Starting Date: 05-28-2004
Starting Time: 7:00pm
Ending Date: 05-31-2004
Ballantine Hall
Indiana University Campus
Bloomington, Indiana 47405
United States
888-363-2927Join peace advocates from around the country to learn about, share your ideas about and plan to take action to do something about the disastrous US occupation of Iraq. The conference will begin at 7 pm on Friday, May 28th, with an evening panel discussion about the current situation in Iraq. Saturday morning, May 29th, will kick off at 9 am with an open forum where we will invite peace groups around the country to discuss “what’s working?” and briefly report on their successes. Educational workshops and action planning sessions will take place Saturday and Sunday afternoons, with Saturday afternoon entertainment. The conference will conclude on Monday, May 31st with a Memorial Day march / rally with speakers and performers. The Friday to Sunday sessions will all take place in Ballantine Hall on the campus of Indiana University. The theme of this year’s conference is Humanitarian Disaster to Quagmire, the Failure of the ‘War on Terror’. The conference is sponsored by the National Grassroots Peace Network (http://www.endthewar.org). The conference is being hosted by the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition (http://www.bpac.info/) and the Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Program at Indiana University.
Featured guests include eminent author and journalist Dilip Hiro (Secrets & Lies: Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’ and After and Iraq: In the Eye of the Storm), Larry Everest (author, Oil, Power and Empire: Iraq and the U.S. Global Agenda), uranium weapons experts Diane Henshel (Indiana University professor and scientific advisor, Jefferson Proving Ground Restoration Advisory Board) and Charles Sheehan-Miles (Nuclear Policy Research Institute, Gulf War I veteran), veteran activists Bert Sacks (nine humanitarian and fact-finding missions to Iraq since 1997, first citizen to be fined [$10,000] by the U.S. government for breaking the sanctions by traveling to Iraq carrying medicines, founder of Citizens' Committee for Responsible Journalism) and Ramzi Kysia (Voices In The Wilderness, Education for Peace in Iraq Center), and musical guest Stephan Smith. The Wheels of Justice Bus Tour will be pulling into town during the conference with speakers to talk about occupation, and with comedian Dave Lippman as George Shrub the singing CIA agent.
Additional confirmed speakers include:
· Gloria Escalona (East Bay Coalition to Stop the Sanctions on Iraq, Iraq Coordinating Committee, Dominican Sisters)
· Anthony Arnove (editor, Iraq Under Siege)
· Dr. Nazif Shahrani (Afghan scholar and Indiana University professor)
· Sunny Miller (Executive Director of Traprock Peace Center)
· Charlie Jackson (Texans for Peace, currently in Iraq)
· Paul George (Executive Director, Peninsula Peace & Justice Center)
· Rich Andrews (Colorado Communities for Justice and Peace)
Other guests and speakers (invited but, not yet confirmed) include:
· Doug Rokke (former director of the U.S. Army's Depleted Uranium Project)
· Jim Hightower (Radio commentator, The Lowdown, author, Thieves In High Places)
· Dan Winters (Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center)
Topics for Workshops and Planning Sessions will include:
"Building a Campaign to Abolish Depleted Uranium Weapons", featuring several anti-D.U. experts and activists; to take place on Saturday, May 29.
· Eyewitness Reports from Iraq
· The Language of Non-violence: How We Convey Our Message of Peace
· Humanitarian Needs in Iraq
· Current Social/Religious/Political Aspects of Iraq
· How We Can Influence The Media
· Lies/Evidence/Media Distortions on WMD/Terrorist Connections from the Bush Administration on Iraq
· Building State-wide Peace/Anti-war Coalitions
· Organizing a Peace Center
and an Iraq Documentary Film Festival (including "Breaking The Silence: Truth and Lies in the War on Terror", "Footprints", "Hidden Wars of Desert Storm", "Invisible War: Depleted Uranium and the Politics of Radiation", and many others)
More than 300 activists, academics, and students concerned about the current situation in Iraq and for the well-being of the people of Iraq are expected at this year's Conference.
For more information on the 2004 Conference, costs, and to register to attend, visit: http://www.endthewar.org/conference.htm Check back for updates and details about the agenda, speakers and workshops!
For Questions about the Conference location, directions, housing/accommodations, shuttles, volunteer opportunities, and other logistical issues, contact the the conference hosts: Bloomington Peace Action Coalition: BPACpeace@hotmail.com
, or call Timothy Baer at: (812) 988-1917.
For Questions about the Conference agenda/schedule, campaign/issues proposals, and speakers, contact the National Grassroots Peace Network at: conference@endthewar.org
, or call 1-888-363-2927
Geographical Scope: National Conference |
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