Conference Impressions
By Turo Dexter

The Peace Alliance has matured as an organization. In D.C., today, I'm seeing professional conference planning and execution, refined messaging, and really sophisticated support materials. I'm preparing for another dose, over the next few days, of high-octane advocacy training. This conference is inspirational for me. That's partly because of the stories and promise of bringing a culture of peace to the mainstream, but also because it shows a very mature side of the peace movement.

The orientation and training at this conference are about increasing support for H.R. 808, the bill to create a Dept. of Peace and Nonviolence, but for me other outcomes overshadow that. I think the most exciting part of it is working to define what peace means, to myself and to persons and groups all over the country and around the world, and learning to talk about bringing our visions of peace into reality in a way that appeals to ordinary people. Those who don't think of themselves as members of the traditional peace movement are the ones who will have the most influence over what the world becomes. Peace Alliance conferences teach us to communicate in ways that build bridges. I like to think of it as paving a path from where people are now to the future we all would like to see.

I'm amazed at the conference these staff and volunteers have been able to put together in an economic downturn, and I am excited about the turnout. I look forward over the next three days to reconnecting with old friends, broadening and deepening my sense and understanding of peace, and refining my ability to advocate for peace in a way that will make sense to those not used to thinking about it. Effective peace work requires shedding old, limiting frames of reference, and Peace Alliance conferences help me do that.