STOP PRESS: Added on 27th A growing number of cultural figures have expressed support for Saturday’s major Stop Trident demonstration. Hip hop group Young Fathers and trip hop legends Massive Attack called on their followers to support the demo. Actress Vanessa Redgrave, Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds, and comedienne Francesca Martinez will address the Trafalgar Square rally. And political singer songwriter Robb Johnson is set to perform at the beginning of the march in Marble Arch.                  The NUS National Executive Council which gathered this week has passed a motion in support of Saturday’s major Stop Trident demo. Shakira Martin, NUS vice president (Further Education), who will speak at the Trafalgar Square rally, said: “today the National Union of Students, which represents 7 million students, voted to support this Saturday’s Stop Trident national demonstration. CND Stop Trident demonstration – 27th February 2016 Trafalgar Square rally, running approx. 2.15/30 to 4pm. See Website for running  order

A Message about the Demo from the Scrap Trident Coalition:
The bus from Glasgow and Edinburgh is full and there’s another bus from Stirling (seats still available )
If you are making your own way and want to stay at the Convergence space (sleeping on the floor) then theres still room. Contact enquiries@cnduk.org
If you are meeting us in London and want to join the Scottish block then we are going to be near the front of the march behind the main banner and speakers. The march assembles in Park Lane near Marble Arch and the road will be closed for forming up at noon. Walk on down Park Lane untill you find us. We will have big Sandy and Big CiNDy, the Scottish CND puppets and hopefully a piper so will be easy to spot! The march is to Trafalgar Square where the rally is happening. If you can’t make it then look out for us on social media and share, share, share!

International organisations backing the demo included Le Mouvement de la Paix (France), The International Peace Bureau (Switzerland), Rete italiana per il disarmo (Italian Disarmament Network), New Zealand Peace Council, American Friends Service Committee, amongst 30 other organisations.‘This is a moment of great opportunity for us. The moment we can make the difference – and change the course of history. Please make every effort to join me at the Stop Trident demo on Saturday. We need huge numbers of individuals and organisations from across society. This is our time – make it count!
With thanks, Bruce Kent’
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:
“The scale of the international support we are receiving shows that Trident replacement is not just a British matter: our nuclear rearmament is of enormous concern globally. The leaders of the Labour Party, Scottish National Party, and Plaid Cymru will mount the same stage in Trafalgar Square to speak to tens of thousands of people gathered to say one thing: ‘stop Trident.’ Jeremy Corbyn’s office confirmed today that he would address the anti-nuclear weapons rally, joining Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood. The Green MP Caroline Lucas will also join the mass rally alongside a star-studded line-up including actress Vanessa Redgrave.
Oxford CND have a song sheet for us

All the ads are now up on buses and reaching millions of people, just 4 days before the Stop Trident demo! This wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of our members and supporters. A press conference on Monday was followed by a photo call with MPs Caroline Lucas, Ronnie Campbell, Stuart Donaldson, Ian Blackford, Alison Thewliss, and others. On Friday Artist Peter Kennard revealed #StopTrident art competition result at Central London rally 10 things you can do to Stop Trident see cnduk.org

Other Events:

1. The World Is My Country Exhibition Thurs 25 Feb – Sat 12 March
   Free Exhibition Launch 6pm Thursday 25 February With graphic artist Emily Johns, Gabriel Carlyle, and Protest in Harmony. Scottish Storytelling Centre 43-45 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1SR
   The Exhibition celebrates, in stories and pictures, the people and movements that opposed the First World War. Featuring disobedient soldiers, feminist peace initiatives, a Maori princess, a famous Cambridge philosopher, and the striking graphic art of Emily Johns.Join & Share Event on Facebook:
   https://www.facebook.com/events/1575076856117731/

2. Crane making workshops at the Peace and Justice Centre on Saturdays

3. Songs of the Unsung Heroes. Saturday 12 March. 2 – 4:30pm. Scottish Storytelling Centre 43-45 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1SR

4. Forces Watch meeting Monday 14th March: Quaker Meeting House in Edinburgh EdinburghCND and Scottish wilpf

5.Thursday 3 March, 5.30 pm Martin Hall New College Edin Uni Mound Place
Dr Eurig Scandrett, Queen Margaret University, and Elspeth Strachan, Edinburgh
‘Pollution in a Promised Land’: Justice and the Environment in Palestine and Israel.
Monday 14 March, 4.30 pm Martin Hall
Emma Ritch, Director of Engender – Scotland’s Feminist Organisation
Engendering rights? The challenges of using human rights approaches to realise gender justice

6. The next meeting of the Don’t Bank on the Bomb network to 22 March 2pm at the Edinburgh Peace and Justice Centre.

7. The OEWG is meeting at the present time it is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to undertake substantive work on legal measures and norms to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world, and to make recommendations on measures to reduce the risks of accidental, mistaken, unauthorized or intentional nuclear weapon detonations.
The OEWG is open to all member States of the United Nations and to representatives of civil society.

8. Drones Campaign: more events and Feb newsletter: https://dronecampaignnetwork.wordpress.com

 

And a few other things (views not necessarily those of EdinburghCND)

1.From Feb 22-26, governments and civil society met at the Palais des Nations (United Nations) in Geneva for the first sessions of the UN Open Ended Working Group on Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations.                                                                                                                           2.Trident: How the banks have their fingers on the button https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/3468/trident-how-the-banks-have-their-fingers-on-the-button
3. Compass: sharing this video will help build momentum. Please help us do that and we hope to see you at the march on 27th February.                                                                              4.Boris Johnson Solitaire, Sturgeon Blackjack or Trident Poker
http://browngirloutsidethering.blogspot.co.uk/               5.http://votetoleaveeuropeanunion.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/we-call-on-everyone-to-vote-to-leave-eu.html