Another great turn-out in Edinburgh

JUST Festival 2013 has exceeded expectations in terms of ticket sales once more, and we are extremely grateful for all who have turned up at our shows, talks, performances and events.

It's wonderful once more to have a packed house for the Festival swansong from the acclaimed Africa Entsha - who, you may remember, previously went under the name Soweto Entsha. The change represents a homage to the wider influences on their continent, as well as love of their homeland, South Africa.

Africa Entsha... a grand finale for Just Festival!

IT'S been a long journey, but we are almost at the end of Just Festival 2013. 

Hundreds of performances, hours and hours of art and conversation, 70,000 tickets sold. And what better way to end  than with the globally-renowned ensemble who have almost become our 'house band'.

THIS EVENING Young peaceworkers at work

PEACE. It's a great idea. But what does it mean in practice, and how do you actually do it, on the the ground, in day-to-day realistic situations?

Young Peaceworkers at work is an interactive workshop presented by two young Quakers who will not only tell you, but show you and involve you too.

Rhiannon Redpath is placed with Gender Action for Peace and Security, working on the issue of women in Afghanistan.

Owen Everett is placed jointly with War Resisters' International and Forces Watch, working on countering the militarisation of young people.

They are part of the one-year popular Peaceworker scheme run by Quaker Peace and Social Witness for the last 20 years.

Hear about their experiences, share their enthusiasm. Inspiration is guaranteed!

The talk and workshop runs on Monday 26th August 2013, from 7.30-9.00pm, at the central Quaker Meeting House in Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JL. Tickets can be bought at the venue and cost £5.

This is part of the joint Just Festival, Edinburgh Peace Initiative and Quaker lecture series.

More here.

LAST DAY Peacing it all together

HOPEFULLY you've had a chance to see the In Sight of Peace exhibition on South Africa at St John's, Edinburgh (the hall, free).

If not, so try to take a look before the Just Festival ends today (Monday 26th August).

You can pop along today, or between 10am and 2pm Monday.

Meanwhile, here are a few inspirational quotes which set the context for Ian Berry's remarkable and moving images from the apartheid era and beyond...
More about the exhibition here.

Time to celebrate!

SO the Just Festival closing celebration has ended here at St John's... but the work is still far from over. There's a full day's festivaling tomorrow, for a start.

Then there's equipment to be packed away, accounts to be done, reports to be written, stats to be processed, farewells to be made... and ideas and lessons stored and digested for 2014. The logistics are considerable.

But right now, people are gathering in the Church hall to relax, chat and celebrate. Everyone deserves a little time out!

"An amazing three weeks..."

"AN amazing three weeks" - that is how chair of the Just Festival board chair Raymond Baudon summed up his experience of 2013. 

He gave a brief outline of the extraordinary range of events - art, drama, music, conversation, photography, talks and performances - which have gone to make up Just this year.

"It all began with a flamenco flashmob in front of hundreds of people... and since then around 10,000 people have passed through St John's for various events," he noted.

Just has also utilised a range of further venues and cooperated with the Quakers and other civic organisations in putting on the festival.

Raymond extended a particular thanks to all the sponsors, to director Katherine Newbigging, to Beata, Annika and the whole staff team, to the board, and to the team of volunteers.

Before the singing of Auld Lang Syne, led by Scotpipe, Tom Lea (Alwaleed Cantre, University of Edinburgh) from the board made a small presentation to Raymond Baudon, who has handled the kind of challenging issues that accompany any such event with professionalism and good humour.

Katherine ended by inviting people into the hall for refreshments - and reminding us that there is still one full day's worth of Just events on Monday 26th August!

Caring for all at Just

JUST Festival has been delighted to support Waverley Care as one of its sponsored charities in 2013, backed by a percentage of each ticket sold throughout August.

A brief presentation of the impact and importance of that support was offered as part of Just Together, the official closing event for Just 2013. 

Waverley Care is Scotland's leading charity providing care and support to people living with HIV or Hepatitis C.

A diagnosis of HIV or Hepatitis C brings with it not only issues of poor health and a lifetime of medication and hospital visits, but individuals also face social exclusion, stigma and discrimination. 

Waverley Care believes that every person has a right to be cared for, loved and respected, whether they are HIV/Hepatitis C positive or not.

From facilitating peer support, to pastoral and spiritual care and help with job applications, it challenges stigma and discrimination so that everyone can work towards reaching their full potential in life.

Another great turnout...

ONE of the many encouraging features of Just Festival 2013 has been the attendances. The Just Together closing event and celebration at St John's was no different. 

Piping hot start

TONIGHT'S closing event and celebration of Just Festival 2013 has begun with a stirring rendition from the Scotpipe band in front of a packed gathering at St John's Church here in Edinburgh. 

Among the several themes of the festival this year has been thinking about the future of Scotland and its relations with the rest of these islands, with Europe and with the world in the run up to what will be a historic referendum on independence in 2014.

Getting ready to roll...

THE lights are on, the sound is plugged in, the performers and speakers are ready, the audience are gathered outside awaiting... and the final bits of rehearsal have been done - as you can see here. "All you need is love", they were singing. Well, that and a bit of hard work!

TONIGHT AT 8pm: Just together... a celebration!

TONIGHT at 8pm, we celebrate what has been another extraordinary and record-breaking Just Festival (formerly the Festival of Spirituality and Peace) with a 'wrap event' at St John's Church.

Scots pipers will welcome us in and see us out. There will be a swansong or two for Just from the amazing Africa Entsha - of course - along with dance from Ragmala, Polish music, a cameo from Creepie Stool, a reflection from Rabbi Rosen, the Just Festival volunteers bursting into song, and more...

We also look forward to hearing from festival director Katherine Newbigging and chair of the hard-working board, Raymond Baudon.  There will be refreshments in the church hall afterwards.

But don't get the idea that this is the end of Just for 2013!

We will still have a full day left, Monday 26th August. That will be your last chance to see the moving Tejas Verdes, to reflect on Living Our Values, to meet Young Peacemakers, to hear the Canto del Paradiso, to be moved by Sacred Earth, to hear Africa Entsha, to see Creepie Stool... and to answer the question (in a multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-belief society), "More Tea Imam?"

Also, of course, you can have a final peak at the remarkable In Sight of Peace photo-exhibition: Ian Berry of Magnum offers a unique view of South Africa, past and present, in its quest to leave apartheid behind - without forgetting the torment, and while learning the lessons.

Further previews of all of those events coming up soon here on Just Festival News...

Meantime, Just Together, the official closing event - tonight, 8pm, St John's Church Edinburgh (corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road, venue 127).

It's free, but donations to our charities, Mary's Meals and Waverley Care, and to the ongoing work of Just, will be welcome.

Tonight's Just Together will be live blogged...

IF you are not able to be at the Just Together celebrations of Just Festival 2013 at St John's Church this evening, starting at 8pm, we will try to keep you up to speed with what is happening with some live blogs, tweets and photos.

A full report will then follow. Thanks in anticipation for all who will be taking part....

And remember: we will still have a full day left, Monday 26th August. That will be your last chance to see the moving Tejas Verdes, to reflect on Living Our Values, to meet Young Peacemakers, to hear the Canto del Paradiso, to be moved by Sacred Earth, to hear Africa Entsha, to see Creepie Stool... and to answer the question (in a multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-belief society), "More Tea Imam?"

Also, of course, you can have a final peak at the remarkable In Sight of Peace photo-exhibition (10m-2pm Monday): Ian Berry of Magnum offers a unique view of South Africa, past and present, in its quest to leave apartheid behind - without forgetting the torment, but while learning the lessons about how to build a peaceful future.

Just Festival Volunteers Ensemble... yay!

YEP, you're going to get their world premier tonight... the Just Festival volunteers have kept the whole show on the road, and now they're going to sing about it, just for you. And a few hundred other people.

Just Festival News has not enjoyed an exclusive preview ahead of the Just Together event (tonight, Sunday 25th August, 8pm at St John's Church Edinburgh, refreshments at 9pm)... but those who have tell us that X-factor can eat it's heart out. Welcome to Just-Factor!

Not much more to say, other than BE THERE!  But thanks to Adam Millerchip for this little video of the percussion section tuning up over supper. It's going to be awesome, folks...

Showing our true colours

"WE had a great time at the Just Festival. We met some really inspirational people!"

That was the comment made by TRUE (Tackling Racism, Uniting Everyone), founded by young people in Edinburgh.

We at Just were delighted to have them here, too.

TRUE write: "We aim to challenge racism, not only within our schools and communities but also globally. Follow us on twitter here. Email us@: truecolours_group@hotmail.co.uk. Link to our facebook page. Suscribe to our youtube channel."

Here's the picture they took...

Opening up those closed doors

'BEHIND closed doors' is one of the five strands of the 2013 Just Festival, incorporating a blend of conversations, drama, talks, art and other performance media to explore the exclusions and marginalisations faced by many people today. 

The programme events related to Behind Closed Doors are listed here. You can find out more about the theme and reflect a little more on its topicality and depth here.

Just Festival's other strands are Changing World, Ethics Over Profit, Faith Today, and issues relating to the Scottish Independence Referendum.

The strands are one way you can dip into and appreciate all that Just has to offer. On the other hand, each of our events stands on their own.

Joyce Seroke workshop

A WORKSHOP on peace and reconciliation takes place today, Tuesday 13th August, at the St John's Church Hall, Edinburgh, with the indefatigable Joyce Seroke. 

 Born in 1933 in Johannesburg, Joyce was awarded the Golden Baobab in 1996 for ‘her excellent contribution to the struggle against gender oppression and exploitation, her commitment to peace and reconciliation and the struggle for a non-racial, just and democratic society’.

 The cost is just £5. Full booking details here.

Making disability visible

JOHN Lennon and Yoko Ono were famous for a peace 'bed in'. Now performance artist Liz Crow has been 'Bedding Out' in Edinburgh to highlight poverty and disability.

The project sees artist-activist Liz Crow taking her private bed-oriented life and placing it in the public arena for all to see.

Bedding Out has been commissioned as part of Disability Arts Online’s Diverse Perspectives project, which is commissioning eight disabled artists across the UK to make a new artwork.

Working closely with host organisations, artists produce work that sparks conversations and debate about the Creative Case for Diversity.

Bedding out has been taking place on Friday 9th August from 10.00am and on­ Saturday 10th August from 4.00pm at Hunt and Darton Cafe, 17-21 St Mary's Street, EH1 1SU (wheelchair accessible, including loo). There have been conversations around the bed on Friday at 1pm and 5pm, and Saturday at 10am and 2pm, with BSL.

Roaring Girl Productions (RGP) is a creative media company working in film, audio, text and performance. It seeks to combine high quality creative work with practical activism.

There is more information about Bedding Out online here.

This is not a Just Festival event, but we are happy to give it profile and support. 

Just exploring faith

HOW do kids and adults learn to grow up in a mixed-belief society, where the beliefs they inherit and develop can interact positively with different ones.

The Just Faith Explorers sessions are about just that. "They're packed with fun for all ages," say the organisers.

"We believe that we grow best when we share the journey with as many different people and learn about as many different faiths as possible. Each session includes storytelling, fun craft activities, time to reflect and share food."  

Just Faith Explorers is being held in a variety of faith venues in Edinburgh. Today (Saturday 10th August) it is running from 10-12 at St John's Church, and again on Saturday 24th. In between, on 17th August, it is at Annandale Street Mosque.

Hiroshima commemoration tonight

EDINBURGH Justice and Peace Centre, friends of the Just Festival, are supporting the capital's annual Hiroshima commemoration tonight (6th August).

The event, which remembers the terrible consequences of the dropping of the nuclear bomb on one of two civilian populations in 1945, take place at the Mound from 6 - 7pm.

"Bring candles, songs, poems, banners, friends... or just yourself," say the organisers.

The commermoration will be followed by a gathering at 7.15pm at the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre Peace Pole on the Terrace of St John's Church (corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road).

All welcome.

Waiting to begin

FOR those who are new to Just Festival, you may not have noticed. But those who have come to past Festival of Spirituality and Peace events will recognise it more readily.

We have a new stage set in the Hall at St John's - Venue 27 in Edinbugh's festival data, and the main venue for Just, on the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road - though there are 27 others, too, for some of our 129 events this year.

In 2013 there's been a bit of a switch around. Conversations and talks are in the Hall, whereas the Church itself is being used as the main performance space. The Hall itself houses a fine photo exhibition, In Sight of Peace, mostly mounted on the new white panels at the back. There's also a news stage and rig.

Here it is, all splendidly laid out for this evening's appearance by former bishop Richard Holloway and conversants on the future of religion...