One World Centre Isle of Man

Apologies but this event has been postponed. A new date will be be arranged shortly.

The Isle of Man Government has now opened its Small Grants scheme for international development projects run by charities on the Isle of Man. We’ll be holding a workshop this Saturday 19th January 2019 at the One World Centre office for anyone interested in applying through the scheme. The workshop starts at 10.30am and is expected to last around an hour. Attendance is free and you can turn up on the day although it would be good if you could advise beforehand by emailing info@owciom.org or calling 800464.

The One World Centre has joined the Climate Change Coalition, a group of environmental, humanitarian, charitable and political organisations in the Isle of Man who have come together with the aim of encouraging and supporting the Government in its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and moving to a low carbon society.

The coalition, which also includes IoM Friends of the Earth, Manx Labour Party, IoM Green Party, IoM Woodland Trust, Manx Energy Advice Centre, Christian Aid and Amnesty IoM, has committed to speak as one united voice on the urgent need for the Isle of Man to get to work on fighting climate change.

This follows the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that warned there is a window of only twelve years to do something about preventing global temperatures rising above 1.5 degrees, beyond which there will be irreversible changes to the world we live in.

With more and more people recognising that this will affect the lives of their own children and grandchildren, the Coalition plans to both encourage and support our Government to address climate change by working in three areas: reducing emissions, (measured against interim targets), investing in renewables and keeping our sustainability promises to UNESCO re our Biosphere status.

To find out more, or add your voice, visit www.facebook.com/iomclimatechangecoalition/

Garff MHK Daphne Caine has called for a Tynwald Select Committee to investigate the practicalities of the Isle of Man accepting Syrian refugees under the UK’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. This is a subject that has created a lot of emotional response on the Island – both for and against – and such an investigation would allow debate based on facts and figures, rather than fear and hearsay, and is a move that would be welcomed by the One World Centre.

The Syrian civil war has been ongoing since 2011 and has created the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Half a million civilians have died, over 6 million are displaced within Syria and almost 5 million have fled the country, with the vast majority ending up in huge refugee camps in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq & Egypt. The conditions in many of these camps are desperate and, despite huge amounts of foreign aid, they cannot cope with the magnitude of the crisis, particularly as these camps are in relatively poor countries with severe needs for their own populations. Many European states have closed their borders, although others such as Sweden and Germany have been more welcoming.

The U.N. Refugee Agency advocated that 10% of the 5 million in the Middle Eastern camps should be resettled in a third country, particularly the most vulnerable. Countries around the world pledged to resettle nearly 250,000, half of the estimated target. In 2015 the UK Government committed to accept 20,000 over 5 years from the Middle Eastern camps, and by the end of 2017 some 8,000 had arrived under this ‘Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme’ (SVPRS).

The IoM Government has generously given relief aid to Syrian refugees trapped in Middle East camps, but many people feel the Island should investigate whether we can welcome a very small, but fair, number here on the island – to offer them an opportunity to start a new life in a safe place. We believe that civil society would play their part alongside government in welcoming them to our shores.

If you would like to see a Select Committee established to investigate this, please contact your MHKs (or any MLC) before 20 November to express your view and ask for their support in backing this motion.

As part of our One World Week activities we will be hosting a free screening of Death by Design, a new film which uncovers the global impact of our digital addition, particularly on the environment and public health.

With the number of mobile phones in the world forecast to reach 4.68 billion by next year, the film raises issues we all need to think about, not least how are continually encouraged to buy bigger and better to keep up with evolving technology.

The screening takes place at the Bath & Bottle on Victoria Street in Douglas, on Tuesday 30th October, from 7.30pm. Please let us know if you are coming by emailing info@owciom.org so we can ensure there are enough seats! Open to all although please note you will need to be 18+ as it is licensed premises.

One World Centre volunteers will be collecting this weekend for the DEC Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal which is focused on helping the survivors of the devastating events experienced on the island of Sulawesi. Over 1300 people have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands of people are in need of humanitarian aid.

We’ll be collecting in all the major towns and need more volunteers to help make our efforts worthwhile. Please get in touch with Wendy on 800464 or email info@owciom.org if you can help.

Thank you

We’re delighted to be a partner in the fabulous Our Island Our World Festival this coming weekend in Peel. There are two nights of world music being performed at the Peel Centenary Centre on Friday 7th and 8th September, and also a free family event in the grounds of Peel Cathedral (inside if wet) on Saturday afternoon from 1pm to 5pm with music, dance and food from around the globe. Come and see us in the Corrin Hall. For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/events/368583310320402/

The Isle of Man United Nations Association is supporting a screening of Stronger than Bullets at this year’s Isle of Man Film Festival. The film depicts the events of the Arab Spring in Libya in 2011 from the viewpoint of a group of musicians. The film is on at Peel Centenary Centre on 5th September and will feature a Q&A with the director and one of the musicians after the screening. More details at https://www.facebook.com/events/2162251617377645/

The Isle of Man International Black and White Association has launched a photography competition based on the theme Our Island Nation.

Open to all “from those young enough to hold an iPhone to those old enough to want to capture memories”, the competition is looking for black and white images that show our Island Community at work, rest and play and also showing we come from all walks of life. The images can show ages, emotions, working environments, in the home, at work or play. Sport, culture, art, interest groups – anything that can tell a story about our communities within “Our Island Nation.”

It’s free to enter and there are two age groups – 16 and under and over 16. The prize giving will be held on November 16th, the UN International Day of Tolerance, and the photographs will be exhibited around the Island so all can enjoy. More information at www.facebook.com/ourislandnation