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| The Peace Alliance Newsletter February 2008 |
CONTENTS
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"Follow the money." Those words usually bring up depressing images of the worst in government. But today, they're actually inspiring! Look at our website and follow the money that's coming in for peace. One of our amazing donors has challenged all of us to work together to raise $25,000. When we do it, the donor will MATCH the amount raised! You can track our progress meeting that challenge right on the home page. This major donor is giving us all the opportunity to "double our purchase power," so to speak. Think about it. Just like a war can't be funded without money, neither can true and lasting peace. For now, our government isn't funding peace the way we know it should be. So it falls to us to take up the slack until such time as our investment in peace advocacy results in the systems and structures we need to support a shift toward a culture of peace. We're going to do it. Actually, we're doing it right now. More than 100 of you have already responded to this challenge grant opportunity with donations ranging from $5 to $1,000. If you've already given, thank you! And we still need your help -- perhaps there's a friend you know who would give $10, $20 or $30 for peace? Use our Tell a Friend tool to spread the word and help make this goal. Of course, it's not just about money. A couple weeks ago, well over 1,000 valentines were delivered to Congress in our Valentine's Day Action. Next month, we'll get to help even more people embrace the opportunity to Invest in Peace through our annual Peace Partner monthly donor drive; the Student Peace Alliance will help transform the conversation about the war in Iraq through screenings of "Hometown Baghdad;" we'll start pitching TV stations with our PSA; and our regional conferences will kick off in the northeast. What an incredible time to be part of the work of peace advocacy.
Thank you for standing with us in standing for peace. In gratitude, Congress Feels the Love on Valentine's Day
The official reports we did get were great! For example, Ilana Silverstein in Massachusetts shared that an aide at Senator Kerry's office,
Congratulations to everyone who took action and kept building relationship with your members of Congress.
Save the date! March 27 through April 27 is our annual Invest in Peace monthly donor drive. During this time, every Peace Partner, Guarantee Fund member and Visionary Circle member gets to "clone" themselves. Just bring a friend into The Peace Alliance, and enroll them in joining you in being a member of one of these "stewardship programs." By
giving regularly to The Peace Alliance, stewardship program members
are the financial heart and soul of the campaign, providing us
with the monthly income that is the core of our annual budgeting
process. We're updating materials and will have everything you need
to enroll and inspire your friends and family to Invest in Peace.
And if you're not currently a Peace Partner, you can still get involved!
Either become a monthly donor yourself, or enroll a friend. Mark
your calendar and keep your eyes open for email announcements coming
soon. Get Inspired at Your Regional Conference The themes and speakers filling this year's regional conferences are remarkable. Conferences kick off March 28-30 with the Northeast region Being the Change: Creating Peace at Home and in the World. April 4-6 finds activists in the Mountain States exploring Strategic Peace: From Ideals to Action. Hot on their heals, the Northwest region dives into Embracing Possibility: Partnering for Peaceful Solutions, April 11-13. Head south to Dallas April 25-27 where the South Central region will be Creating a Politics of Hope and Possibility. We take a "break" for the Peace of the Pie Mother's Day action in May then rev up again June 19-22 when the Midwest region will be Building a Culture of Peace in the Heartland. The sixth and final conference will be Berkeley, Calif., August 1-3 (details on that coming soon!). Conference programs are jam-packed with speakers such as Peace Alliance Founder and best-selling author Marianne Williamson; National Campaign Consultant Lynn McMullen; award-winning journalist Bob Koehler; local peacebuilders and experts in violence reduction and prevention, and more. These are great opportunities to learn, get inspired, and bring friends to learn more about the Department of Peace Campaign and how they can help make a difference. Get more information on your regional conference here and register today (for everyone except California for now). Some conferences still have early bird registration prices available, so don't delay! New Tools to Support You Events Calendar: Challenged to keep up with what's happening in this national campaign? Us too! So we created a new calendar of major events/activities. Go to Get Involved > Events > Calendar or click here to see it. If there's a major state, regional or national event not included that you think should be, ask your State Coordinator to contact us. For local events, you can see what other supporters have scheduled and use our distributed events tool to add yours.
Two new items are there today:
--------------------------------------- Twenty Massachusetts students came together for a day of connecting and training with the Help Increase the Peace Program. Sarah Rubinton reports. --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Californians representing Northern California's 22 Congressional Districts celebrated being peace and shared an abundance of good news about the Dept. of Peace and peacebuilding activities. Co-state Coordinator Nancy Merritt reports. --------------------------------------- --------------------------------------- Global
News Update The idea of ministries and departments of peace in national governments is sweeping the world. Since the Third Global Summit held last September, participation in the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace has increased from about two dozen to nearly 35 countries (see the list here). Two of them (Solomon Islands and Nepal) already have such ministries, and Costa Rica is poised to become the third. One outgrowth of the Japan Summit was the African Alliance for Peace (AAP), formed by seven representatives from four African nations and since grown to include many more. The AAP is planning its first Regional Summit in Accra, Ghana, this May, which will be followed by six days of intensive training in Nonviolent Communication (NVC). Miki Kashtan, who offers NVC coaching and counseling on monthly Peace Alliance conference calls, will facilitate the Summit and the training. Inspired by the U.S. Department of Peace Campaign and legislation, the global movement now provides a compelling global context for the U.S. movement. And you ain't seen nothin' yet! Monthly Grassroots
Conference Calls
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~~~ Meet the Peace Challenge! A donor is challenging each of us to help generate $25,000 in just two weeks. When we meet the challenge, that donor will match every one of those dollars donated, resulting in a $50,000 cash influx into The Peace Alliance. We want to meet that challenge by midnight, March 6, and we need you to do it. Please donate now and ask your friends to do the same. As of press time, we were nearly half of the way there! Every bit helps make a world of difference. ~~~ Gift of Peace You saw the play live at the 2007 National Conference. Now see the new promo trailer for the documentary in production. See the new trailer here. Visit thegiftofpeace.org to find a performance near you, and help give The Gift of Peace. ~~~ Support Continues to Grow! For a list of the 68 Congressional co-sponsors of HR 808, click here. 32 cities, counties, and tribal councils have endorsed the Department of Peace and Nonviolence. See who they are and find out how you can do likewise in your city, here. For a list of organizations endorsing the Department of Peace campaign, and a form to sign yours up, click here. ~~~ Quote of the Month
If you have a favorite quotable from a notable about peace or evocative of what peace means, we will be happy to consider it for this space. Please email us at Quotable Quotes. ~~~ Get Active in your Community! ~~~ Supporting The Peace Alliance Visit
Our Store Shopforpeace.net ~ Do you Shop Online? If you shop online for books, music, electronics, appliances or any other products, consider using our affiliate link with Amazon.com or the iGive participant stores. Amazon.com For every purchase you make using this link, we get a percentage of the sale. If you already shop regularly online, this is a simple way to help fund the work of The Peace Alliance! Click here.
Join iGive.com to support The Peace Alliance. Their online mall features over 685 trusted online retailers like Lands' End, Staples, NORDSTROM, JCPenney, eBay, Expedia.com, Barnes & Noble, QVC, & PETsMART to name just a few! A percentage of EACH purchase is donated back to The Peace Alliance, plus a bonus $5 donation if you shop within 45 days. The more stores you visit, the more chances to win a $1,000 donation during the Surfathon! No purchase required. Join iGive and do your shopping for peace. ~~~ Hosting a Peace Empowered Event? Don't forget you can list it using our Distributed Events Tool. You can always see all listed events (if any) or Search for events on this page. And don't forget, you can also create your own fundraising campaigns! ~~~ Update Your Profile |
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![[graphic - Stained Glass Heart for Valentines]](http://www.thepeacealliance.org/images/stories/campaigns/peace-heart2.gif "[graphic - Stained Glass Heart for Valentines]")
