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Hey all,

http://www.alightforaleppo.org

https://www.facebook.com/alightforaleppo/

I'm the project manager for a new initiative run out of the University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy. The goal is to light a series of beacons around coastlines to show solidarity and empathy with all people in war zones, not just those in Aleppo, though Aleppo was the catalyst for these events. This isn't just a feel-good-about-yourself campaign, we are raising much needed funds for both Oxfam and Doctors without Borders who are both heavily involved in the region.

On November the 20th we will run 6 events but are looking for others, regardless of where you are in the world, who would consider doing something similar. I was wondering if any of you would be up for it? It doesn't need to be big or even outdoors, simply lighting a candle and putting it in the window, building a model of our symbol, a lighthouse etc... have a look a the website/FB page and have a think.

We do not have a political angle/agenda and are advocating nothing but peace, empathy and hope, and even though it is run out of the University's Chaplaincy it is for all faiths and none.

Best wishes
O

If you are lighting beacons on the coast, make sure you are in compliance with any nautical regs.
EDIT: Depending on what you mean by "beacon" there might be regs to watch out for.

What is purpose of that? You will light a candle to stop military actions there and let all those terrorists continue doing what they doing?

 Freakazoitt wrote:
What is purpose of that? You will light a candle to stop military actions there and let all those terrorists continue doing what they doing?

Did you even read what he wrote?

They're raising money for organizations like Dr's Without Borders.

 djones520 wrote:

 Freakazoitt wrote:
What is purpose of that? You will light a candle to stop military actions there and let all those terrorists continue doing what they doing?

Did you even read what he wrote?

They're raising money for organizations like Dr's Without Borders.

These organizations just making "sensations" about bombed hospitals and supply "moderate" terrorists with aid.

 Freakazoitt wrote:

 djones520 wrote:

 Freakazoitt wrote:
What is purpose of that? You will light a candle to stop military actions there and let all those terrorists continue doing what they doing?

Did you even read what he wrote?

They're raising money for organizations like Dr's Without Borders.

These organizations just making "sensations" about bombed hospitals and supply "moderate" terrorists with aid.

Nothing wrong with charity. There are what, a million Syrian refugees on the borders now? Assuming the Syrian government regains control, I'd imagine there will continue to be a large number of refugees who don't dare return home.

 Frazzled wrote:



Nothing wrong with charity. There are what, a million Syrian refugees on the borders now? Assuming the Syrian government regains control, I'd imagine there will continue to be a large number of refugees who don't dare return home.

It's all western (US mostly) politics fault. Instead of having to prevent the bloodshed and to say 'stop' if you do not want Assad, let's split up. Instead, they helped the rebels to totally destroy Assad. and all the humanitarian assistance go only rebels. When syrian people need help outside FSA, none of these compassionate does not help them.

 Frazzled wrote:
If you are lighting beacons on the coast, make sure you are in compliance with any nautical regs.
EDIT: Depending on what you mean by "beacon" there might be regs to watch out for.

Yeah, we're working with the police, coastguard and RNLI, they've been very supportive as have the countryside rangers for the local councils. Curious fact: In the UK land below the high tide line is not governed by the local councils, it belongs to the crown. A very odd system.

 Freakazoitt wrote:

It's all western (US mostly) politics fault. Instead of having to prevent the bloodshed and to say 'stop' if you do not want Assad, let's split up. Instead, they helped the rebels to totally destroy Assad. and all the humanitarian assistance go only rebels. When syrian people need help outside FSA, none of these compassionate does not help them.

Neither side have clean hands in the mess that was Syria and both sides are pressing political agendas. The idea is not about any agendas other than to get people globally to think about the many innocent people (men, women and children) that are caught up in fighting across the globe (Aleppo being a particularly bad example) where they are hoping that the everyday won't be their last because of random shelling, mortar, barrel bombs or chemical weapon attacks.

 Freakazoitt wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:



Nothing wrong with charity. There are what, a million Syrian refugees on the borders now? Assuming the Syrian government regains control, I'd imagine there will continue to be a large number of refugees who don't dare return home.

It's all western (US mostly) politics fault. Instead of having to prevent the bloodshed and to say 'stop' if you do not want Assad, let's split up. Instead, they helped the rebels to totally destroy Assad. and all the humanitarian assistance go only rebels. When syrian people need help outside FSA, none of these compassionate does not help them.

At best this is local powers in their own cold war games. At worst its a dictatorship almost breaking apart.
Iran (Persia), Turkey, Russia, Arab states, its like the 1800s again. Now we just need the British, Turks, and French to fight the Russians over Crimea. On second thought, maybe not. Power politics played locally.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ossified wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
If you are lighting beacons on the coast, make sure you are in compliance with any nautical regs.
EDIT: Depending on what you mean by "beacon" there might be regs to watch out for.

Yeah, we're working with the police, coastguard and RNLI, they've been very supportive as have the countryside rangers for the local councils. Curious fact: In the UK land below the high tide line is not governed by the local councils, it belongs to the crown. A very odd system.

Thats common law. I believe its similar in most old British colonies (including US). Its not local, its the King's property.
Good deal. There are some old laws out there, and navigation-even in the age of GPS- is not something you with.

 Whirlwind wrote:
... The idea is not about any agendas other than to get people globally to think about the many innocent people (men, women and children) that are caught up in fighting across the globe (Aleppo being a particularly bad example) where they are hoping that the everyday won't be their last because of random shelling, mortar, barrel bombs or chemical weapon attacks.

^^ This ^^

And we have to say thuth. When terrorists shelling people with makeshift mortars - it's not "moderates shelling Bashar Assad forces". No, it's randomly devastating of city, inhabited with people. Not "Russians used chemical bombs again" - it's your lovely "moderated" rebels work.

No the RUssians are directly murdering women anc children with cluster bombs. The Assad regime is the one using gas.

Get your crimes against humanity straight.
*Russian-bombing civilians
*Syria-chemical attacks on civilians.
*US-drone strikes
*Canada-Celine Dion

OK then, let's just eliminate all terrorists there, divide Syria by doing normal political process and bring any light you want. Instead, US only preventing that. All we know, that Aleppo is a key of Assad regime survival. that's why they panic about "bloody Putin and Assad terror". How it' is possible to stop war without removing terrorists? No, they're shooting, shelling, murdering continuesly, even if they signed agreement to ceasefire.

 Freakazoitt wrote:
OK then, let's just eliminate all terrorists there, divide Syria by doing normal political process and bring any light you want. Instead, US only preventing that. All we know, that Aleppo is a key of Assad regime survival. that's why they panic about "bloody Putin and Assad terror". How it' is possible to stop war without removing terrorists? No, they're shooting, shelling, murdering continuesly, even if they signed agreement to ceasefire.

Well thats your problem right there. You're equating anyone who doesn't like Assad (aka most Syrians) with being terrorists. this explains much.
I liked it better when the USSR er Russia yea its Russia now, just called them hooligans before sending them off to Siberia. Dosvadonia!

 Frazzled wrote:

 Freakazoitt wrote:
OK then, let's just eliminate all terrorists there, divide Syria by doing normal political process and bring any light you want. Instead, US only preventing that. All we know, that Aleppo is a key of Assad regime survival. that's why they panic about "bloody Putin and Assad terror". How it' is possible to stop war without removing terrorists? No, they're shooting, shelling, murdering continuesly, even if they signed agreement to ceasefire.

Well thats your problem right there. You're equating anyone who doesn't like Assad (aka most Syrians) with being terrorists. this explains much.
I liked it better when the USSR er Russia yea its Russia now, just called them hooligans before sending them off to Siberia. Dosvadonia!

Yeah, that's a problem - most Syrians don't want alavites as their rulers. That's why we need to divide Syria. But before that, we have to remove ISIL and ex-Nusra. They are real terrorists and there is no way to return them. USA has pledged to separate Nusra and FSA, to make FSA out of the fighting. instead of real action, your security services searched for records in facebook and gave the Russian headquarters as the information that the militant group "agreed" to do it. In fact, they have continued to fight (and execute people) or to hide behind moderate FSA and civilians, who kept there by force. What to do in this case? Avoid to damage civilians and bomb moderates with moderate bombs, if they want to stick to Nusra instead of making their own government.

 Freakazoitt wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

 Freakazoitt wrote:
OK then, let's just eliminate all terrorists there, divide Syria by doing normal political process and bring any light you want. Instead, US only preventing that. All we know, that Aleppo is a key of Assad regime survival. that's why they panic about "bloody Putin and Assad terror". How it' is possible to stop war without removing terrorists? No, they're shooting, shelling, murdering continuesly, even if they signed agreement to ceasefire.

Well thats your problem right there. You're equating anyone who doesn't like Assad (aka most Syrians) with being terrorists. this explains much.
I liked it better when the USSR er Russia yea its Russia now, just called them hooligans before sending them off to Siberia. Dosvadonia!

Yeah, that's a problem - most Syrians don't want alavites as their rulers. That's why we need to divide Syria. But before that, we have to remove ISIL and ex-Nusra. They are real terrorists and there is no way to return them. USA has pledged to separate Nusra and FSA, to make FSA out of the fighting. instead of real action, your security services searched for records in facebook and gave the Russian headquarters as the information that the militant group "agreed" to do it. In fact, they have continued to fight (and execute people) or to hide behind moderate FSA and civilians, who kept there by force. What to do in this case? Avoid to damage civilians and bomb moderates with moderate bombs, if they want to stick to Nusra instead of making their own government.

Bomb moderates with moderate bombs? You might rephrase that as its not clear what you are saying.

 Frazzled wrote:


Bomb moderates with moderate bombs? You might rephrase that as its not clear what you are saying.

If "moderate" terrorists exists (according to US), there is a moderate bombs for them

 Freakazoitt wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:


Bomb moderates with moderate bombs? You might rephrase that as its not clear what you are saying.

If "moderate" terrorists exists (according to US), there is a moderate bombs for them

Ah a joke. Got it.

Folks,

Things continue at a pace, the donation links are live and working, and we have begun to build a map of events that people can add to.

Could I ask anybody interested in lighting a candle or organising a beacon/brazier lighting on the 20th of November as part of our " A light for Aleppo" initiative click on the map link below an add in a pin? Yes, it is moderated process.

The only details you need to put in are the name of the event (If a candle, just your family name or similar) and the location (just your town, county, region or state name).

https://mapme.com/a-light-for-aleppo-events

Many thanks
O

And here is the result

No
looks like organized (not spontanous/voluntary) actions

Freakazoitt, this thread isn't for that sort of thing, nor is it for arguing who did what. It's about the 'Light for Aleppo' concept and execution. Leave all your other stuff outside of the thread or you won't be posting for a while

A couple of weeks later and we now have 125 events in 18 different countries and are raising much needed funds. The chaplaincy itself has organised only 6 events in Scotland but all 119 of the events are voluntary. People seemed to have really engaged with it as in addition to brazier and candle lightings we have choir recitals, art installations, readings and numerous services being held today.



It's been an absolute beast to manage but very worthwhile. The University is looking at the best way to keep the initiative beyond today so hopefully we'll have an announcement soon.

Thanks to those of you who have clicked through to www.alightforaleppo.org and the couple of dakkanauts who organised events.

Best
O