Making Peace Now through Art Education Engagement

Saturday March 16
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Doolen Middle School, 2400 N. Country Club Rd. (NE corner of E Grant Rd.)

Info: 520-991-6781, youthandpeaceconference@gmail.com

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/youthandpeace

Free Registration: http://youthandpeace.eventbrite.com/

The Youth and Peace Conference is back! Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Many people want to see much more peace, well-being and love in the world and much less violence, fear and hatred. The Youth and Peace Conference, now an annual event in Tucson, intends to be a powerful force for peace and nonviolence, especially among young people in our community. Through educational workshops, dynamic speakers and inspiring performances, conference participants gain awareness and strengthen skills for recognizing and reducing all forms of violence (e.g., bullying, relationship violence, sexual assault, hate, bigotry, negative self-talk). The conference is intended to increase the capacity of youth and adults to effectively communicate, peacefully resolve conflicts, and courageously confront injustice.

The conference coordinating team is committed to youth leadership and youth empowerment in all aspects of the planning and production of this event.

Muslim-Jewish Peace Walk –Sunday Nov. 11, 2012

Meet & Greet from 1:15 p.m
Islamic Center of Tucson, 901 E. 1st St.,Tucson

1:45pm Welcoming Ceremony at Islamic Center of Tucson

2:15pm Peace walk begins

4:45pm Arrival Ceremony at Temple Emanu-EL
225 North Country Club, Tucson

6:30pm Dinner at Temple Emanu-EL

For the 9th year in a row, PeaceWalk Tucson is planning to walk for peace. We invite People of Faith, Way, Religion, and/or Passion who share our vision of mutual respect, understanding, and love for Muslims, Jews, and all human beings….

To join us on Sunday, November 11th, 2012 for the day’s events starting from 1:45pm from the Islamic Center of Tucson at 901 E. First Street (see schedule).

Past walks have received recognition and proclamations from the Governor’s office, the Pima County Board of Supervisors, the Tucson Mayor and Council and Human Relations Commission.

More info at:www.peacewalktucson.org
or call 520-277-6990, contact@peacewalktucson.org.

Although this peace walk is entitled “Muslim-Jewish” it is open to all Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, etc. as well. I’ve been on it in the past, and it is an uplifting, community experience.

Let us remember Martin Luther King Junior‘s birthday in the wake of the violence of January 8, 2011 here in Tucson, Arizona.

Martin Luther King, Jr. from wikipedia

January 15 was slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. This year the MLK holiday is celebrated on January 17, but I think this year our minds are mostly remembering the recent mass murders here in Tucson exactly a week ago on January 8, 2011 of six innocent persons, along with the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords of CD 8 and 12 other civilian bystanders.

King preached non-violence and marched for civil rights and peace. Yet he was struck down at age 39 by an assassin’s rifle bullet in Memphis, Tennessee.

Our nation was shocked even more when two months later former New York U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was also assassinated by a man with a hand gun, while Kennedy was campaigning for U.S. President. He was 42 years old.

I would like to think that King’s message of non-violence and peace resonated with generations of people after these two horrible assassinations, both in 1968. I had hoped that his death had not been in vain. Now I’m not so sure based on the recent mass attack by an 22 year old armed man in Tucson of an innocent crowd of constituents waiting to talk to their U.S. Congresswoman. 6 brave Americans gave up their lives that Saturday morning.

As U.S. President Barack Obama said at the memorial service at the University of Arizona’s McKale Center on January 12, 2011:

They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders – representatives of the people answering to their constituents, so as to carry their concerns to our nation’s capital. Gabby called it “Congress on Your Corner” – just an updated version of government of and by and for the people.

Such senseless tragedies, for people just “practicing democracy.”

Let us continue to work towards mutual cooperation, tolerance, acceptance, and civil discourse. On Friday local politicians in Tucson pledged at a press conference to “commit to promote a civil discussion of the issues we face.” Let’s hope they fulfill their pledge.

Please join in the MLK March starting at the U of A Mall (8:30 a.m.) and Festival Celebration at Reid Park (10:30 a.m.) on Monday January 17. Let us together pray, march, and celebrate in Dr. King’s name for all that he stood for.

Violence has no place in our society.

1/17/11 Update: speaking today at the MLK opening ceremony at U of A mall:
Clarence Boykins (organizer of this event for 26 years from Tucson-Southern AZ Black Chamber of Commerce), Congressman Raul Grijalva (CD 7), Mayor Bob Walkup, Pima County Supervisor Richard Elias, former City Councilman Chuck Ford, Councilman Richard Fimbres, Eva Dong Carrillo from Sunnyside School Board. Also attending: City Councilman Paul Cunningham and City Manager Mike Letcher, and thousands of Tucsonans.