 1941. His elevation to Queen’s Counsel by the Dunstan Government, after his controversial rejection by the former Hall Government, was the highest public office achieved by a Communist in Australia. He resigned from the Communist Party when he was admitted as a Supreme Court Judge in 1983.

Elliott Johnston headed the National Commission of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody which produced a landmark Report in April 1991. This Report dealt with the relationship of indigenous people and the criminal system, and made 339 recommendations aimed at reducing indigenous over-representation in all stages of the criminal justice system. This was an exceptional achievement.

Elliott Johnston will be very much missed as he helped many people and was an inspiration to many – even those who did not agree with his progressive politics.

We have lost a member of the Peace Trust and a great defender of social justice and human rights.

Finally we warmly remember Elliott Johnston as a  great friend of Graham Smith and family for more than  60 years!

A biography of the life of Elliott Johnston called Red Silk: A biography of Elliott Johnson QC by Penelope Debelle was launched this year (Wakefield Press).

Elliott Johnston donated his body for medical research and a Memorial Service was held at the University of Adelaide’s Elder Hall on Friday 9th September 2011.

Léonie M Ebert

The Graham Smith Peace Trust announced the recipient of its major grant for 2011 of $10,000 at its annual fund raising dinner held at the Italian Club, Carrington Street on Saturday 25 June 2011.

There was a very competitive field of 15 applications submitted, with several projects shortlisted. The winning project is Knowing Home by No Strings Attached, (NSA) Theatre of Disability, towards the creative development of a theatre piece about the place and meaning of ‘home’ in the lives of 16 adult, disabled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) performers.

Peace Trust Funds will support ATSI artists to collaborate with this project, which also involves a partnership with Kura Yerlo & Tandanya. The selection committee was impressed by NSA’s commitment to social justice – Knowing Home will be based on the lives of those most marginalised and disadvantaged – disabled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

This project has a well-considered process and plans to develop an education component. NSA is also highly regarded for the artistic quality and integrity of its work. NSA was previously awarded the inaugural Fringe Peace award in 2011. This was not considered in the process and while also not part of the criteria this project does fit with the Peace Trust’s Reconciliation Action Plan. Overall NSA has demonstrated in the past that it produces high quality work and involves members of the community that are often forgotten by the mainstream. The Peace Trust is proud to use its funds to promote the production of work that meets its objectives of peace, justice and care for the environment through the arts.

Over a 22 year period The Trust has been supporting arts projects that can demonstrate aims compatible with the Peace Trust’s vision of ‘Working for Peace through the Arts’.The Trust has used its funds in the past to support such diverse projects as the plays Skip Miller’s Hit Songs by Brink Productions and Rockin’ the Boat by Vital Statistics and commissioned the Kaurna Reconciliation Sculptures at the front of The Festival Theatre and numerous other projects. In the 2011 Adelaide Fringe, The Peace Trust awarded a prize of $2,000 to Trapped a production by No Strings Attached Theatre of the Disability.

For further information contact John Hewson 0408 174 008

During that time the needs of the Peace Trust have grown and Léonie’s family has returned from overseas making more space demands on her home.

The Trust is looking for a generous person/business to provide an office which will at least accommodate two-three workers, preferably in the Adelaide City Council area or close surrounds.

If you know of anyone who is willing to help please contact the Peace Trust on: info@artspeacetrust.org

Minor Grants $1,500

AND THE WINNER IS…. ‘TRAPPED’ BY NO STRINGS ATTACHED THEATER OF THE DISABLED

The Graham Smith Peace Trust has over the 22 years of its existence been committed to financially support and promote artistic works that align with the mission of the organisation. The Peace Trust is pleased to announce Trapped by No Strings Attached Theatre of the Disabled as the inaugural winner of the Peace Trust Fringe Prize in 2011.

The Peace Trust Award is open to all Fringe artists who promote human rights, social justice and environmental sustainability through their art. The Peace Trust has been a long time supporter of the arts by providing seed funding and grants for projects. Now with a commitment to be part of the Adelaide Fringe Awards, the Peace Trust is able to support art that aligns with the objectives of the Peace Trust and at the same time furthers the Trust’s commitment to experimentation, excellence and innovation in the arts.

No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability (NSA) is a community based organisation that creates original theatre through the unique perspectives of disabled artists and performers. They produce locally, tour nationally and discover new talent in weekly workshops tailored to the individual needs of participants. NSA develop members’ skills in all areas of theatre production, and produce work which raises awareness for and about people with disabilities.

The play Trapped had previously been nominated for the 2006 Fringe Critics’ Innovation and Excellence Award. Developed by No Strings Attached over a number of years, the story concerns two men held in detention, one because he is an asylum seeker, a situation sadly all too familiar. The other isolated in society as a result of a disability, is detained as he has few options for accommodation, a situation not uncommon but one that is less visible to the wider community.

Trapped was signed throughout for the deaf members of the audience, sadly the only performance to do so in the Fringe. The quality of the production was testimony to the considerable development work that had gone into this production. The play is well written and acted but what made it a special experience was the incredible energy of the people involved in the project and the number of people with disabilities that were an active part of the audience. This was community theatre at its best.

No Strings Attached has already taken Trapped to Vanuatu and utilized the play in workshops with the disabled community there. The Peace Trust hopes that the award of $2,000 will enable No Strings Attached to continue using Trapped for the very good work they do with disabled community in Australia and overseas.

The Peace Trust is pleased to be able to award the inaugural Peace Trust Fringe Award to such a worthy winner. Trapped is an outstanding piece of work by an outstanding organisation

More information on the No Strings Attached Theater of Disabled can be found at their website -

www.nostringsattached.org.au

The Trust has recently created the Graham F Smith Peace Trust fund within the Community Foundation of South Australia.

Donations over $2 made to the Graham F Smith Peace Trust and placed in the Community fund are Tax Deductible.

CLICK HERE FOR A DONATION FORM