Ceremonies focused on remembrance and peace are planned for various places in the UK on Remembrance Sunday, with white poppies wreaths being laid at many of them as a symbol of remembrance for all victims of war of all nationalities. 

At a national level, the Alternative Remembrance Sunday Ceremony will take place at 1.00pm in Tavistock Square, London on Sunday 11 November. Organised by the groups that make up the First World War Peace Forum - including the Peace Pledge Union - the event will include a live performance by celebrated Syrian singer Maya Youseff. The actor Michael Mears will read from a speech by leading First World War pacifist Clifford Allen. 

Most improtantly, the ceremony will include two minutes' silence for all victims of war, followed by the laying of white poppy wreaths by each of the organisations involved. Individuals and other groups present will then be invited to lay their own wreaths or individual white poppies or other flowers. 

The ceremony will be followed by a Festival of Peace and Remembrance in Friends' House, Euston Road (very nearby), organised by the First World War Peace Forum. Together they form part of a programme of events organised by the Forum under the title 'No More War: Let's make peace happen'. 

Meanwhile, groups around the UK are organising their own ceremonies and other events to remember of all victims of war and a to commit themselves to peace. Some of these are orgnaised by local peace groups, other by faith groups or other collections of local individuals. In some cases, white poppy wreaths will be laid at a town or city's war memorial after the official local ceremony is over. At others, the event will be entirely separate. 

Towns and cities expected to hold white poppy events include Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Guildford, Northampton, Leamington Spa and Bury St Edmunds. In Liverpool, there will be an event to remember the conscientious objectors imprisoned in the city's Walton Prison during World War One. 

Many local events have been organised informally without much publicity beyond the local area. The Peace Pledge Union is appealling to the organisers of such events to get in touch so that they can be listed on the PPU website, and information about them provided to enquirers. 

If you're organising an event that's not on the PPU's list, please get in touch at mail@ppu.org.uk or on 020 7424 9444.