Dear [First_Name],

What an amazing year 2008 is shaping up to be! We’ve launched our first national action of the year in cooperation with the Student Peace Alliance. In “Send Congress a Valentine,” we highlight the need for a Department of Peace to help end violence against women. Never a day goes by without the news or blogs mentioning the Department of Peace—and we are also witnessing new levels of public support from some members of Congress! Regional conferences are gaining steam—seven in the planning stage and four already taking registrations.

Our first PSA "I Stand for Peace" will launch in just a couple months (to coincide with National Youth Violence Prevention Month), and planning is underway for our presence at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.

And that’s not counting our regular annual actions—the Invest in Peace “Peace Partner” campaign (coming in March), Peace of the Pie for Mother’s Day (May), Father’s Day campaign (June), Fourth of July and so much more.

It’s a full year of peace activism, and as you can imagine, it can’t happen without you. You are the Department of Peace Campaign—its heart, soul, hands, feet and its funding. Many would agree there is no more important work than that of the peacebuilder, and it is for us to enroll, inspire and educate our fellow citizens to the profound possibilities to be achieved when we have expanded peacebuilding capacity in our government and in our world.

Thank you for your tremendous contributions—of time, money, passion and partnership. We must continue this work in earnest, without delay or distraction. We are the ones who feed it, fuel it and fund it. Future generations are counting on us.

In partnership and peace,

Wendy Greene
Managing Director, The Peace Alliance

February Action: Send Congress a Valentine!

We're making Valentine's Day more than just a "Hallmark Holiday." Join The Peace Alliance and the Student Peace Alliance in our February national action! Now through February 14, 2008, all you need to do is:

• Write valentines to your Representative and Senators
• Highlight the problem of violence against women and the need for a Department of Peace to help end it
• Collect as many valentines from as many different people as you can
• Deliver a STACK of valentines to the local office of your Representative and Senators on February 14th

It seems only right that on a day celebrating love and compassion we should ask Congress members to extend their compassion to women. Too many women experience violence: 73% of family violence victims are female and one in six women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. Our valentines can help our Representatives and Senators see that H.R. 808 would establish a cabinet-level U.S. Department of Peace to refocus our efforts on reducing and preventing violence, including violence against women.

Join us in inviting Congress to respect the well-being of all women by supporting the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Learn more about this action and find tools to help you participate on this action page.

And remember to report your action when you’re finished. We want to see how many valentines we can get delivered.

Note: Thanks to our Nebraska grassroots activists who inspired this action by their work last year, creating a memorable impression on their member with stacks of valentines!

Regional Conferences Offer Speakers, Training and More!

Thought you had to come to Washington for powerful speakers, top-notch training in grassroots organizing and lobbying, and in-depth education about the Department of Peace legislation and movement? Guess again! Regional conferences are happening all across the nation. Choose the one nearest you and connect with neighbors and friends you didn’t even know you had.

Visit our Regional Conference web page. We’ve got details posted for the Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Midwest regional conferences. Details on other regional conferences and updates will be posted as we have them, so check back frequently. And tell your friends!

Support Continues to Grow

Ellison Redoubles Support for Dept. of Peace
On January 14, 2008, the Star Tribune reported that Congressman Keith Ellison's recent trip to Norway inspired him to recommit to the establishment of a U.S. Department of Peace. As the paper explained,

"The Minnesota congressman, who spent last week studying peace and climate issues in the Scandinavian country, favors a Cabinet-level agency to help avoid war."

It goes on to quote the Congressman, saying,

"'This trip ... helps me to see that is an important part of legislation that I'll push with renewed energy and vigor,' Ellison said. 'I intend to continue to organize community around peaceful resolution of conflict.'"

You can read the full text of the article here.

Congressman Ellison can take such a public stand because he feels the powerful support of his Minnesota constituency. And he’s not the only Minnesota cosponsor of the HR 808. Betty McCollum and Jim Oberstar are also supporters and former Senator Mark Dayton was the first Senator to sponsor the bill in the U.S. Senate. Congratulations to Minnesota’s activists for this fine tradition of working toward peaceful and nonviolent solutions within our communities and throughout the world.

What would it take for your Representative to also feel inspired and supported enough to take a public stand like Congressman Ellison? Keep building relationship, communicating and connecting with your member and s/he might just surprise you!

Japanese Students Share Our Commitment to Peace

We had no idea that Robin Sakamoto, an American teaching English in Japan, was inspired by the U.S. Department of Peace campaign. So when Dr. Sakamoto wrote to share with us the amazing letters written by the students of Dr. Sakamoto’s class, we were moved beyond words. Here’s a sampling:

• "I will tell your campaign to my friends and talk about this. And I really thank you sincerely for the opportunity to tell me there are U.S. Americans interested in creating a peaceful world through nonviolent means." ~Kayo Yoshida (originally from Nagasaki)
  
• "After learning your activity, it will lead us to Department of peace, I want to support it. The best thing may be raise money. But I don’t have much money, so I can't do that. What can I do for establishment of Department of peace?" ~Takumi Naganuma
  
• "I want to support the establishment of US department of Peace. … To respect such a campaign is true 'Global Citizenship'"! ~Shodai Ichikawa
  
• "Not doing war is not peace. Peace is all people feeling happiness equally." ~Mari Sugimoto
  
• "I think that it is important for me to mediate about worldwide peace because it is probably the task which people of the 21st century must accomplish." ~Keita Munemura
  
• "I hope that you would establish D.O.P in U.S and that the idea of D.O.P will expand to all over the world.” ~Tbtsuya Uehara
  
• "I think this is an epoch-making action in the history." ~Naomi Shoen

You can read the full letters in the Global Alliance section of our website.

Truly, we are making a world of difference.

For a list of the 68 Congressional co-sponsors of HR 808, click here.

For a list of all 28 cities, counties, and tribal councils who have endorsed the Department of Peace and Nonviolence, and to find out how you can do likewise in your city, click here.

For a list of organizations endorsing the Department of Peace campaign, and a form to sign yours up, click here.

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Peace is On the Air.
Grassroots activist Rosie Olson has launched her own web radio show on peace. The debut show featured Illinois State Coordinator Karen Johnson. Read more about Rosie’s show and how you can participate.

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Department of Peace Makes Waves at L.A. King Day Parade
"We made eye contact with every dignitary in the parade…including Mayor Villaraigosa. When the Mayor saw us he announced on his loud horn, '‘If Martin Luther King was here today, he would say that we should have a Department of Peace!’ Everyone in the crowd cheered." Co-State Coordinator Tory Haslinger reports.

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Kansas and Florida Share "The Gift of Peace"
Local groups put on the amazing Department of Peace Campaign-inspired play in both Florida and Kansas this month. Reports from Annette Karr and Cindy Bigbie tell the tales of planting seeds and inspiring hope.

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Arizona Enrolls the State
"Your Arizona Dept. of Peace Campaign is thrilled to inform you that for the THIRD year in a row, a bill (House Concurrent Memorial), has been introduced into the ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE, urging the U.S. Congress to 'enact the Department of Peace.'" Arizona state Co-coordinator Terri Mansfield shares how Arizonans can help.

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Michigan’s Amazing Year
Here’s a recap of the amazing 2007 generated by activists in Michigan. Thank you Michigan State Coordinator Linda Henderson for sharing this tremendous portrait of the difference even just a few people can make!

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If you have a story from the field, please email it to Wendy Greene with the subject line "Story from the Field."  We will be happy to consider it for this space and for posting on our website.

Monthly Grassroots Conference Calls

• Welcome
• Help Fund the Dream!
• February Action!
• Attend Your Regional Conferences
• Support Continues to Grow
• PPI—Our Fiscal Agent
• Stories from the Field
• Conference Calls
• Quote of the Month
• Get Active in Your Community!

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Help Fund the Dream!

In September, we passed our three-year anniversary! Like so many organizations of this tender age, we need sustaining funds to maintain and grow our work.

Your donations pay salaries and stipends for national staff and Student Peace Alliance coordinating committee members (we want to pay them all but can’t yet), help us create new grassroots organizing tools, training, publicity, and so much more. What might it be like to see the Department of Peace at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions? Your contributions could help us do just that!

Please donate today!

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Peace Partnership International
Our Fiscal Agent and More

Ever since the Peace Alliance Foundation changed its name to Peace Partnership International (PPI) and expanded its mission, there have been many questions regarding our relationship. Rest assured our partnership is as powerful as ever! Read about this new-yet-not-so-different relationship online here.

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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.

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Get Active in your Community!

click here

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Supporting The Peace Alliance

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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.

iGive

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.

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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!

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