Dear friends,

Our next monthly Nonviolent Communications (NVC) conference call to support you in your communication challenges (inner and outer) is this Thursday, November 20, 2008. This is a week earlier than usual, due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The call will be facilitated by Miki Kashtan.

Time: 6:00 p.m. pacific, 9:00 eastern.

Call in number: (712) 432-1601

Access code: 470821#.

Please note: These 90-minute calls are recorded for inclusion on our website, and for use in training tools created by Miki Kashtan.

The call will ask you to announce yourself. PLEASE IGNORE THIS REQUEST if it might interrupt a conversation in progress.

These calls offer a powerful opportunity to explore how to have the most rich and meaningful connections with others in your life and work for the Department of Peace campaign. On these calls, you will have the opportunity

to:

- Increase your general effectiveness in communicating in this campaign and in your life.

- Learn to deal better with conflict as it arises.

- Explore how to have the richest and most meaningful connections you can as you educate others about our work.

These calls are most effective and useful when we work with a few individuals on real live issues. Here are some things to think about to help you discover the most valuable topics for you to bring up for

conversation:

1. To whom do you want to learn to express yourself with more clarity and authenticity? What’s the situation?

2. Who do you have trouble responding to with compassion? What’s the situation? (Might be issues dealing with your congressional offices).

3. Do you have anyone you struggle with who you would be willing to join you in receiving support during the call? Please contact us immediately, so we can talk before the call.

I highly suggest you check it out, and invite others in your district to do so. If you have never participated in an NVC call before and would like to learn more, please click on the NVC call link on our home page, or paste the following URL into your browser:

http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/64/73/. Whatever your previous experience, we welcome you to join us.

Thank you for your love and service to the Campaign for a U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence, and for your commitment to truly be the change we are calling for. I trust you will enjoy the call.

In gratitude,

Wendy

Wendy Greene

Managing Director

The Peace Alliance

www.thepeacealliance.org

1730 Rhode Island Avenue NW Suite 712

Washington, DC 20036

DC office phone: 202.296.1187

SAVE THE DATE–Next month’s NVC call will be on Thursday, December 18, 2008. NOTE THAT THIS IS A WEEK EARLIER than usual, due to the Christmas holiday. Same time, same call-in number.

ABOUT MIKI KASHTAN

Miki Kashtan, certified NVC trainer, is co-founder of BayNVC. Miki conducts organizational trainings, consults with private and public sector organizations, leads practice groups, and teaches NVC workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the country. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from University of California at Berkeley.

Miki is inspired by the contribution that NVC can make to social change movements and values sharing these skills with leaders and activists. She also particularly enjoys working with and coaching people interested in learning to teach NVC.

For more information, visit www.baynvc.org.

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There are times we all recognize as history in the making and certainly this past week has been one of them.

Regardless of how you voted, selecting new leaders is just the beginning. As citizens, we now focus our attention on using our voices to empower them to prioritize peace–in every home and school, in our streets and prisons, and around the world.

It is with great enthusiasm that I assumed the role of Executive Director on October 1st. Over the past years, and especially the past few months, I have worked closely with volunteers, staff, and Board, giving me a unique perspective on our work

I can tell you now our organization has never been larger or stronger. I am both excited and confident in what lies ahead.

Today we launch the registration for our Department of Peace Campaign National Conference, March 20-23, 2009 in Washington, DC and we expect it to be our largest ever.

I encourage each of you to come, whatever it takes.

The world is changing. Defining the course of our nation is the greatest civic influence we have. Now is the time, as the new Congress and new administration set their priorities, that we can make the biggest impact. Now is the time to make your voice heard and to ask your national leaders to make peace and violence reduction a top priority in every sector of our society, and the cornerstone of our international policy.

How can you do this?

• Write a passionate postcard to your new President and enroll your friends to do the same
• Buy your Holiday Cards and spread the message of peace among friends and family
• Join the All Call Tuesday night, Nov. 11, and be inspired by Rich Dutra-St. John, cofounder of Challenge Day, who are helping communities create a culture of peace in their schools.
• Share in the amazing activities of this powerful grassroots movement in our Stories from the Field section.
• Go to change.gov and share your recommendation of where the new Administration should lead our nation.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires our active engagement. Our last conference sold out, and we had to turn people away at the door. This year, you can be one of 1,000 citizens crisscrossing the halls of Congress, inspiring our leaders to reach for a brighter, better and saner future. Don’t you want to be there?

Lynn McMullen
Executive Director
The Peace Alliance

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Get Your Holiday Cards Today!

Do you continue the timeless tradition of connecting with friends and family during the holidays by sending them cards and letters? If so, you have a great opportunity to also support The Peace Alliance and the Department of Peace Campaign!

Rather than popping down to your local Hallmark, buy your Holiday Cards online from us! These one-of-a-kind cards were specially designed by Campaign volunteer Marcia Taack of California. Each card contains information about the Campaign on the back and all proceeds benefit The Peace Alliance.

Order your cards today!

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Send Your Postcards to the President-Elect

Now that the elections are over, our work begins in earnest. Now through Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009, we are sending postcards to President-elect Barack Obama telling him we want increased funding for effective violence reduction and prevention programs. Learn how you can join this fun, easy and important action today!

If you’ve already participated, be sure to report your results (if you haven’t already) and keep enrolling your friends and family!

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Get Ready for the National Conference!

We’re thrilled to announce early-bird registration is NOW OPEN
for the 2009 National Conference to be held in Washington, D.C.!

It promises to be an historic four-day event featuring YOU, hundreds of youth and adult grassroots volunteers from across the nation and the world, Riane Eisler, Rita Marie Johnson, Azim Khamisa, Ocean Robbins, Rich and Yvonne St. John-Dutra and more!

Learn all about the conference on our website and register today!

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Peace Walks Inspire!

Congratulations everyone! More than 25 Walk for Peace events were held all across the nation in during September, many held in conjunction with the International Day of Peace, September 21.

We’ve put the stories we’ve received on the website for you to read. Those are just the tiny tip of the iceberg we’ve heard about from organizers. If you don’t see your story there, feel free to send it to Wendy.

Thank you and congratulations to everyone!

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Passing of Stephen Desposito

We’re sad to report the loss of Stephen Desposito, former Co-Congressional District Team Leader (CDTL) of Rhode Island’s District 2. A very young 57 at his passing on September 5, 2008, Steve and his wife Joyce helped pioneer Peace Alliance efforts in Rhode Island.

The family has established The Stephen A. Desposito Memorial Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers.   Donations payable to “URI Foundation/Stephen A. Desposito” may be sent to the URI Foundation, PO Box 1700, Kingston, RI 02881.

You may read his full obituary online. Thank you Steve for a life well-lived and well-loved.

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From the Board
By Christine Elliot

From September 25 through 27, 2008, our seven Peace Alliance Directors and three staff (Wendy Greene, Kathy Kidd and Julia Simon-Mishel) met in Marin, California for a Strategic Planning retreat lead by our new Executive Director, Lynn McMullen - a first with new Board members, Christine Elliot, Judy Kimmel, Matthew Albracht, Aaron Voldman and Daniel Smith, joining veteran Directors Heart Phoenix and Mike Robbins.

We evaluated our organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and the current and near-term external factors representing both threats to, and opportunities for, our work. (The analysis of “strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats” forms the basis of accepted best practices for Strategic Planning.) You can anticipate exciting news in the near future as we further articulate specific goals, strategies and operational plans in the following four strategic areas: Strengthening and Growing Our Grassroots, Fundraising, Legislative Agenda and Community Peacebuilding. We look forward to working with the State Coordinators and incorporating grassroots input received in the past year as we refine our Strategic Plan.

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Ask the Peacebuilder
By Marianne Perez

Editor’s Note: Educator and Peacebuilder Marianne Perez, who holds a masters in Peace and Conflict Studies and is part of New Yorkers for a Department of Peace, will share information and answer your questions about the field of peacebuilding. Read the full text of the column and submit your questions to Marianne on our website under under Get Involved>Peacebuilding Conversations>Ask a Peacebuilder. Enjoy!

Careers to Change the World?

The following email launches our discussion this month:

Hello,
My name is Katia, and I’m 18 years old. I have high hopes and dreams in changing society, and I dream big of even changing the world someday. Of course I do realize you must start small, but I was wondering if I can make this into a career? One revolving around peace and helping out society and even all over the world, spreading the message of peace. Which careers meet these requirements?

Read the answer and join the conversation on our website.

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Stories from the Field

Making Peace a Priority on the Campaign Trail
“What an amazing experience I had going to the Town Hall at Century Village in Deerfield Beach, Florida to meet Senator Joe Biden. While in line, I met Congressman Wexler (earlier this year, he signed on as a cosponsor for H.R. 808) and got the photo you see on the right.” Read more from South Florida’s Noreen Labonte here…

NorCal Hosts Town Hall with Congressman Ellison
Minnesota’s Congressman Keith Ellison joined activists in sunny Northern California to discuss peace and the Department of Peace legislation. Read Co-State Coordinator Nancy Merritt’s report….

Celebrating the International Day of Peace
Los Angeles-area CDTL JoAnn Gaines shares three great stories with insights and activities around the International Day of Peace, including her district’s efforts to get peace proclamations from local city councils and Ojai’s “Living Peace” activities.

San Diego Summer of Peace
Sue Trisler shares three great events held during August and September, touching more than a thousand people in San Diego. Read more…

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If you have a story from the field, please email it to Wendy Greene. We will be happy to consider it for this space and for posting on our website.

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Monthly Grassroots Conference Calls

Times for all calls: 6:00 PM Pacific/ 9:00 PM Eastern New Call In Number for all calls: 1-219-509-8020  Access Code: 80808# Click here for more information about monthly calls, and to hear recordings of previous calls.

Monthly All Call Tuesday, November 11 Note: This is a week later than normally, due to the elections on Tuesday, November 4 Join Challenge Day’s Rich Dutra-St. John on this month’s All Call! Make sure you join us and connect with Department of Peace Campaign supporters all across the nation. We’ll share successes and challenges, find out what’s working and what’s coming up, and get re-centered for this important work. All active campaigners or anyone interested in learning about what we are doing are encouraged to join us for these one-hour monthly calls.

Nonviolent Communications Thursday, November 20 Note: This is a week earlier than usual due to the Thanksgiving Holiday Get expert coaching from professional facilitators in Nonviolent Communication (NVC) to support you in your communication challenges in your personal life, at work, and in service with the Department 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.

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Although we don’t know who the next President will be, we do know that one of his first actions will be to present Congress with a budget. We want to tell the new President–whether it’s McCain or Obama–that we want increased funding for effective violence reduction and prevention programs.

So we’re launching a “Personal Postcards to Your President” campaign beginning as soon as we know has won and through to the Innaguration.

It’s easy to participate!

1. Visit your local store and get a postcard representing your town or city
2. Write a note to YOUR next President
3. Mail it by Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009
4. Urge all of your friends and family to do the same

You should use the address of his Senate office. Here are the addresses of the two top candidates for the office:

It’s that simple!

Will you join us in this campaign? Click here to say YES!

Your personal note to your President will continue building our relationship with him, keeping him aware of the Department of Peace concept and campaign. It will also expose the President to a special kind of citizen lobbyist-one who is a peacebuilder, committed to lasting solutions.

Not sure what to say? The key is to make this your personal and passionate message. Tell him, in very few words, what is most important to you!

You can:

• Offer your Congratulations
• Introduce yourself
  Say you are a Mom, a student, a plumber, a bank teller–whatever is true for you
• Say why this issue concerns you
• Ask him to make funding violence prevention programs a top priority of his presidency.
• Use a statistic or two that strengthens your message.
  You can find some statistics on violence on our website.
• Ask him to use the State of the Union Address to talk about the importance and urgency of funding violence prevention in all sectors of our society–in our homes and schools, in our streets and prisons.

Urge all your friends and family you see over the holidays to join you. Offer people postcards from your state to write on, and wait while they write it and give it back to you with a stamp. We are eager for there to be thousands of postcards sent–every card counts!

A few reminders:

• Do not send letters. All letters with envelopes require more complex screening, which is why we’re encouraging everyone to USE POSTCARDS.
• Mail all postcards by Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009.
• Keep it simple! This is, after all, a busy time
• Tell us you are going to join this effort - click here.

Need help crafting your message?
Here are a few phrases you can use or adapt:

• Make violence reduction and prevention a top priority in your first term
• Invest in proven violence prevention efforts for our schools and homes.
• Strengthen peacekeeping efforts internationally through our foreign assistance and diplomacy.
• Lead us to peace with all your efforts.
• As part of the Department of Peace campaign, I am urging that violence prevention and peacebuilding programs and policy be one of the top priorities of your legacy.

Are you going to join this action? Let us know that you’re saying YES!

Thank you for joining us in welcoming our new President, and for standing with us for a culture of peace. Together, we are making a difference.

With Gratitude,

The Peace Alliance

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<

I think there’s never been a greater need for our advocacy.
· It’s never a good day in clips when the news is reporting a
resurgence of Dengue Fever. In fact, many deadly viruses are
experiencing a resurgence as air travel and population density
increase across the developing world.
· Add to that unhappy news this unfortunate but predictable result in
Zimbabwe. Sanctions are undermining the health system, resulting in a
devastating reduction in care for TB and AIDS.
· Times have never been more trying across the continent, and African
leaders will meet next month to discuss many issues, specifically the
global financial crisis.
The downward pressures on the developing world are truly staggering,
and our voices have never been needed more.
Thank you for all that you do,
Josh Chernila, ONE
Washington, DC
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1) The African Union said on Monday it would hold a summit next
month on the continent’s response to the global financial crisis. It
also urged member states to tighten their belts to help them withstand
the impact of collapsing world markets.
Reuters: Africa calls summit to respond to financial crisis
http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnJOE49R03N.html

2) Zimbabwe’s HIV and TB programs are suffering as its public
health system sags under pressure as donors continue to pull out.
Development assistance to the Zimbabwe health ministry has been
declining steadily in the last five years. While donor support in the
health system in 1997 was US$71 million, by 2002 it had plummeted to
only US$7 million, a factor of 10 in only five years.
Zimbabwe Chronicle: Zimbabwe’s health system buckles under sanctions
http://www.chronicle.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=3721&cat=10

3) Researchers at the Pan American Health Organization announced
yesterday that tourists traveling by plane and the growth of cities
are combining to help new and old infections spread around the world.
Viruses such as Chikungunya and dengue fever are finding new homes or
returning to places where they were eradicated.
Reuters: Old and new viruses spread by air travel, crowding
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnN27516424.html

Reuters: Africa calls summit to respond to financial crisis
Tue 28 Oct 2008, 6:30 GMT
BRAZZAVILLE (Reuters) - The African Union said on Monday it would hold
a summit next month on the continent’s response to the global
financial crisis.
It also urged member states to tighten their belts to help them
withstand the impact of collapsing world markets.
“We urge African governments to pursue prudent monetary and fiscal
policies to mitigate the effects of falling world markets on the
continent, in a manner that does not compromise our development, ”
African Union Commission chief Jean Ping told a meeting on sustainable
development.
He said the continental body and the African Development Bank (AfDB)
had agreed to hold the summit on November 12 in Tunis, where the
majority of the bank’s personnel work.
“There is no doubt it will have serious repercussions on capital flows
and their sustainability, as well as on trade in Africa,” Ping said of
the global financial turmoil.
The financial crisis also may reduce donors’ development aid budgets,
Ping said while attending the Sixth Forum on Sustainable Development
which opened in Congo Republic’s capital Brazzaville.
Ping is a former government minister from oil-producing Gabon, which
has one of the highest average per capita incomes in Africa but stands
to lose from weaker world oil prices, which have dropped by more than
half from record highs in July.
African economies generally have been growing at their fastest pace
for years thanks in part to booming Asian demand for their commodities
exports and rising foreign investment.
But with a global economic slowdown and some developed economies
tipping into recession, the International Monetary Fund trimmed its
growth forecast for sub-Saharan Africa to 6 percent in 2008 and 2009
from about 6.5 percent in 2007.
The Tunis conference will come just a few days after the world’s major
industrialised and developing economies meet in Brazil as the “G-20″
to draw up plans to tackle the crisis in preparation for a global
summit in Washington on November 15.
The president of the West African state of Benin, Thomas Boni Yayi,
complained at the weekend that Africa’s poorest countries had no
representation within the G-20, which includes only South Africa, the
poorest continent’s biggest economy.

Zimbabwe Chronicle: Zimbabwe’s health system buckles under sanctions
October 28, 2008

Harare — Zimbabwe was recently applauded at the XVII International
AIDS Conference in Mexico for its success in reducing the country’s
HIV and TB prevalence and incidence.

However, despite this decline, the country’s HIV and TB programmes
are suffering as its public health system sags under pressure as
donors continue to pull out.

Development assistance to the Zimbabwe health ministry has been
declining steadily in the last five years. While donor support in the
health system in 1997 was US$71 million, by 2002 it had plummeted to
only US$7 million, a factor of 10 in only five years.

Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Edwin Muguti explains
that in 1999 donor financing was 13 percent of the national health
expenditure but by 2002 it had gone down to only one percent. And this
decline in donor assistance has coincided with a major economic
decline in the country.

“The limited Government’s ability to absorb and take over some of
the programmes and projects that were previously funded by donors has
severely put pressure on the health delivery system,â€&#65533; says Dr Muguti.

Donors such as DANIDA, who funded health sector reforms and the
essential drugs programme, JICA (malaria, schistosomiasis, paediatric
and obstetric facilities), NORAD (reproductive health, national
nutritional policy and health sector reforms, and the Netherlands (TB
programme and drugs) have pulled out of the health sector in Zimbabwe.

Support from the Italian Cooperation (health information system and
the district public health training) ended in 2003 and the USAID have
drastically scaled down their operations in Zimbabwe, says Dr Muguti.

Another major challenge for the country’s health system is the
skills flight. Although, figures could not be obtained, more than 80
percent of the country’s medical personnel (doctors, nurses, medical
technicians) are believed to have left the country because of poor
remuneration worsened by poor economic performance.

Other donors who have supported Zimbabwe’s health programmes include
CIDA, the Clinton Foundation, European Union, Finida, and the DFID.

Dr Muguti said while Zimbabwe qualified for support through the Global
Funds by virtue of being a member of the WHO, HIV support from the
fund has been US$4 per person, per annum compared to US$174 per person
per annum spent by the Global Fund in other countries in the Southern
Africa region.
UNFPA country representative Dr Bruce Campbell says that despite
almost zero donor funding for its HIV response, Zimbabwe has indeed
worked hard to achieve the justifiably lauded decline in its HIV
prevalence.

“Zimbabwe is neither a beneficiary of PEPFAR, nor has it received
much funding for its HIV response. Very little has come from the
Global Fund. But it (Zimbabwe) has shown what unity of purpose can
achieve in the HIV response,â€&#65533; says Dr Campbell.

It is estimated that 1,6 million Zimbabweans are living with HIV with
300 000 of these in urgent need of antiretroviral (ARVs) drugs. Only a
third of those needing ARVs are receiving them.

The Zimbabwe health ministry is serviced by up to 70 percent of
imported material. But, as the country is facing a dire foreign
currency shortage, it is unable to import the inputs resulting in poor
or no service at all.

“Because the country is facing a dire foreign currency shortage,
these imports are not met and delivery in the health ministry suffers.
Spare parts for hospital equipment, machinery and motor vehicles are
imported and this has been severely affected,â€&#65533; Dr Muguti says.

He explains that this will affect the country’s national malaria
spraying programme, as there are no spare parts for the ground fleet.

“We are a member of the international community with obligations
towards disease monitoring and control. If we are incapacitated in
monitoring and controlling diseases, that spills over to our
neighbours and the whole global disease control and monitoring
programmes falls into jeopardy,â€&#65533; he explains. But it is not only the
ministry that faces severe problems, even the patients have not been
spared.

Sick people have to travel long distances where bus fares have been
astronomically hiked with the poor majority giving up before they even
get to the major urban centres and dying at home, unnecessarily.
TB manager in the country’s health ministry, Dr Charles Sandy said
that although Zimbabwe was on the World Health Organisation’s list
of 22 most vulnerable countries bearing the burden of TB, the efficacy
of its TB detection rates is a cause for serious concern as donors
continue to shun Zimbabwe in the face of the looming TB crisis.

“Being on the global list of 22 TB burden countries should mean more
access to more funds to the TB response, and priority in funds
distribution,â€&#65533; says Dr Sandy.

“But, for Zimbabwe, that has not been so. It is only now that donors
seem to realise the danger in denying funds to Zimbabwe in the TB
fight. However there seems to be a slow shift in funding as we have
qualified for round five of the Global Funds.â€&#65533;

According to the WHO, Zimbabwe has 74 000 people suffering from TB.
But its TB detection rate is only 43 percent against the recommended
70 percent.

“This (the poor detection rate) means there are probably more people
suffering from TB that have not been included in the numbers,â€&#65533; notes
Dr Sandy — 2010 Feature Service.

Reuters: Old and new viruses spread by air travel, crowding
Mon 27 Oct 2008, 23:20 GMT
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON, Oct 27 (Reuters Life!) - Tourists traveling by plane and
the growth of cities are combining to help new and old infections
spread around the world, experts said Monday.
Viruses such as Chikungunya and dengue fever are finding new homes or
returning to places where they were eradicated, the researchers told
an infectious diseases meeting.
And new methods of diagnosing infections have led to the discovery of
dozens of viruses causing often-serious disease.
“As urbanization spread, so did the mosquito,” Duane Gubler of the
University of Hawaii told a news conference at a joint meeting of the
American Society of Microbiology and the Infectious Diseases Society
of America.
Researchers at the Pan American Health Organization told the meeting
that dengue fever, which can cause mild illness or deadly hemorrhagic
disease, has come back after decades of eradication successes in Latin
America.
They said 1.03 million cases of dengue were reported in the 1980s and
2.7 million in the 1990s, but 4.6 million were reported from 2000 to 2007.
The “re-emergence of epidemic dengue is closely associated with global
urbanization and global transportation, ” Gubler said. “Pathogens of
all kinds — many of them actually move in infected people but they
also move in infected animals and mosquitoes.”
New infections are a threat, as well.
Dr. Ian Lipkin of Columbia University in New York said his lab, using
new genetic sequencing techniques, has identified 75 new pathogens –
including a new rhinovirus that has caused serious disease in “scores
of children” around the world.
UNDER OUR NOSES
Rhinoviruses are spread person-to-person only and usually cause common
colds but this version appears more like severe influenza, Lipkin told
the news conference.
“It was literally under our noses and in our noses for a long time,”
Lipkin said. “It has been found in Asia, Africa, Oceania, North
America and Europe,” he added. “It clearly is an important pathogen.”
Chikungunya virus, which causes painful and sometimes crippling or
deadly symptoms, has spread to several new countries in the past two
years. One traveler brought it to Italy last year, Gubler noted.
“The same virus was introduced into India and into Sri Lanka, most
likely via infected travelers,” Gubler said.
Outbreaks of Chikungunya, which originated in Tanzania in 1952 but did
not spread much outside of Africa until 2005, have been helped by
mutations that let it travel via the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes
albopictus.
In 2005 on tiny Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, it infected more
than a third of the population — 266,000 people — and killed 260 of
them.
The virus has spread to Singapore and people who go to neighboring
Malaysia to buy durian fruit may be helping to carry it, said Dr.
Harold Townson of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in Britain.
“Aedes albopictus is very common in the United States and Caribbean,”
Townson said. “There are risks it could be introduced here.”
And Gubler noted that another species of mosquito, the dengue-carrying
Aedes aegypti, is re-emerging in Latin America.
Aedes aegypti is the original carrier of Chikungunya — whose name
comes from a word in the Makonde language of Tanzania describing the
stooped stance of victims. (Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Julie
Steenhuysen and John O’Callaghan)

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October 28, 2008 Newsflash

Dear Friends,

Things are poppin’ at PPI!

1. Peace and Human Rights Workshop at the United Nations

Led by Peace Partnership International’s UN representative Anne Creter, the Culture of Peace Working Group of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns at the United Nations organized a workshop entitled “Advancing the Culture of Peace: Is Peace a Human Right?” that took place at the UN on 21 October. The workshop was part of the second annual week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns at the UN, which this year was dedicated to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The workshop featured a keynote by Ambassador Hilario G. Davide, Jr., of the Philippines, a panel moderated by Peace Partnership International’s President and CEO Dot Maver, and closing remarks by Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations. Read Anne’s report here.

2. Peace Day 2008 at the UN: Gabriela Posada Youth Speaker

Peace Partnership International has participated in International Day of Peace activities every year since 2005. In 2008 we also supported the nomination, and eventual selection, of Gabriela Posada to speak at the UN’s International Day of Peace Youth Observance. In her speech, Gabriela encouraged youth from around the globe to become peacemakers and peacekeepers. Juan Pacheco of Barrios Unidos provides the profile of Gabriela that led to her being selected, as well as the text of her speech. Click here to read the profile and speech.

3. Colin Jury Donates Artwork to Peace Partnership International

Depth Artist Colin Jury, who has won the highest awards in printing for six- and seven-color lithography and advertising, has donated all rights to his work “Fire of Love” to Peace Partnership International and will send us all net proceeds from sales of prints. In addition he has promised to donate to us 15% of profits from the sales of his other works for the next two years. Click here to purchase “Fire of Love” and other artwork from Colin Jury!

4. Peace Partnership International’s Annual Program Report Now Available

Peace Partnership International’s latest Annual Program Report describes our activities and accomplishments over the fiscal year August 2007-July 2008 in our three strategic initiative areas: National Peace Academy, Structures in Government Advancing a Culture of Peace, and Building Bridges of Peace. Read the annual report here (PDF format).

5. Peace Caravan Finds Peace on the Silk Road

Marla Mossman travels the ancient Silk Road in search of her roots. Along the way she finds peace. She says: “People involved in the culture of peace hold notions of peace as practical and necessary. We don’t have to be a perfected deity in order to achieve a sense of enlightenment. We are already divine in the moment. That’s the kind of positive energy we should start from in our institutions. That’s what the culture of peace is about.” Marla shares her discoveries through her photography and writings at www.peacecaravan.com and www.marla.net. And Robert M. Weir beautifully tells the story of Marla’s Profile of Peace.

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This email was sent by Peace Partnership, International, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Donations to Peace Partnership International are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Contact information:
Peace Partnership International
935 South B Street
San Mateo CA 94401, USA
Phone/Fax: 1-650-525-1297

General correspondence: info@peacepartintl.org

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We have so much news for the fall we have to add this short additional newsletter!

Actions For Peace

September Peace Walks There were Peace Walks held all over the country — and the world! — in September to celebrate peace, inform our communities about the campaign, and raise funds. There was even a walk registered that was held in Uganda to support our campaign for a US Department of Peace and Nonviolence, proof that the world is watching. In the Los Angeles area, there were two walks held. The third annual Crenshaw Walk for Peace was organized by Mel Taylor, the CDTL for D33, represented by co-sponsor Congresswoman Diane Watson. Mel reported that they talked to many people, people saw their signs, honked their horns, and one of the stores they passed by wanted leaflets to make available in their store. The other walk was organized by Sherri Jaye and Karen Timko, and began on the Santa Monica beach, walked down to Venice and back. In conjunction with a San Francisco walk organized by Joe Weston of Heartwalker (www.heartwalker.org), the walk began and ended by walking in the shape of a heart, and a minute of silence at 12:00 noon, when the San Francisco walkers along with participants in the International Day of Peace celebrations all over the world were also holding a minute of silence. Walkers of all ages, including our two youngest representatives who said they wanted peace in their schools, held the banner and handed out flyers to many people along the way. The September Peace Walks are an annual event — so join us next year

Lobbying in South Florida

Our campaign volunteers in South Florida have been busy this election season. Given that Florida is a ‘battleground’ state, both the primary and now general election has brought the candidates to their area frequently, and the self-described team of “peace ninjas” have been attending rallies, getting in front of the candidates and handing them folders of information about the legislation, wearing their shirts with a big “808″ on the front as they stand in the front row. This is a post from Ana Campos, the South Florida State Coordinator<