Our Story
A Conversation That Sparked a Movement
Sydney’s Picnic for Peace began with a conversation, quiet, thoughtful, and filled with longing, in early 2025.
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As we looked out at the city we loved, we couldn’t help but notice the growing cracks in our communities — the isolation, the tension, the loss of something that once made Sydney feel vibrant, inclusive, and kind. We spoke about the divisions we were witnessing: political polarisation, racial and religious intolerance, and the slow erosion of public trust and connection. And then, someone asked a question that changed everything: “What would you want to see on the front page of the newspaper?”
There was a pause. And then, almost instinctively, the words came: “Sydney Commits to Peace.”
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That simple sentence sparked something in all of us. It was a vision, not of a policy or a program,
but of a city reclaiming its heart.
A Sydney where neighbours knew one another. Where faiths and cultures stood together in
respect. A Sydney that believed in peace not as a distant dream, but as a lived reality.
Spreading the Word
From that moment, the idea took flight.
We began reaching out to local organisations; community groups, schools, places of worship, and advocacy networks, who, in turn, reached out to their networks. Friends told friends. Siblings called siblings. Teachers shared it with their students. Neighbours passed it on in conversations over fences and footpaths. Before we knew it, Sydney’s Picnic for Peace had become more than an idea. It had become a shared hope.
What is Sydney’s Picnic for Peace?
At its heart, Sydney’s Picnic for Peace is a public, interfaith, cross-cultural, and intergenerational event. But it’s more than a gathering in a park. It is a movement.
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It’s a gentle but powerful reclaiming of community. A call to come together not in anger, but in unity and resolve. Through shared food, live music, storytelling, spiritual reflection, and open dialogue, we are building something lasting. We are rediscovering what it means to belong.
We are remembering the legacy of peace marches, justice campaigns, and local heroes who believed that Sydney could be a city of compassion. And we are reminding ourselves that we have the power to shape the future — together.
August 31st and Beyond
The launch of Sydney’s Picnic for Peace on August 31st is just the beginning.
We are laying the foundation for an ongoing movement that will carry this vision forward across seasons and suburbs.
After the picnic, we’ll keep the conversation going through:
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Monthly webinars focused on peacebuilding, justice, and hope
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Table Talks: small-group discussions held in homes, schools, libraries and halls, creating safe spaces for truth-telling and connection
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Community walks for peace: simple acts of visibility and solidarity, grounding our hope in movement and presence
This is not a one-time event. It’s the beginning of a new way forward for Sydney; a call to those who feel disillusioned, disconnected, or discouraged, and a reminder that peace is always possible when we walk toward it together.
JOIN US
Whether you’re a teacher, student, artist, activist, parent, elder, or neighbour, this movement is for you.
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We invite you to bring your voice, your story, your presence. To sit beside someone you’ve never met. To break bread. To sing. To hope again. Because peace doesn’t start with a government policy. It starts with people. It starts with you.
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Let’s make it happen; for our city, for our future, for each other.
Sydney commits to peace.
