Building Bridges For Peace

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Welcome to Building Bridges for Peace

A non-profit organisation promoting peace and conflict resolution throughout the World

New Season of the play The Bomb

By Kevin Dyer
Directed by Joe Sumsion
Designed by Alison Heffernan
Music and Sound Design by Julian Ronnie

In 1984, an IRA bomb was planted in the Grand Hotel, Brighton killing five people and injuring dozens more. In 2000, Jo Berry, whose father was killed in the blast, met Patrick Magee, the man who planted the bomb, for the first time. This gripping drama is inspired by these events and builds towards the meeting of these two extraordinary people; one who killed in the name of justice, the other who refused to be a victim forever. As the clock ticks a mother and daughter's relationship is thrown into turmoil as they confront the past. Together, all three characters go looking for peace in a place beyond hatred and retribution. A short video extract from the play.

The Dukes, Lancaster
Thursday 9th. Sat 25th October 2008
Box Office 0845 344 0640
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee will be talking after the show on the 13th and 14th October.
http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/theatre/the-bomb

The Baby Grand,
Belfast Grand Opera House, Belfast
Friday 31st October 11am & 8pm
Saturday 1st November 8pm
Box Office 028 9024 1919
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee will be talking after the show on the morning and evening shows on Friday the 31st October.
http://www.goh.co.uk/WhatsOn

University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
Thursday 6th November
12.30pm & 7.30pm
Box Office . 01707 281127
http://www.herts.ac.uk/events/The-Bomb.cfm

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
Monday 10th November 7.45pm
Tuesday 11th November 10am
Box Office 024 7652 4524
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee will be talking after the show on Monday 10th November.
http://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Wednesday 12th November 7.45pm
Thursday 13th November
2pm & 7.45pm
Box Office 017687 74411
Jo Berry and Patrick Magee will be talking after both performances of the show on the 13th November.
http://theatrebythelake.co.uk/whatson

Whitby Hall Studio Theatre,
Ellesmere Port
Wednesday 19th.
Saturday 22nd November
Box Office 0151 357 2120
www.actiontransporttheatre.co.uk

The Long Road

Jo Berry and Pat Magee are taking part in the discussion in Restorative Justice before the performance of The Long Road, a play about a heartbreaking journey to forgiveness, which is a collaborative venture with The Forgiveness Project.
www.telegraph.co.uk/review

Launch of new website for International Network for Peace

The International Network for Peace is pleased to now have a brand new website at www.internationalnetworkforpeace.org

Jo went to New York last September as a guest of Peaceful Tomorrows. With more than 30 victims from around the world, we joined with families of those killed in the September 11th attacks to create a new coalition to promote effective, nonviolent solutions to terrorism. Jo was elected chair of the network at the beginning of 2007.

Gathering at a conference entitled, “Civilian Casualties, Civilian Solutions,” victims from 15 countries, including Afghanistan, Israel/Palestine, Russia, Rwanda, Colombia, Sudan, Indonesia, Algeria, Spain, and Italy we pledged to use our personal experience of violence as a starting point for creating and promoting new initiatives for peace.

Video of Jo, Pat and Harvey Thomas

Andy Andrews interviews Harvey Thomas, Margaret Thatcher's Director of Communications, Jo Berry, daughter of Sir Anthony Berry, and the IRA Brighton Bomber himself - Patrick Magee and they talk about the power of forgiveness.

My Story

Jo Berry

I have been on a long journey since my father, Sir Anthony Berry MP, was killed by the IRA in the bombing of the 1984 Tory Party conference in Brighton. In the days after the bomb I wanted to somehow bring something positive out of the tragedy and began a journey of healing. The last 21 years have been full of learnings and remarkable experiences.

In November 2000 I met Pat Magee, the man responsible for planting the bomb and we have now become friends. For me, the question is about whether I can let go of my need to blame, and open my heart enough to hear Pat's story and understand his motivations. The truth is that, sometimes I can and sometimes I can’t and this choice is always there.

I wanted to meet Pat, to hear his story and see him as a real human being. At our first meeting I was terrified but as soon as we met we talked with an extraordinary intensity. I shared a lot about my father, while Pat told me some of his story. I realised half way through that first meeting that I was at the beginning of another journey.

I still have feelings that are painful. I still get angry but I have learnt that these feelings can be transformed into passion for change. My passion for change starts with me wanting to stop the cycle of violence and revenge in me and has grown into helping create a world in which violence is not seen as a viable way of resolving conflict.

My commitment is to see the humanity in everyone. Building Bridges for Peace is now a umbrella for all the work that I do to participate in creating a peaceful world. For more information on my work please look at Current Projects.

I am also available as a speaker, either on my own or with Pat Magee.