Fellowship of Reconciliation Sponsors 2010/2011
Travel to Iran as Citizen Diplomats for Peace
November 5 to 20, 2010, delegation to be led by Peaceworkers' David Hartsough.
Less than 500 U.S. citizens visit Iran each year. Yet the Iranian people love
Americans, and are famous for their Persian hospitality. How can we bridge the
political divisions between our governments at this time of heightened tensions
and rhetoric of war? more
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 50th Reunion
Active Nonviolence in Palestine and Israel
By David Hartsough — March 8, 2010
When people think of Palestine and Israel, they often picture Palestinians as suicide bombers and terrorists while the Israeli military are seen as bombing whole neighborhoods in Palestine. The violence and counter-violence and endless war has created a hopelessness about any peaceful future for the Holy Land.
However, during a month-long stay in Palestine and Israel recently, I found something else. I found something very positive and hopeful and perhaps the key to a peaceful resolution of this tragic conflict — and a possible path toward a peaceful future for both peoples.
Click here for 12-page, full report in PDF format.
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My Visit to Gaza with the Gaza Freedom March
by David Hartsough
On the first anniversary of the War on Gaza, known as Operation Cast Lead, close to fourteen hundred people from more than 40 countries came to Cairo, Egypt planning to go to Gaza and help end the Siege, a total blockade which began in 2007 and continues today. Unfortunately, under extreme pressure from Israel and perhaps the United States, the Egyptian government did not allow most of us to enter Gaza. However about ninety from the GAZA FREEDOM MARCH did get into Gaza from Dec. 30, 2009-Jan 2, 2010. I was privileged to be part of that group.
The people of Gaza were so happy we had come, and also deeply appreciated the more than 1,300 others who were not allowed in, but marched in solidarity with us in Cairo. Gaza is like a large prison. The people of Gaza are all but completely cut off from the rest of the world. They cannot travel or visit relatives living outside the armed apartheid wall which borders all of Gaza, and family members and relatives living outside the area cannot visit their families in Gaza. Only very limited food and medical supplies are able to get in, building supplies and all the other necessities of life can not be imported, and no goods are exported.
Gaza Freedom March Issues Declaration
to End Israeli Apartheid
The Cairo Declaration of January 1, 2010
We, international delegates meeting in Cairo during the Gaza Freedom March 2009 in collective response to an initiative from the South African delegation, state:
In view of:
- Israel's ongoing collective punishment of Palestinians through the illegal occupation and siege of Gaza;
- the illegal occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the continued construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlements;
- the new Wall under construction by Egypt and the US which will tighten even further the siege of Gaza;
- the contempt for Palestinian democracy shown by Israel, the US, Canada, the EU and others after the Palestinian elections of 2006;
- the war crimes committed by Israel during the invasion of Gaza one year ago;
- the continuing discrimination and repression faced by Palestinians within Israel;
- and the continuing exile of millions of Palestinian refugees;
- all of which oppressive acts are based ultimately on the Zionist ideology which underpins Israel;
- in the knowledge that our own governments have given Israel direct economic, financial, military and diplomatic support and allowed it to behave with impunity;
- and mindful of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (2007)
We reaffirm our commitment to:
Palestinian Self-Determination
Ending the Occupation
Equal Rights for All within historic Palestine
The full Right of Return for Palestinian refugees
I N T R O D U C I N G P E A C E W O R K E R S U S A
We live in a world seemingly addicted to violence and war, resulting in tremendous devastation to human life, the natural environment and the hopes and dreams of future generations. The danger of nuclear war threatens the very existence of life on this planet. In the face of all this fear and destruction, millions of people around the world are experimenting with powerful and effective nonviolent tools to break the rules of war. They are building nonviolent movements to challenge and change violent and oppressive conditions and regimes, and laying the groundwork for a just and lasting peace These movements have taken place all over the world, with inspiring examples from Chile, South Africa, Serbia, the Ukraine, Georgia, India, China, Burma, Tibet, Zimbabwe, and the United States. We, the world's people, need to learn more about these lessons and join together to foster more of these successful nonviolent responses to the world's most pressing challenges.
The mission of Peaceworkers is to support, strengthen and promote nonviolent movements for peace and justice and nonviolent peacemaking efforts in the US and around the world
In carrying out this mission, Peaceworkers is
1. Consulting with and building relationships among nonviolent movements as they work to change violent or oppressive situations through peaceful means.
2. Spreading the word about the growing experience and success of nonviolent movements and nonviolent peacemaking through public presentations, media outreach, workshops and written publications. Click here for the Peaceworkers' Reading List
3. Providing resources about the power of active nonviolent movements and People Power in history by distributing DVDs, books, journals, articles, and training materials.
4. Promoting the work of peace team organizations around the world including the Nonviolent Peaceforce, Peace Brigades International, Christian Peacemaker Teams and Friends Peace Teams. Please see our ARTICLES page for stories about our participation in a peace delegation to Iran.
5. Encouraging and facilitating regional and world bodies, including the United Nations, to institutionalize and sponsor nonviolent peacemaking, peace-building, and peacekeeping.
Streaming video of current interest:
Peace With Iran — A One-hour Report on Citizen Peacemaking
from David Hartsough, Director, Peaceworkers USA
Please click PLAY > button to start video.