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English Heritage announce arrangements for the Solstice Event
Summer
Solstice 2000 -- new info - good reading
There was a meeting In May @ THE DROME - London Bridge to work on stewarding and safe passage for the The Summer Solstice Experiment called by KING ARTHUR
It was agreed by all present
to accept and embrace the terms of the agreement
with English Heritage for free
and total access for all on the solstice.
It was also agreed to communicate
the terms of that agreement, and the
importance of its safe passage
as widely as possible though out our community.
It was also agreed that we cannot
expect the authorities to operate with any greater integrity in this situation
than we have ourselves, meaning that if we state sincere acceptance of
the terms of the agreement, then we operate from that acceptance with no
hidden agendas. "no sound systems" means NO SOUND SYSTEMS. "Leaving
the area at 7:30", means LEAVING at 7:30
We can enjoy dancing etc. just
as much with acoustic instruments,
there are many other opportunities
to have a rave.
Glastobury opens early (the
next day) to help to accommodate that desire.
You are invited to attend The
Summer Soltice Event with your agreement to the above terms. We understand
that more access is our desire and goal for the future but understand that
acceptance of the terms offered by English Heritage is a big step of trust
on their part and the first step
in the process of re openning
Stonehenge to the public
TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
COMMISSION (TRC)
FOR STONEHENGE
& RELATED ISSUES
****************************
Fifteenth meeting
September - THE GEORGE HOTEL AMESBURY - 2 PM prompt to 6 PM
For the date,
contact George on 0117-9542273,
mobile 0777-6445321,
email - george@greenleaf.demon.co.uk
The Commission
is an open forum and is a voluntary initiative of The
International
Institute of Peace Studies & Global Philosophy, and of The
Stonehenge Peace
Process which is a project working to bring together
all parties with
an interest in the controversial issues of access to
Stonehenge and
the surrounding landscape. We believe that a lasting
solution can
only be found if everyone participates and the legitimate
needs of everyone
including druids and pagans, local residents,
authorities,
new age travelers, the public and all Solstice visitors
can be addressed
in a spirit of compromise.
Talks are continuing
with English Heritage about the details of public
access over the
night 20/21st June 2000 up until 7:30AM. It is important
that the significance
of this historic move towards normality is
understood by
all, and the rules are not broken, and there is no
confrontation
or disruption that will render the stones closed again in
future years.
The Council of British Druid Orders are taking names of
volunteers from
their community as stewards and anyone wishing to be
"Peace
Stewards" can also volunteer to wear Stonehenge Peace Process
badges.
* (you do not have to be a druid or a pagan to participate as a Peace Steward)
The Commission
welcomes recent developments as proof that the
different communities
are beginning to understand each other. It is a
big first step
forward, but not yet the end of the road for our work of
historical peacemaking
and reconciliation.
George Firsoff
(Secretary TRC)
Tel 0117-9542273
george@greenleaf.demon.co.uk
Some of the work that we have been involved in, bringing people together to talk through the issues, is bearing fruit with the achievement of a major goal, which is free access to Stonehenge over the night and morning of the Summer Solstice in 2000. English Heritage have recently released the news, which those of us involved in the negotiations have known for a few weeks and have been spreading privately through our own networks. Now that it is fully public, we want to say how happy we are to be moving into gear to plan to play a part in making this event happy, peaceful and successful, so that the atmosphere relaxes and people can be welcomed even more into this special, and to many, very sacred environment, in the future.
There will be a car park at a site yet to be announced, some way from the stones, and people will have to walk from there. We are happy to hear from English Heritage that members of the press will receive no concessions but will be treated just the same as other members of the public, they will have to park in the designated car park and carry their equipment just like everybody else. The National Trust do have special transport however, which they say they will use to help disabled people. The email address for inquiries to the National Trust is enquiries@ntrust.org.uk
The stones will be open from 11:30PM on Tuesday June 20th to 7:30AM on Wednesday June 21st. The Solstice moment astronomically speaking, occurs at 2:48AM BST, and this means that the sunrise of the longest day occurs in practice just before 5 AM BST. The theoretical astronomical sunrise assumes a level horizon, but this by long repute is the time that the sun would appear on the actual horizon provided the sky is clear. Often there is a mist near the horizon and the sun is not actually seen until later. This sunrise time is a magical moment for pagans and druids to do their celebrations, and many members of the public also like to attend. The stones themselves were erected in such a way that the ancient people could observe this special moment in the year, among others. So those gathering there, of whatever persuasion, will be following a very ancient tradition.
With this enormous step forward in public access, there come some strict conditions and a warning. There must be no dogs, no camping, no amplified music, no bedrolls or anything else that would obviously frighten the authorities that people would outstay their welcome, set up a free camp or festival of the kind that happened in the 1970s and 1980s, which many enjoyed, but which is very contentious locally because of its undeniably anarchic nature. The Stonehenge Peace Process fully supports the arrangements for the year 2000 that it has helped in its talks with the authorities, to bring about. It is the best compromise available at the moment and what we all need to do is make it work, so that further progress can follow in the future. Such progress can we hope include, there being legally approved musical and other gatherings, on negotiated sites in the future. This is not within the gift of English Heritage, and probably not of the National Trust. Those who want such an event will have to find a site and negotiate for it and work for it. This also assumes that the communication, the relaxation of nervousness on all sides, and good vibes, can be sustained.
What we therefore appeal for is that people come, respect the arrangements, dispose of their rubbish, do not damage farmers' crops, go away peaceably, so that they may come again next year. We do not want to see confrontations, political arguments, drunken selfishness or any other disturbance marring what is for us a day of great achievement, by no means the end of the road in our dreams of peace and reconciliation, but nevertheless a great step forward. We are therefore setting up a network of totally independent voluntary Peace Stewards to help with liaison, mediation, and generally help the event to run smoothly. If you want to learn more about being a Peace Steward in 2000, click Peace Stewards * you do not have to be a druid or a pagan to participate as a peace steward
"Though the road
may be long
Still journey
on
Till you
reach your happy abode" (song)
With my blessings,
George Firstoff
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