We mourn the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and express our humble sympathy and support for all of us who have been affected. May we strive toward a world of peace, compassion, and reverence for all life.

For those seeking activities of justice through peace, and forums for discussing and understanding various approaches to come to terms with what has happened and what may happen, we are pleased to offer this calendar of local activities. Except where stated otherwise, these are not TVS activities, and we urge you to confirm any that you plan to participate in, before you go. Please contact Dilip at barman@cs.unc.edu with any other events that should be listed. Past events have been archived.

You may also want to visit Peace 1st, a local grassroots organization focused on education, peace action, social witness, violence response, and peace networking. In early 2003, a new group, NC Peace Actions, has posted pictures of local events, and Jews for a Just Peace - NC are on the web. pax.protest.net is a global calendar of peace and anti-racism events, and Campus Action Page has good links and information on (mainly) US campus peace events. Nonviolence USA is a site for scholarship in theory and practice of nonviolence and includes relevant recent news stories and a great set of links. Don't forget to visit the rest of our site for a wide variety of events and resources.

For campus events, maps for Univ. of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), Duke Univ. (Durham), and NC State Univ. (Raleigh) are available online.

Jump to today's events

Saturday-Saturday, October 4-11, 2003
International Days of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space.
Bruce Gagon, coordinator, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, 207-729-0517, globalnet@minspsring.com.
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.

Sunday, October 5, 2003 - 2:00 pm
Author David Potorti discusses his book, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows: Turning our Grief into Action for Peace
This 250-page book is written by Peaceful Tomorrows, an advocacy organization founded by family members of September 11th victims who have united to turn their grief into action for peace. The group's mission is to seek effective, nonviolent solutions to terrorism, and to acknowledge our common experience with all people similarly affected by violence throughout the world. By conscientiously exploring peaceful options in our search for justice, they hope to spare additional families the suffering they have experienced, as well as to break the cycle of violence and retaliation engendered by war. The book tells the story of how the group came together, and how they have struggled to keep their losses from being used as a justification for further violence and terror. Discussion led by author David Potorti (the book also includes essays from members of the group including Ryan Amundson, Myrna Bethke, Derrill Bodley, Kelly Campbell, Colleen Kelly, Rita Lasar, Kristina Olsen, Andrew Rice, and Terry Rockefeller).
Sponsored by McIntyre's Fine Books & Bookends; contact Sarah Carr, events coordinator, at 919-545-5727, or by email
220 Market St., 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro, NC 27312

Wednesday, October 29, 2003 - 7:30 pm
From Pain to Reconciliation: A Frank Discussion about the Occupation
Jews for a Just Peace - NC is sponsoring a week of area presentations and discussions by Israeli Yitzhak Frankenthal and Palestinian Rihab Essawi, who both have both lost family members to the ongoing violence in Israel and the West Bank. They will speak about their experiences of recent violence and their perspectives on the occupation. Mr. Frankenthal and Ms. Essawi are members of the Parents' Circle, an Israeli/Palestinian organization involving parents and close relatives of those who have lost loved ones to this devastating Middle East conflict.
Dr. Rihab Essawi lives in East Jerusalem and is currently Professor of Education, Sociology and Social Work at Al Quds University, Jerusalem. She is also General Director of the Department of Care and Rehabilitation for Special Needs for the Palestinian Ministry of Social Welfare. Rihab lost her nephew, mother and brother in three separate incidences of Israeli violence in the West Bank. She is co-founder of the Bereaved Family Forum and the Parents' Circle. Rihab has a history of academic and political activism regarding Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation. She holds a BA in Sociology from Sacred Heart University; a BA in Law from the University of Alexandria, Egypt; an MA in Sociology from The University of Bridgeport; and a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Pittsburgh. Rihab is fluent in Arabic, Hebrew and English.
Yitzhak Frankenthal was born in 1951 in Bnei Brak, Israel into a religious Zionist family. From 1970-1974, he served in the Israel Defense Forces and fought in the Yom Kippur War. In 1994, on his way home for a weekend break from army service, his 19-year-old son Arik was abducted and murdered by Hamas terrorists. Yitzhak liquidated his business and invested all his energies and assets into the Parents’ Circle which, since its founding, has united hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian bereaved parents committed to promoting tolerance, peace and reconciliation. As well, Yitzhak launched a project, Hello Peace, a free Israeli-Palestinian chat line boasting over 200,000 calls since October 2002. Since 1994, Yitzhak’s political and people-to-people peacemaking work includes hundreds of meetings with Palestinians, government officials, as well as other bereaved families. For three years, he was Secretary General of Netivot Shalom - Oz and Shalom (a religious Zionist peace movement) and has been a member of the Board of Directors of Meimad (Jewish Democratic party in Israel) for 9 yrs. Nearly single-handedly, Yitzhak has raised over $3 million for his people-to-people peacemaking efforts, thus far.
This event will be repeated on Thursday in Raleigh and on Saturday in Durham
For more details, please contact Tema Okun at (919)490-4448 or by email.
Chapel Hill Hillel, 210 West Cameron Avenue

Thursday, October 30, 2003 - 7:00 pm
From Pain to Reconciliation: A Frank Discussion about the Occupation
Repeat presentation and discussion sponsored by Jews for a Just Peace - NC; see details from yesterday's calendar entry, but this time to be held in Raleigh. Event to also take place on Saturday in Durham.
United Church of Christ on Dixie Trail (corner of Wade Ave and Dixie Trail), Raleigh

Saturday, November 1, 2003 - 7:30 pm
From Pain to Reconciliation: A Frank Discussion about the Occupation
Repeat presentation and discussion sponsored by Jews for a Just Peace - NC; see details from Wednesday's calendar entry, but this time to be held in Durham. Also, this evening is cosponsored by Coalition for Peace with Justice and CITCA, and also will include refreshments offered by the Mediterranean Deli in Chapel Hill.
Durham Arts Council, Morris St (downtown Durham)

Friday-Sunday, November 7-9, 2003
Forum Media, Public Opinion, and the Iraq War: Perspectives from the U.S. and Arab Media
The forum will feature prominent journalists from Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Britain, and France; North American journalists from both independent and mainstream media; and academic experts on the media. On Friday at 7p, there will be a performance by Palestinian-American Comedian, Ray Hanania; on Saturday from 9a-noon, the forum will address "Media and the National Interest" and from 1:30p-4:30p "'Official Speak', Experts, and Embedded Journalists"; and on Sunday from 9a-noon, "Media's Audience - The Role of the Public in Shaping News". For full details, please visit the event web site.
Sponsored and organized by the University Center for International Studies and the Center for International Media Studies (Amman, Jordan)
UNC Chapel Hill, Hanes Auditorium.

Thursday-Wednesday, November 13-19, 2003
Conference Bridging the Divide: Towards a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine
The conference seeks to educate the public on the principles for a just peace and offer techniques in peacemaking skills to provide avenues for effective advocacy. The core of the conference will take place November 14 and 15 on the UNC Chapel Hill campus. Additional days before and after are available for specific speakers in area universities, churches, and community venues. Confirmed featured speakers so far include Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, Palestinian American, Moderator, Presbyterian Church General Assembly; Maj. Stav Adivi, Major in Israeli Defense Force, Refusenik in Courage to Refuse movement, activist with Rebuilding Homes; Rev. Naim Ateek, Director, Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Jerusalem, Anglican priest, Palestinian-Israeli, visiting theologian, Presbyterian Church, USA; Prof. Jeff Halper, Israeli anthropologist, coordinator of Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions, consultant to governments and NGOs; Ibrahim Issa and Ghada Issa, Director and teacher (respectively) at Hope Flowers School in Bethlehem, West Bank; Rev. Stephen Sizer, International Authority from England on Christian Zionism; Prof. Dorothy Jean Weaver, Professor of New Testament at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, VA; and Jean Zaru, Palestinian Christian (Quaker) from Ramallah, international consultant on peace and justice issues.
Sponsored by The Coalition for Peace with Justice and Friends of Sabeel North America, with help from a broad spectrum of peace groups, human rights organizations, churches, and universities. To request a speaker, offer co-sponsorship volunteer for an organizing committee, or ask any questions, please contact Mary Lou Leiser Smith, Coordinator, Coalition for Peace with Justice, by email or phone at 919-967-5181 or -0829.

Monday, December 1, 2003 - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Community Speakout: Iraq - Where do we go from Here?
Should the US send more troops ot Iraq? Have an immediate troop withdrawal? Turn occupation over to the United Nations? What are the consequences of each course of action? After short comments by the panel, consisting of Stan Goff (veteran and author), Chris Kromm (Director, Institute for Southern Studies), Rashmi Varma (English professor, UNC), and Sarah Shields (History professor, UNC), there will be public discussion.
Sponsored by the Orange County Peace Coalition, consisting of: Campaign to End the Cycle of Violence (CECV), Coalition for Peace with Justice, Carolina Interfaith Task Force on Central America, Elders for Peace, Orange County Peace Action, Peace and Justice Committee of the Community Church of Chapel Hill (UU), Peace 1st, Peace and Social Concerns Committee of Chapel Hill Friends Meeting, Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE), and Triangle Area Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF).
For more information, please contact Lorna Chafe at 919-942-8245 or Vivian Phillips at 919-969-7145.
Chapel Hill Town Hall Chamber Room, 306 North Columbia St.

Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
An Evening of Songs for Peace benefit concert
The 3rd annual "Evening of Songs for Peace" (doors open at 6:30). Proceeds will be donated to the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolition, an Israeli organization helping to rebuild Palestinian homes demolished in the occupation. This benefit concert features amazing singer-songwriters and performers from around the triangle area: Jamie Anderson, Robert Baldwin, Tracy S. Feldman, Kathleen Hannan, Tom Johnson, Jamie Purnell, Mary Rocap, John Saylor, Laura Silvestri, and Greg Taylor. Admission is $6.00 ($5.00 to ArtCenter friends), but additional donations are welcome.
For more information, email Tracy S. Feldman at tsf@duke.edu
West End Theater at the ArtsCenter (300G E. Main Street, Carrboro), (919)929-2787 www.artscenterlive.org

Ongoing Events:

Every Monday and Wednesday 5:30-6:00 pm, and every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 12:30pm, an Interfaith Prayer for Peace group meets at the Durham Friends Meetinghouse, 404 Alexander Ave. (a map is available). 919-408-8282.

Every Tuesday at 7:30 pm at UNC Chapel Hill, the Campaign to End the Cycle of Violence meets to plan and discuss peace activities. Contact info@end-the-cycle.org.

Every Wednesday morning, "In These Times" silence followed by an ongoing discussion of response to current events; held at The Yoga Spot. Contact Ed Chaney, Stone Circles, 919-942-9081.

Every Thursday at 12:40 pm, the Peace Lunch Forum at NC State University meets in the Blue Room for a weekly series of discussions and lectures on varying topics.

Every Friday at noon, the UNC Progressive Faculty Network meets in Hanes Art Center room 222.

Some good press links:

Common Dreams is a good source of alternative news

The Media Education Foundation offers audio, video, and transcripts of alternative views regarding September 11th and its aftermath

http://www.alternet.org/ - Independent Media Institute project to support independent and alternative journalism.

Independent Media Center

Institute for War and Peace Reporting focuses on regional and international journalists reporting online

http://www.accuracy.org/war-releases.htm - Institute for Public Accuracy

Center for Economic and Social Rights has good information about Afghanistan including fact sheets

Marc Herold has a well-cited document on Afghani deaths (the original can be found on the web), and a frequently updated spreadsheet of supporting data

Rania Masri, Raleigh-ite and national board member of Peace Action, had an October 7, 2001 story in the News and Observer about peace with justice