New Year's Day Peace Vigil

This was the third year running that Angie and I turned up on the steps of Eastbourne Town Hall, to join a group of fellow peace activists. Our supportive mayor, Greg Szanto, joined us for the annual New Year's Day vigil. Each year we hold up big letters to spell a slogan, which this time I'd have liked to be something like 'SAVE GAZA'; instead, it was the message below, which seemed fine. Our poor sweet world needs hope as much as ever.

I was busy taking photos, so didn't listen all that carefully to the speeches and readings. The press were there, but I always like to take my own pictures. George Farebrother, the secretary of our own group Eastbourne for Peace and Liberty and several other stalwart peace organisations, talked about the (rather uncertain!) hope that President-elect Obama represented, with his campaign promise to work for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. What about his other promises, I thought, such as military withdrawal from Iraq and and closing Guantanamo Bay? But it was a nice speech, as was the mayor's, and it was certainly good to have some hope for the coming year, despite the ongoing atrocity committed against Palestinians in Gaza.

I bought some Palestinian olive oil from a Seaford activist, and we all milled around and chatted for a bit. I was glad I was there; these events are a way for me to take part without experiencing the more depressing and stressful aspects of peace activism. Not being able to take part very much this year does make me feel a bit sad, and I still worry that our group may gradually turn into a local branch of CND without the name, which is not what Angie and I intended when we formed the group with George. Iraq has always been my main concern, along with Afghanistan, civil liberties at home, and Guantanamo and the American 'black sites'. Partly that's why I've had to give it up; there are too many related issues to get me fired up, anxious and depressed! I can't even begin to dwell on it right now - it's just too much.

But the group is free to go whichever way it wants. And with George at the helm, it's in fine, experienced hands. Blimey, I make it sound like the starship 'Enterprise'!

On a personal level, I dearly want 2009 to be a fresh start for Angie and me. I'm hoping that Obama's presidency means something similarly positive for the world too, though I've learned since 1997 to never get excited about new leaders. And Gaza, poor Gaza...

There are millions of bright candles shining, all over the world just as in Eastbourne. There's always hope.