The International RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WEEK (#RJWeek) will take place all over Europe and beyond in the week between 19-26 November 2017. As usual, the theme of this #RJWeek is INSPIRING INNOVATION.
Check the EFRJ CALENDAR
Please contact Emanuela Biffi if you need advise for organising your RJ event and for disseminating your activity within our network! If you already have an idea, please use this document to publish your event on the EFRJ website (deadline: 12 November). Click here to view some events already published in the EFRJ CALENDAR.
The EFRJ will also organise some activities in Leuven and Brussels: more info on our calendar of events! Among others, the EFRJ will launch the film ‘A Conversation’ (played by No Theatre) based on a real meeting between two families after a case of rape and murder and it will publish a booklet including articles on research and practical experiences on the use of arts in RJ (either as a communication tool or for raising awareness), following the June issue of the EFRJ Newsletter.
- Film ‘A Conversation’: we invite you to organise a two hours event (or more!) to screen the film followed by a debate. The film will be ready by half October, subtitled in 14 different languages (incl. English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Croatian, Hungarian, Hebrew, Russian, Albanian, Portuguese, Italian, Croatian, Greek and Nepali) thanks to our committed EFRJ membership! The film will be available for free to EFRJ members and it cannot be used for commercial purposes. If you are not a member yet, we invite you to check the membership options: organisations can benefit of several membership advantages starting from 135 euros per year. Contact Emanuela Biffi for more info and use this document to publish your event on the EFRJ website! Click here to check if screenings and other events will take place in your area.
- Booklet ‘Arts & RJ’: we collect articles (2000 words) until 1 October. We invite anyone who has ideas or running projects on the possible use of arts in RJ to contribute; these can be about the ways arts are used to raise awareness about RJ, or to prepare the parties before engaging in a RJ process, or to actually encourage dialogue between the conflicting parties. Get inspired by our special edition of the EFRJ Newsletter. We also welcome contributions on art projects in criminal justice settings, e.g. to support victims of to encourage the wellbeing of prisoners. Send your contributions to Emanuela Biffi.
AND YOU, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?
Please download this word document to publish your event on the EFRJ website: send it to Emanuela Biffi by 12 November.
Click here to view some events published in the EFRJ CALENDAR. Among others…
- KU Leuven (Belgium) organises a series of events to launch Leuven as a RJ City
- November, Moderator (Belgium) organises its annual conference ‘Trefdag’ on the bridge between RJ and community development, education and socio-cultural activities
- Konfliktraadet (Norway), thanks to our board member Lars Otto Justad, organises the film screening of ‘A Conversation’ in 22 offices (120 employees and 600 practitioners in total)
- Sassari University (Italy), thanks to our board member Patrizia Patrizi, organises the film screening of ‘A Conversation’ (subtitled in Italian by one of their students) followed by a workshop
- RJ City Tempio Pausania (Italy) organises a RJ conference in prison, hopefully followed by a theatre play of the company ‘Stabile Assai’ composed by detainees
- PsicoIus in Rome (Italy), thanks to one member of our new working group Gian Luigi Lepri, planned a conference in collaboration with the department on juvenile justice and community
- Belfast University (Northern Ireland), thanks to our chair of the board Tim Chapman, organises the film screening of RJ conference in prison
- ……………………………….. and you? Please keep us updated about your initiatives to celebrate this RJ WEEK 2017! Please use this document.
BE INSPIRED!!! Just to have an idea of what happened across Europe in the past years… During the #RJWeek 2016, the EFRJ organised a series of events around the main theme ‘Arts, Justice and Storytelling’ and collected and disseminated stories and events in the field of RJ. During the #RJWeek 2015, the EFRJ celebrate its 15th anniversary with a series of events in Leuven and disseminated the events organised by its members. During the #RJWeek 2014, the EFRJ produced the video ‘Restorative justice. Inspiring the future of a just society for all‘ which was screened across Europe as part of the campaign ‘RJ Lunch on Inspiring Innovation’. During the #RJWeek 2013, the EFRJ designed postcards which were sent across Europe in digital and printed versions.
BRIEF HISTORY: It all started in 1975 in England, where prison chaplains launched a day to remember incarcerated people, the ‘Prisoner’s Sunday’. The idea was then spread in other countries and 20 years later it become the ‘Prisoner’s Week’. This is still celebrated and in Belgium the national prison week and our international RJ week are celebrated with a good collaboration between the EFRJ and local organisers working in prison settings: for example, in 2017 their theme is about family members of prisoners, something where RJ can have a proper say. Finally, it was only in 1996 that Canada expanded the prisoner’s week into the ‘Restorative Justice Week: Community, Victims, and Prisoners’, shortened to ‘Restorative Justice Week’. The EFRJ joined this international campaign since few years after its creation in 2000.
