Welcome to Pax Christi in Scotland
The Peace of Christ
Pax Christi Scotland became one of the member organisations of Pax Christi International in 2019. This Catholic peace movement, with its 120 member organisations worldwide, promotes peace, respect of human rights, justice and reconciliation throughout the world.
The global network, founded in 1945 at the end of the Second World War, believes that peace is possible and that vicious cycles of violence and injustice can be broken. Pax Christi Scotland seeks to address the root causes & destructive consequences of violence within our own society, as well as campaigning to end violent conflict and war around the world.
Pax Christi Scotland supports Pax Christi International’s role as an influential advocate at intergovernmental levels, influencing global peace policy in the UN and UNESCO, the African Union, and the European Union. We are represented on Pax Christi International’s anti nuclear group.
Striving for a nonviolent society in Scotland is our top priority, working through the home, the school, the parish and wider society. With our members, scattered across the length and breadth of Scotland, we will address:
- Discrimination in all its forms
- The language of violence
- The need for a peace-filled welcome for refugees & migrants
- The need for divestment from nuclear & conventional weapons
- The need to remove Trident from Scotland & persuade the UK government to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Our aim is to produce resources, to provide an online space for reflection, discussion and training, to be advocates for change in all arenas concerned with nonviolence, and to raise awareness injustice and disregard for human rights.
These are not easy times, but the fact that so many of us here in Scotland and around the world work and pray for peace is encouragement that – as Pax Christi International asserts – ‘vicious cycles of violence and injustice can be broken’. Lets break them together.
The inaugural meeting when it was decided to seek to become ‘Pax Christi Scotland’, held in February 2018. With Pat Gaffney, (front left) our mentor.
Nuclear Weapons Campaigning News
Two items of news regarding our nuclear weapons campaigning:
Marian Pallister recently took part in the latest Pax Christi International nuclear campaign group meeting including delegates from US, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, England and Scotland. Discussion ranged around the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, divestment from nuclear weapons, and linking climate and nuclear weapons in the run up to COP26. See a photo of the meeting on our Gallery page.
ICAN have recently launched their latest report on why NATO states should join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: It highlights the growing tide of support for the treaty within many NATO states, thanks largely to the persistent efforts of ICAN's partner organisations.
Pax Christi Scotland has been working ecumenically to promote the Korea Peace Appeal, and on Sunday, July 25, we will host a Zoom event at which Sandy Sneddon, Church of Scotland Asia Secretary, Faith Impact Forum, and Anselmo Lee of Pax Christi Korea will explore the current situation in Korea and the hopes for future peace. The Korea Peace Appeal campaign lasts until July 27, 2023, the 70th anniversary of the Korea Armistice. It aims to collect 100,000,000 signatures. We would urge Pax Christi Scotland members and friends to sign here. Then go to our contact page and let us know your action, so that we can encourage our Pax Christi Korea friends.
View our online conference: - The Role of Dialogue In Engendering Peace 13 May
Participants at our first AGM, November 2019