Welcome to the Shahmai Network website

The Shahmai Network is a UK based network of people devoted to spiritual practice and development, as well as humanitarian and social involvement. Our goal is to support a new perspective within the wider arena of spirituality, and especially alternative and growing areas of enquiry. We encourage a direct approach, as we believe this is the most rewarding, as well as, most relevant avenue towards growth and understanding in our complex modern world. To learn more about the values we support please read about us.

In the run up to the holiday season we have been asked by Nonviolent Peace Force to let you know about Peace Bonds® an excellent way of giving towards global peace at the same time as giving a gift to a friend or loved one.

Give the Gift of Peace for Christmas
Support civilian peacekeeping. Offer Peace as a meaningful gift. Support unarmed peacekeepers and communities around the world in solving conflicts through non-violent strategies. Give NonViolent Peaceforce's Peace Bonds® and buy up to 100 Hours of Peace from $10 to $500.


The Shahmai Network are also members of the International Vegetarian Union, The IVU was founded in 1908 when the first World Vegetarian Congress was held in Dresden, Germany. The aim of the IVU is to promote vegetarianism and veganism throughout the world.


As part of our ongoing work to see an end to global poverty, the Shahmai Network have now joined the Jubilee Debt Campaign. This will mark the next stage in our work and allow members of the Shahmai Network to take an active role in working towards a fairer society and world.

MAKE
POVERTYHISTORY

Our involvement with the Jubilee Debt Campaign stems from our earlier campaigning work. The Shahmai Network were official members of the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY coalition in 2005, a year of major change. It was a year of unbelievable tragedy with lives all over the world devastated by a series of shocking events: the Asian tsunami, famine in Niger and Mali, the earthquake in South Asia and the hurricane in Guatemala. All were stark reminders of the vulnerability of the billion-plus people on our shared planet who live on less than $1 a day. Yet instead of reacting with a sense of helplessness, people have responded with an outpouring of compassion for humanity, solidarity and respect for the value of human life.

The unprecedented level of global campaigning on poverty in 2005 was very much a part of that incredible response. By raising awareness of the impact of global economic injustices, the campaign highlighted two key points: that poverty is not inevitable and that it is possible to make poverty history if political leaders have the will to do so.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY is part of a powerful people’s movement that believes in progress through democracy. The campaign has shown that it is possible for governments to deliver real change when faced with such public demand – change that can mean the difference between life and death for millions of people. There is little doubt that the political decisions taken during the year would not have been taken without the passionate commitment of campaigners. If governments follow through on their promises without imposing harmful conditions, millions of lives that would have been lost could now be saved.

Campaigners have seen real progress but governments internationally could have done more. They have the ability and power to deliver what is demanded of them. The billions of dollars added to aid budgets will make a difference but this must be promptly followed by further increases as billions more will be needed. Up to 40 countries could benefit from the cancellation of debts; meanwhile many are still spending more on debt repayments than on health and education. If promises hold fast, by 2010 virtually all those who need life-saving AIDS treatment will have it, but this promise risks being broken without a further injection of new resources.

While governments have made important statements of principle against forced liberalisation and economic policy conditions, these words must urgently be turned into action if trade is to be used to help developing countries protect and cultivate their economies. The continuation of injustices around trade will perpetuate poverty for generations. Any progress on aid and debt will not make poverty history without trade justice being delivered.

In 2006, the challenge will be different. The spotlight will not be on the UK in the way it has been in 2005, but the British Government must play an important role in sustaining international pressure. The Global Call to Action Against Poverty will continue to campaign, organising a global forum and at least one co-ordinated international event in 2006. Campaigners in the UK will continue to play their part and together they will hold leaders to the promises they made in 2005 and increase the pressure on them to go a lot further in the right direction to end poverty. Campaigners will maintain the push for the UK Government to change their policies and expend their political capital in the interests of the world’s poorest people.

2005 was a year for campaigners to remember. They were part of the biggest ever anti-poverty movement and in doing so they made history. The fight against poverty continues and the passion, energy and momentum of 2005 will fuel future campaigning for the years to come.

The call to MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY has inspired a generation: 2005 marked the beginning of something incredible.

 

Copyright © 2007 Graham E. Nicholls, all rights reserved.