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Victory Over Violence exhibition – January 19 to 22

by on Jan. 18, 2013, under Education, Health, Life

Exhibition and Events – no charge
Saturday, January 19th, 2 pm – 5 pm
Sunday, January 20th and Monday, January 21st (MLK Day), 10 am – 5 pm
Tuesday, January 22nd, 10 am – 4 pm

University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center – Tucson and Catalina Rooms (upstairs)

We, the youth of SGI-USA, the Soka Gakkai International organization in Tucson, in partnership with Buddhists for Peace student club at the University of Arizona, are presenting the “Victory Over Violence” Exhibition at the University of Arizona Student Memorial Union (upstairs) on January 19-22, 2013.

Victory Over Violence (VOV) is a movement to help inspire young people throughout the world to identify and root out violence in their daily lives and in their communities.

VOV is inspired by universal principles of nonviolence and respect for all living beings. Its goal is to contribute to a culture of peace through awareness, introspection, individual empowerment and a courageous and creative commitment to dialogue. It encourages respect, trust, and friendship among young people, families, schools and communities across boundaries such as race, religion, and culture.

The VOV movement begins with you. Starting on the personal level, we will collectively build a culture of peace worldwide.

Join us at this event and launch your
personal peace movement today!

Keynote Speaker
Saturday, January 19 2:15pm

Dr. Richard Ruiz – Department Head, Professor, Department of Learning and Sociocultural Studies, the University of Arizona
“Creating a Language of Peace and Reconciliation in the United States”

Special Guest Speakers
Sunday, January 20 10:00am

Dr. Sheri Bauman, Director, UofA Counseling & Mental Health Graduate Program
“What can we do to Stop Bullying and Cyberbullying?”

Sunday, January 20 1:00pm

Mitzi Sasse, Yoga & Qi Gong Instructor
“Qi Gong, A Practice to Reduce the Accumulation of
Negative Emotions and Recharge the Meridian Channels”

Sunday, January 20 2:00pm

Linda Kohanov – Founder/Director of the EponaQuest International Study Center, author of “The Power of the Herd” – a guide to non-predatory leadership.
“Emotional Heroism: The Power behind Nonviolence”

Monday, January 21 11:00am (MLK Day)

Anna Harper, MSW, LMSW – Director of Program and Community Development at Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse.
“The Impact of Domestic Abuse – Working Toward Community Accountability”

Monday, January 21 1:00pm

Sarah Bahnson & Paco Velez, Wingspan, Advocate/Educators
“LGBT 101”

Monday, January 21 2:00pm

Dr. Stephen T. Russell – Distinguished Professor, University of Arizona; Director, Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and Families; President, Society for Research on Adolescence
“The Silence around Violence: Prejudice, Discrimination and Bullying and What We Can Do about Them”

Monday, January 21 3:30pm

Dr. Patrisia Gonzales, UA American Indian Studies, Mexican American Studies
“Indigenous Medicine and Oneness of Self and the Environment”

Tuesday, January 22 11:00am

Dr. Ofelia Zepeda – Tohono O’odham poet; Professor of linguistics, University of Arizona
“Understanding the Power of Words”

Tuesday, January 22 12:30pm

Meghan McKendry, UA Oasis, Student Health, Prevention Specialist
“Combating Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence at the UofA”

No Charge for the Event. Free Parking Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Come Early – Seating is limited

Further information: Call 520-323-8184, SGI Community Center
2540 E. 22nd Street, Tucson 85713

Website: www.VOVTucson.com



  • Carolyn_Classen

    Day 1 of VOV event, with speeches by LD 9 State Senator Steve Farley and Ross Zimmerman (the late Gabe’s father), then keynote lecture by Dr. Ruiz, who spoke of language = behavior, that changing language could change behavior & not lead to violence. He also quoted from Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King, who even advocated reconciliation as one of the 6 steps of nonviolence. MLK said that the “universe is on the side of justice.” About 70 people there to participate in this first day.

  • Carolyn_Classen

    Day 2 of VOV event with excellent lecture by Dr. Bauman about bullying, traits of bullies, victims, how to stop bullying, cyberbullying. Victims need to learn tools, strategies to stop the bullying, maybe even humor. Whether bullies will make amends, practice restorative actions remains to be seen. Only about 25 people in today’s audience.

  • doubting dudas

    You mean like Progressive Democrats?

  • Carolyn_Classen

    Day 3 of VOV event with talk by Anna Harper of Emerge! about domestic violence, what she prefers to call domestic abuse, the definition, warning signs of lethality. About 30 people there and many shared personal stories of abuse, ethnic differences & cultural norms, examples of seeking help through counseling. Sadly Anna reported that incidents of DV homicide (followed by suicide) have gone up in the last 10 years, not down.
    Then about 60 people listened to Dr. Russell say that bullying was typically characterized by prejudice or discrimination. He said the way to get help was through supportive/clear school policies, proactive intervention (by teachers/administration) and visibility of ethnic/religious/gay groups & inclusion.