Letters - 03 January 2025
From QCEA to Quaker testimonies
QCEA
The Quaker Council for European Affairs (QCEA) continues its unique mission to reflect Quaker values in its work with European Union institutions, ‘to support them in building a better world’.
This is illustrated by the approach in their three core areas. Firstly, ‘Climate sensitivity’ whereby QCEA stresses that proposals and actions must take account of the needs and situations of those worst affected by the climate crisis, by promoting a ‘socially just transition’ from fossil fuels. These populations shouldn’t bear the brunt of difficult adaptations that don’t work in their favour.
The second area, also highlighting lived experience, is migration. With the onward march of surveillance technology, including ‘digital border management systems’, the human dimension is disappearing. QCEA also stresses the growing risk of deportation to counties which disregard human rights.
The final strand is described as ‘Enabling dialogue across differences, supporting people to listen deeply and gain new perspectives on issues that are stuck or highly polarised’. QCEA is well known for its quiet diplomacy and reputation as a facilitator.
QCEA’s newsletters always contain a round-up of developments and priorities in the European parliament. Unfortunately defence and militarism remain ‘at the forefront of the EU’s agenda’ with Green parties less prominent and more far-right governments.
It is good to read how the Quaker United Nations Office and QCEA are now working together more closely. Both these shining examples of Quaker witness are largely reliant on donations from Friends. Let’s consider whether we could support them financially. Donations to QCEA via
www.qcea.org.
Andrew and Melanie Jameson
X-Twitter
On 16 December, Friends House announced that, along with a raft of other Quaker organisations, it is ‘disengaging’ from X-Twitter. This, because ‘the disinformation and hate on this platform mean that it is no longer a useful communication tool for us’.
X-Twitter has between 400 million users and 600 million. Bluesky has twenty-five million, a difference of at least sixteen-fold. Might we not maintain a foothold on both platforms? Might we not be mindful of the Jungian ‘shadow’, if we filter for purity?
Christ was on both Bluesky and X-Twitter. Witness the tweet-length beatitudes! We too are called to presence in a broken world and not to sit in silos in a holy huddle.
As our Nobel Peace Prize citation quoted it in 1947: the Quaker way is ‘to build up in a spirit of love what has been destroyed in a spirit of hatred’.
God has angels enough in heaven. As Saint Silouan of Mount Athos put it: ‘Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not.’
Alastair McIntosh
