Rosie
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| Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 1:54 am Post subject: October Peace Alliance Newsletter |
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THE PEACE ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER
October 2007
You can also read this newsletter on-line here:
 http://www.thepeacealliance.org/emails/enews/oct07.htm
CONTENTS
* Student Peace Alliance National Conference Report
* Japan Summit Report
* Press for Peace Report
* November Actions ?Student Peace Alliance
* Stories from the Field
* Support Continues to Grow!
--Lansing City Council and Kalamazoo City Commission
* Grassroots Conference Calls in November
* Quote of the Month
* Campaign Materials and Merchandise
* Supporting the Peace Alliance
* Get Active in Your Community!
======================================
Student Peace Alliance National Conference
The First Annual Student Peace Alliance National Conference took place
October 19-21 at Brandeis University, with close to 300 high school and
college students from all parts of the country in attendance. The
outstanding program was anchored by keynote speakers Arun Gandhi, grandson
of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for
Nonviolence; Trish Jones, a leader in the field of peace and conflict
resolution education and president of the Conflict Resolution Association (CRA);
Will Spencer, political consultant and coordinator of the National
Peace Academy Campaign that led to the establishment of the United States
Institute of Peace; and Nobel Peace Laureate Betty Williams. The packed
weekend also included discussions of business and peace, panels on
international issues and the intersection of art and peace, and breakout
sessions on domestic issues (gang and youth violence prevention,
prisoner rehabilitation, and translating idealism to action) and grassroots
organizing issues (nonviolent communication, fundraising, event planning,
recruitment, media relations, and others). Of course, there was time
for fun and lots of music, in the form of performances by Albeback and
The Flobots, a spontaneous "Open Mike" night, and a midnight dance
party.
Department of Peace Campaign state coordinators who attended as
volunteers in support of the conference just keep saying, "This is great," as
youth participants explored complex issues through thoughtful, probing
and sincere Q&A sessions and conversations. There was also a distinct
appreciation for the approach of SPA and the philosophy of The Peace
Alliance. A typical comment was something like, "I was angry and depressed
and then I found SPA and could put my energy somewhere positive - now
I have hope."
Capping off the weekend, SPA youth activists came together to co-create
their first national action, a Congressional call-in campaign
scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving. More details will be coming soon,
and all Department of Peace supporters, regardless of age, will be
encouraged to participate.
And the icing on the cake has been the huge upsurge following the
conference in the establishment of Student Peace Alliance chapters on
campuses around the country. The number of chapters now stands, at the end of
October, at 54 - about 20 more than before the conference less than
two weeks ago!
Congratulations to Aaron Voldman, SPA Executive Director, Julia
Simon-Mishel, SPA Managing Director, and their support team at Brandeis for
producing an amazing organizational and programmatic accomplishment. And
a big thank-you to Brandeis University itself for its support and
in-kind donations of facilities and services.
==============================
Report from Japan: The Third Global Summit for Ministries and Departments of Peace
The Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace held its
Third Global Summit in Japan, September 21-October 3, 2007. The Summit
was attended by 50 people from 21 countries on six continents (see photo)
and included a six-day conference in Kisarazu, which opened on the
International Day of Peace, followed by press conferences, public
symposiums, and other public outreach events in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima,
Nagasaki, and Okinawa.
The Japan Summit was a turning point for the Global Alliance, as
participants realized the depth and breadth of possibility of our work
internally as peacebuilders and externally as "lay" ministers and secretaries
of peace. There is a momentum building that will undoubtedly lead to
increased participation and visibility.
Further, it seems inevitable that we will continue to see more
countries initiating ministries and departments of peace as we make the shift
from living in a culture of violence to living in a culture of peace,
and as we take action, each in our own way, to establish the conditions
for a culture of peace.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/files/global_engagement/japansummitreport.pdf
==============================
Press for Peace Report
On October 12, 2007, staff and volunteers for the Peace Alliance
delivered press packets to the 68 current cosponsors of HR 808, legislation
to establish a U.S. Department of Peace, encouraging them to enroll
additional members of Congress in supporting this vital legislation. They
also visited Representatives whose grassroots constituencies were
conducting mirror actions in-district. Each packet shared a wealth of media
generated over the past year about the movement and the Department of
Peace legislation.
In DC, five teams of two to four people visited offices and then
celebrated the action with lunch afterwards. Some people were actually able
to spend a few minutes with Congress members who shared their
appreciation for the continued work of the grassroots movement. In all
interactions with cosponsors and their staff, activists invited the Congress
members to help spread the word about and garner additional support for
the Department of Peace among their colleagues.
Additional visits were coordinated in-district and on the Hill during
subsequent weeks, building on the powerful media message to create
lobbying opportunities. Congratulations and gratitude to everyone who
participated in this action, and to everyone who helped generate such
positive press about the U.S. Department of Peace.
==============================
November Actions!
Save the Date! November 26-30, the Student Peace Alliance is sponsoring
a national Congressional Call-in Campaign. This is the first major
national action by SPA that was co-created by youth activists nationwide
who came together at the Student Peace Alliance National Conference.
More details will be provided soon!
==============================
Stories from the Field
------------------------------
South Carolina Concert for Peace
On a hot and humid September day in Charleston, SC, peacekeepers
gathered to listen to music and their hearts about Peace. Dee Partridge
reports.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/447/449/
------------------------------
North Carolina Student Walk-A-Thon
Students from Asheville turned their walk-a-thon into a local
fundraiser so they could get themselves started as a Student Peace Alliance
Chapter. This report, by way of North Carolina Department of Peace Campaign
state coordinator Laura Sorenson, is from Daniel Pinelli, the
15-year-old who did most of the organizing with his mom. Read it here!
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/448/446/
------------------------------
Washington State Department of Peace Community Education -- Multi-Faith Understanding
Kassandra Kersting, Washington's 6th Congressional District Team
Leader, reports that local Department of Peace supporters have created their
own "Peace Academy", where twice a year they organize an educational
event to promote growth in awareness of how to achieve peace and break
down the barriers of prejudice. Their latest effort was sponsorship of a
workshop on Islam as an occasion to distribute Department of Peace
literature and present to the public another image of Muslims other than
what is frequently reported in our daily newspapers. Read it here!
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/449/449/
------------------------------
"Gift of Peace" in New Hampshire for International Day of Peace
The New Hampshire campaign celebrated the International Day of Peace
with three presentations of the play The Gift of Peace. The NH campaign's
art director, Jan Grossman, reports.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/450/449/
------------------------------
Press for Peace: Massachusetts and Maryland
Cheryl Levine, a law student at American University, participated in
Press for Peace visits to Massachusetts and Maryland Congressmen on
Capitol Hill. Read her report of her experiences here.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/451/449/
If you have a Story from the Field to share, we will be happy to
consider it for this space. Please send to mike@thepeacealliance.org
==============================
Support Continues to Grow!
For a list of the 68 Congressional co-sponsors of HR808, click here
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/49/126/
Two Michigan Cities Add Their Support for HR 808 in October
At its October 15 meeting, the Kalamazoo City Commission voted
unanimously to support HR 808, the bill that would establish a cabinet-level
Department of Peace. Kalamazoo's vote came just two weeks after Lansing
city officials adopted a similar resolution. For the Lansing story, click here
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/452/143/
and for Kalamazoo, click here
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/453/143/
For a list of all 27 cities, counties, and tribal councils who have
endorsed the Department of Peace and Nonviolence, and to find out how you
can do likewise in your city, click here.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/147/143/
For a list of organizations endorsing the Department of Peace campaign,
and a form to sign yours up, click here.
-------------------------------------
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/50/127/
===================================
Grassroots Conference Calls in November
-------------------------------------
All-Call (Tuesday, November 6):
Please join special guest Marianne Williamson, president of the Board
of Directors of the Peace Alliance, on our monthly All Call. Learn more
about Marianne's views of the Politics of Possibility, celebrate
October's successful Press for Peace action and get an update on upcoming
November events. All Department of Peace Campaign activists, supporters
and interested newcomers are invited to call in.
-------------------------------------
FUNdraising and Events (Tuesday, November 20):
Join us on Tuesday, November 20, for our monthly FUNdraising Event
call. You will have the opportunity to hear from supporters as they share
about recent local or national events they have hosted in their
communities as well as brainstorm ways to outreach and share the exciting
news.
-------------------------------------
Non-Violent Communications (NVC) (Thursday, November 29)
Get expert coaching from professional facilitators in Nonviolent
Communication (NVC) to support you in your communication challenges with
regards to your work, personal life, and service with the Dept. of Peace
campaign. You'll gain new skills in truly being peace, and find how
changing your communications can help change your world. Join us! This call
lasts 90 minutes.
==============================
Quote of the Month
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change
something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."
~Buckminster Fuller
If you have a favorite quotable from a notable about peace or evocative
of what peace means, we will be happy to consider it for this space.
Please send to mike@thepeacealliance.org
==============================
Campaign Materials and Merchandise
Order your Holiday Cards Now!
Jessi Miller from Florida designed a beautiful card for us this year
and we are ready for sales now. Order by November 6th and we will have your order to you by Thanksgiving.
Ordering information here!
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/456/145/
We have a number of items in our web store to help you promote the
Peace Alliance and your local campaigns for a Department of Peace,
including our holiday cards which became available Nov. 1.
Our DVD includes our new 12-minute promotional video, a 3-minute video
interview with Marianne Williamson, as well as two versions of an
interview with Walter Cronkite and Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
They are a wonderful way to share our campaign with friends and groups. You can watch clips from the DVD on YouTube now!
http://youtube.com/thepeacealliance
We also have Brochures, Bumper Stickers, and more... Visit Our Store
Now!
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/27/145/
==============================
Supporting the Peace Alliance
Amazon.com Affiliate program
Do you Shop Online?
If you shop online for books, music, electronics, appliances or any other products, consider using our affiliate link with Amazon.com. For every purchase you make using this link, we get a percentage of the sale.
If you already shop regularly online, this is a simple way to help fund the work of The Peace Alliance! Click here:
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/338/1/
=====================================
Get Active in Your Community!
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/organize
=====================================
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http://www.thepeacealliance.org
_________________
Everyone please catch my BlogTalk Radio Show: White Rose Talks about the
U.S. Department of Peace, 3 - 5pm CST Sundays, and available for download.
Thank You! |
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