'The new logo is accompanied by a strapline ‘Building Peace, Seeking Justice, Bringing Hope’.'
Quaker handshake new logo for peace charity
‘Henry Hodgkin’s pioneering spirit of peace, ecumenical encounter and anti-militarism is a vital part of the Fellowship of Reconciliation story.'
Quaker Henry Hodgkin is reflected in the new logo of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR) (England and Scotland), a Christian movement for peace that he founded in 1914.
The new logo (pictured), which features a handshake, and was unveiled earlier this month, is part of a wider revamp of the charity’s brand and strategy.
John Cooper, director of FoR, told the Friend that the story of the foundation of FoR centres on a handshake between Henry Hodgkin and Friedrich Siegmund-Schultze, a German, in 1914.
As the men prepared to depart to different places on a Cologne railway station platform, they shook hands and declared they were ‘one in Christ and would never be at war’.
This commitment to building bridges between nations and working together in fellowship is seen as an inspiration for peacemakers today, which is why the handshake is the new logo, said John Cooper.
‘Henry’s pioneering spirit of peace, ecumenical encounter and anti-militarism is a vital part of the FoR story. It reminds us we are playing our part in a journey of peace with other people. In our modern era, where divisions are accentuated for political gain, it is good to remind people that peace begins by breaking down barriers, increasing encounters and calling for peace and justice.’
The new logo is accompanied by a strapline ‘Building Peace, Seeking Justice, Bringing Hope’.
The refreshed visual identity sits alongside a new strategy, still being commented on by members, ‘that will shape the next 5 years of the Fellowship’.
Ideas considered include: refreshing pacifism to reflect climate change; expanding the Peacecast podcast; exploring the anti-racism history of FoR; and creating new FoR groups (geographically and online) to strengthen and support active peace-making around the nations.
The FoR is an ecumenical movement of peace, justice and nonviolence with over 700 members in England and Scotland.
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