Simon Bond of Quakers for Europe, who is Treasurer for the Quaker Council for European Affairs, writes to thank Bath Quakers for our (extremely modest) donation to their work.
He writes that QCEA have produced two reports Building Peace Together and Anti-migrant hate speech. There is a video introduction to the first here and to the second here. We’re also invited to subscribe to the YouTube channels to stay abreast of and further support QCEA’s work.
You can find their reports on line and on YouTube. QCEA work is more important now than ever.
The European ideal was shared by early Quakers. Quakers for Europe cite William Penn’s 1693 Essay towards the present and future peace of Europe:
Now if the sovereign princes of Europe, who represent that society or independent state of men that was previous to the obligations of society, would for the same reason that engaged men first into society, viz, love of peace and order, agree to meet by their stated deputies in a general diet, estates, or parliament, and there establish rules of justice for sovereign princes to observe one to another…
Editor’s comment: With so many gnarly contemporary political issues many people find the Quaker perspective well-informed, helpful and insightful. You could add, bearing in mind William Penn’s essay, prescient or prophetic. Europe is no exception, and QCEA’s work is more important now than ever.
Would that Bath Quakers – an asset-rich but income-poor part of the charity covering a wider area of Wiltshire and Somerset – could give more to support this and other important work.
Bath Quakers 