Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Live and Garden Peace!

Today is the 63rd anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan by the United States. In this Nuclear-Free Future Month, please find what you can do to rid our world of nuclear weapons. One idea is HERE.

in Peace,
-evan

IN THIS POST:
A Public Space for Peace
Living Peace in Ojai event!
Volunteers needed for Fair tabling!
Farmer's Market petitioning
Radio: Play "One Love" for Peace Day

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Weekly Peace Vigil Time Change

From Clive and Marion Leeman:
Because of the summer heat, the Ojai Peace Vigil, which is now in its fifth year, will start at 6 pm (6-7 pm) next Friday, August 8. We will change back to 5 pm at the end of the Fall.

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A Public Space for Peace

Ventura's Beyond War team, Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions, the Peace Coalition of Greater Ventura, and Ventura County Veterans for Peace will dedicate Ventura's first public peace garden and peace pole at the site of the city's historic rallies and marches to end war, as well as hold a commemoration and vigil on the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

SATURDAY AUGUST 9 (NAGASAKI DAY), 1:00PM, PLAZA PARK - VENTURA

BACKGROUND:
In order to create a public space for peace, honor our culture of nonviolence and beautify our community, the City of Ventura has approved two peace gardens and peace poles. The first one in Plaza Park is a circular garden with perennial flowers whose centerpiece is an 8-foot cedar peace pole, inscribed with "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in braille and eight languages: Hindi, English, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Persian, the Venturan variant of Chumash, and Japanese.

The dedication of the peace garden coincides with CPR's annual observation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki days. August 9 is the 63rd anniversary of the use of nuclear weapons against a civilian population. CPR supports the abolition of nuclear weapons worldwide.

The event will include speakers, a white dove release, silent vigil, and a bell ceremony.

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Living Peace In Ojai event!

The second-annual "Living Peace in Ojai" event is hot and heavy in the planning stages, and is scheduled for the weekend of September 19th through 21st, the last day being the actual International Day of Peace. There are lots of offerings this year that are new from last year, and this promises to be a great weekend!

The Ojai Peace Coalition has secured a traditional role as the keepers of the Friday-night opening ceremonies (last year we recieved a Proclamation from the City, awarded our first-ever Noble Peace Prize, and screened the film Peace One Day), and we're honored to be filling that role again this year. i have a vision for creating that evening, but i'd like more input and volunteers to help, particularly the Noble Peace Prize Action Team, whom i will email separately (if you wanna be on that Team, let me know!). IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE RESPOND AND WE'LL SET UP A MEETING.
What i DO know is that we'll again recieve a Proclamation from the City, award our second annual Noble Peace Prize, and screen either a film or some student videos.
THERE IS ALSO A GENERAL NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR AD SPACE IN THE PROGRAM BOOK!
· if you want to help put on this community event, please email Elizabeth or call her at 805-798-0626
· if you want to buy an ad, contact Diane at Soul Centered at 640-8222 or email
me
for rates.

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Volunteers needed for Fair tabling!

Just outside the County Fair's main entrance gates is a "free speech zone" of sorts, where community groups are allowed to table for their various pursuits. Our local Veterans for Peace have been there for several years, and they are joined this year by two new friends: VC Stop the War and the Ventura Chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War...and they need our help!

The Ventura County Committee to Stop the War, of which the OPC is a member organization, currently has a petition campaign underway to end military recruitment in Ventura County, and more specifically to CLOSE the Oxnard recruiting center. If this is a key issue to you, contact John to find out when you're needed!

Iraq Veterans Against the War has a small and relatively new chapter here in Ventura County, led by my good friend Cherish. i spent some time with them recently handing out informational material in downtown Ventura, and wrote about it on the Ojai Post. IVAW's three goals are:
· Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq;
· Reparations for the human and structural damages Iraq has suffered, and stopping the corporate pillaging of Iraq so that their people can control their own lives and future; and
· Full benefits, adequate healthcare (including mental health), and other supports for returning servicemen and women.
They will be tabling at the fair this coming Friday and Saturday to gather support and to raise funds to send one or more of their members to the upcoming IVAW Conference in Colorado. If you are supportive of their goals, contact Cherish to find out when you're needed!

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Farmer's Market petitioning

We still have an open campaign to gather signatures to petition the City of Ojai to adopt a resolution calling for an end to the War in Iraq. My goal is to present the gathered signatures sometime around International Peace Day, so we need to up the ante a little in terms of signature-gathering.

The petition exists online HERE, and you're welcome and encouraged to sign it there. In addition, i'd like to have some folks positioned at the Farmer's Market each Sunday until Peace Day to gather signatures from folks there (i'm open to more locations too, if there are volunteers at least in pairs). If this is something you have energy for, please let me know so i can schedule it!
email me
call: 805-746-3750

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Radio: Play "One Love" for Peace Day

A few folks from all over the planet have an idea: let's get radio stations around the world to all play Bob Marley's song "One Love" at the SAME TIME (9:21 GMT) on International Peace Day, Sunday September 21st!
SO...call or write your favorite radio station and ask them to get on board with this campaign! i wrote to KJEE, a rock station in Santa Barbara that plays Marley and has a reggae radio show on Sundays anyway!
here are your resources:
· write to KJEE 92.9
· the official campaign website
· the official petition
· the MySpace group
· the Facebook group

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Peace!
evan austin
Ojai Peace Coalition