arch-peace news and articles

28.5.17

Our Virtual Home Updates | #givepeaceachance


Architects for Peace has been running a crowdfunding campaign for the last four weeks. Thanks to the people who have generously supported us, we were able to raise more than 30% of our target.
Working on the campaign was a good opportunity to look back at all the work that AFP has been doing over the last 14 years. It gave the current team the opportunity to rediscover the work of former volunteers and share it with our community.  

We started our campaign by talking about AFP’s origin with Beatriz Maturana Cossio, who shared the story of how it all began with just herself, her computer and her dog.

Beatriz told us about AFP’s “official” kick off in 2004 with the IntentCITY free forum held at the undercroft of Hamer Hall in Melbourne.

The focus of the intentCITY street forum was to discuss the "political city" -- the public space that affects us all --  the built environment, ecology, citizens, and particularly our involvement in war and what can be done to prevent it. Dozens of people attended the one-day event that consisted of speakers, a panel discussion, NGO information and displays, music, dance, poetry, and art installations.
Eleanor Chapman, former AFP president, reminded us of the political origin of the organisation,  very much embedded in the way the group started up, at a time when people were protesting against Australia’s decision to attack Iraq, and the role AFP has been playing in the last 14 years.

AFP has been active on the front of commentary and critical reflection in the area of equitable urban development, fostering grassroots dialogue and debate outside of the halls of academic institutions and the pages of journals.

However, the campaign was also an opportunity to introduce the community to our team of volunteers. The Architects for Peace team is made up of a diverse group of people, with different nationalities, different languages, different backgrounds, but we share one common vision: to promote urban spaces that are planned, designed and used in the interests of social equity and environmental protection.  

Today begins the last week of our campaign. We want to thank all the people that have helped us to get thus far by donating or by acting as our ambassadors, telling others about our work.

We would like to invite you to please take a moment this week to think about what Architects for Peace was able to accomplish over the years and all the amazing work that was done. We want that work to continue and we need a place where that work can be freely and easily accessed by everyone, regardless of where people are.

If you care about social justice, solidarity, respect and want to give peace a chance, please help us build our virtual home and make a donation today! Thank you!


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