March 19 is the 5th anniversary of the War in Iraq. Over the last five years thousands of Iraqis and Americans have lost their lives in this war. The war began while many of us were in middle and high school, and has followed us as we have moved respectively onto high school and college. This is a war that has rocked our generation and defined much of our formative years. This March we will be screening the web series Hometown Baghdad on our campuses and in our communities. We will also host a nation-wide conference call to focus on peacebuilding in Iraq. This month we will reflect on the impact of the war, and envision how a Department of Peace would manage and resolve the War in Iraq.

Hometown Baghdad "is an online web series about life in Baghdad. It tells the stories of three young Iraqis struggling to survive during the war." Host a screening of this online web series to start a dialogue on your campus about the war's impact on Iraqi youth. To host a screening of Hometown Baghdad, visit Hometown Baghdad's videos. The web series includes about 40 two-minute episodes. At your screening, play as many episodes as you desire and share the group's comments online if you wish. If you can not watch the videos online at your screening and need a DVD compilation of the episodes, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with your name and address so we can send you a DVD.

On March 20 at 9 pm Eastern, we will host a conference call on peacebuilding in Iraq. While the media typically highlights fighting and casualties in Iraq, we hear little from the media about the inspiring work of peacebuilders that utilize nonviolence to end the conflict. The March 20 conference call will feature Dr. Lisa Schirch, an American peacebuilder that recently returned from Iraq. Dr. Schirch will speak to what peacebuilding efforts are working in Iraq and what must be changed. As a group, we will discuss how a Department of Peace could play a role in building peace in Iraq. In the coming week, we will provide more information for the call, including the call-in number.

Mark your calendars to organize or participate in these two events. The screenings can be held at anytime, however they might be most effectively held in conjunction with the conference call if you are able to put the conference call on speaker phone at the screening.

If you have any further questions about this action, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Together we can build peace in Iraq. Organize an action this month to reflect on the challenges we face, and to focus on the solutions.