Supporters all across the nation expanded the Walk for Peace experience this year, creating events ranging from simple walks through parks to major events celebrating the International Day of Peace. All raised awareness of the deep need for increased efforts in violence reduction and prevention in general, and of the Department of Peace legislation in particular. Below are pictures and reports from some of the Walks. If you don't see your Walk represented, feel free to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Los Angeles, CA--One of Two
By JoAnn Gaines, CDTL CA-36

This year, in support of Peace Day and Culture of Peace Month (Sept), our region obtained five Peace Day Proclamations from local City Councils, held two Walks for Peace in the L.A. area, participated in Ojai's second annual three-day celebration, "Living Peace in Ojai, " and more. And a number of our students attended the Peace Jam Call to Action Conference at Loyola Marymount University in L.A., September 11-13. Follow the links to read more details!

Americans For a Department Of Peace and Kids For Peace were joined by the Student Peace Alliance and many others in San Diego for the 3rd Annual Walk For Peace & Friendship Festival in Balboa Park. This year's Peace Hero Award went to local, internationally known surfer, Rob Machado. The 3K Walk through The Prado was joined by hundreds of walkers and peace supporters. Three TV stations filmed the peaceful activities. All youth performances were enjoyed by nearly a thousand participants and 20 peace partner booths. Photo courtesy of Steve Powell.

Miami, FL
By Irene C Martinez 

A group of 40 enthusiastic peacemakers made the trek down Miami's famous South Beach on Saturday, September 20th at 6:00 in the evening. The participants ranged from 4 to 74 years young, from high school students to retired citizens and everything in between; including one peace loving rooster on a bike! The event began with a unity circle. Each participant received a white ribbon to tie on the wrist of the person next to them. The ribbon represented our commitment to come together in the name of Peace regardless of our unique differences.

We gathered at the famous Lincoln Road mall and marched through the streets of Miami Beach to spread love and peace to Miami's diverse community. We received a warm welcome from citizens, business owners, and local police officers. We concluded the walk with a candle light vigil and inspiring peace poems. Everyone involved had a wonderful time honoring peace and extending their peace to the world!


Wauconda, IL
By Jean Paskalides, CDTL, IL-8

We set up at the Memorial Park in Wauconda and had planned to walk through town to the walking trail and back to Memorial Park. However, with two people needing to leave early and two people not able to make the entire walk, we abbreviated it to just through town and back.

Our ceremony included a welcome and placing of a peace wreath at the memorial. Next Beth Allen led us in the Pledge of Allegiance followed by an explanation of the Department of Peace campaign. To keep the group positive, I told a few peace related jokes and funny stories.

The park district would not permit us to put up any signs on the park property as they felt it could be taken as an endorsement. George and I constructed a giant peace dove from chicken wire and sheets. The park district came by and told us we had to move the giant peace dove off park district property, so we moved it to the neighboring church property. We carried the giant doves on 10-foot poles up and down Main Street which got us noticed. We stopped at a sidewalk café and passed out peace lollipops to some kids and gave their parents information about the Department of Peace.

When we got back to the park, we moved over to the church grounds where we had permission to plant our peace ring. We stood in a circle and each took a crocus bulb, held it in our hands as we held hands together and stood in silence while we put our hopes and dreams for peace into our crocus bulbs. We then planted the bulbs at our feet in a circle. In the spring we will see the crocus peeking out of the snow and be reminded to keep working for peace.

Then we held our hands up in a peace sign as we took an "oath" which we borrowed from Swami Beyondananda. You can read it online here.

At one point, a lady came over and asked about the dove. She took my name and number and the next day I did an interview with a local community columnist who said she would include it in the next column.


Great Barrington, MA
By Tamarack Garlow, CDTL, MA-1

For the third year in a row Great Barrington, MA, has expressed its desire and intention for peace. In 2006 and 2008 there were peace parades in celebration of the International Day of Peace (IDP), in 2007 it was in support of a US Dept. of Peace. This year's event was sponsored by the Railroad Street Youth Project (RYSP), a Southern Berkshire County youth empowerment organization that's becoming a national model. RSYP was featured in a segment of ABC's "Good Morning America," the very first broadcast of GMA's 50 State Tour Across America that took place at the 235-year-old Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge on Sept. 15. The segment also included performances by James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma. RSYP performs at the UN every year during the IDP with original hip hop and rap songs filled with words of peace. In 2006 the youth at RSYP presented a journal to the UN that had gone around the world collecting pictures and writings from children on what peace looked like in their country.

This year's parade saw over 40 people walking through the center of town accompanied by the beat of a large, three-person drum. The parade started before noon so that the moment of silence at 12 could be observed on busy Main Street. The participants included the youth of RSYP, octogenarians, members of the local interfaith committee, State Representative Smitty Pignatelli and many others. The parade was organized Ron Ronan, who is a mentor in the RSYP mentoring program, and Tamarack Garlow, RSYP board member and Dept of Peace Massachusetts District 1 Coordinator.

The parade ended at the RSYP Peace Celebration at the town's skate park. The event was a five-hour musical expression of peace by the youth of the community that included a talk by Rep. Pignatelli and Michael Johnson, a representative of Pathways to Peace.

The new paradigm of peace will come about only by the intentions of each of us. It starts in our being and radiates out to others and to the community at large. With the involvement of the youth of this world we will also see those intentions radiate into the future. RSYP and other organizations like it provide the soil in which peace can grow--let us cultivate our seeds well!

Jessup, MD
By Wendy Greene, Peace Alliance Managing Director

A small but mighty group came together for the first (but not the last!) Walk for Peace organized by Maryland's Kimberly Kemp. It was a gorgeous day in Maryland, and we had a great time getting to know Campaign volunteers from the area, all of whom had never met one another. With the addition of Kim's sister and friend, we explored a park most of us had never experienced, discussed the tenets of peace and peacebuilding, and recommitted ourselves to this vital work. A few of us were able to join together for lunch afterward, building deeper bonds and making new friendships--what could be a greater basis for peace? It was a truly wonderful day, and just more evidence that there’s no such thing as "too small" when it comes to peace.


Asheville, NC
By Mira Brown
Secretary, Western North Carolina Student Peace Alliance

On September 20, 2008 the Western North Carolina Student Peace Alliance (WNC SPA) held its second annual Walk for Peace. About 50 people participated in the walk (nearly twice as many as last year!) and we had quite a colorful and enthusiastic crowd.

The WNC SPA had a table set up with Department of Peace campaign information. Before the walk began, members of the WNC SPA took a few moments to tell the walkers about the Department of Peace campaign and The Peace Alliance. Four members read different peace prayers from around the world as well. The Wild Bodema drumming group sent us on our way.   

Starting at City County Plaza in front of City Hall in Asheville, NC, our walk was about one mile long and followed a route through downtown Asheville. Enthusiastic passers-by waved, honked horns, and offered words of encouragement.  

We did the walk in partnership with the dance group Moving Women which was sponsoring an Eleven Days of Peace program, doing various peace-related activities throughout Asheville for 11 days between September 11 and September 21. So at 12:00 noon we stopped and lined up along the sidewalk for three minutes of stillness as a part of their program. 

“The Asheville Citizen Times,” the local newspaper, came by and did a couple of interviews. On September 21st they printed an article in the paper, quoting our U.S. Representative Heath Shuler's (D-11) opinion on H.R. 808. The article has been archived, so it is no longer available for free, but is listed here .

Several exciting events led up to the walk. On Thursday the SPA group tabled at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and ended up attending a peace workshop as well! They also tabled at a local food market for two hours that evening. On Friday morning four SPA activists were interviewed by local journalist, freelance writer, former county commissioner candidate and radio host Cecil Bothwell. Later Friday night the rest of the group got together and made signs, had dinner and watched a video about political activism--an inevitable discussion followed.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who helped bring this event together, and to the Citizen Times for informing us of exactly what our Representative thinks of this legislation. We know we’ll be helping him have a new point of view soon!   

Riverton, NJ
By Anne Bridgette Hennessy

The New Jersey group held a Walk for Peace on Saturday, September 27th. Despite extremely gloomy weather, 15 brave supporters showed up and walked. We met at the Unitarian Church (I am a member) and ended up there for some refreshments afterwards. 

We walked along the main street in town with a Peace Alliance sign handing out balloons and brochures. We stopped and dropped off brochures at a State Senator's office, the police station and city hall. We paused briefly in front of the YMCA where a woman, Monica Paul, was recently shot and killed by her estranged husband while watching their children's swimming lesson.

It was a small but effective walk, raising much awareness of The Peace Alliance. We do not have a congressional team leader for this district; we will now likely have one in the near future!

Despite the reduced size due to the weather, we were excited because we've generated interest in The Peace Alliance and have some new, active members of our local group.