ICJPE

Announcements:

Viva Palestina! US Convoy!

Dear Chicago Peace and Justice Activists,

Viva Palestina US is currently organizing to develop a convoy of hundreds of United States citizens to travel to Gaza on July 4th, 2009 to deliver millions of dollars of much needed aid for the people of Gaza. The US project is currently working to raise $10 million in aid and 500 vehicles in a campaign in solidarity with the Palestinian people. A group of Chicago activists have begun to meet about this project and invite anyone who is interested in helping in any way (donations, funding a delegate to go etc). in order to build upon the success of the convoy. So please continue to donate and please ask your friends, family and workmates too.

The next open meeting for the Chicago Chapter is Wed. May 20th at 6:30pm GRACE PLACE, (Basement)
637 S. Dearborn, Chicago IL 60606 For more information please contact Erin Cox 312.641.5151 erin@8thdaycenter.org or Fatima Mohommadi at fatmoh@gmail.com

Below is a letter from George Galloway, MP, who led a successful convoy from Britain to Gaza, which took over 100 vehicles to Gaza from Britain and one million British pounds worth of aid:

Ours is a time of change. And nowhere is change more desperately needed than for the long suffering people of Palestine.

The brutal bombardment of the Gaza Strip at the start of this year killed over 1,400 people. Thousands more lost limbs, were scarred for life by phosphorus bombs, or were maimed by other hideous weapons. All this was inflicted on a besieged people who had nowhere to flee to.

For far too long public policy and media coverage of Palestine in the US has been grotesquely distorted. We hope to change that and win a more just approachfativ from President Obama, whose election marks an emphatic rejection of the disastrous Bush years.

The assault on Gaza has proved a turning point. A majority of Americans polled came out against it. Unprecedented numbers took to the streets in protest.

Protest is important, but it is not enough. That's why we have organised a convoy of medical aid for the people of Gaza to leave the US on July 4. We hope to take hundreds of vehicles carrying $10 million worth of medical aid from Egypt into Gaza.

The Palestinian people need those wheelchairs, medicines, prosthetic limbs and baby units.
They need also to see that there are huge numbers of Americans who care about their plight.

And the US itself needs the world – above all the Arab and Muslim worlds – to see a different face from that projected these last eight years.

If hundreds of US passport holders bearing millions of dollars worth of medical aid enter Gaza this July, they will gain immense international publicity. Hundreds of millions of people who feel enraged at recent US foreign policy will see that ordinary Americans are also opposed to it and are in no sense their enemy.

We appeal to you to support this convoy in whatever ways you can. Its success will not only bring some relief to the people of Palestine, it can be a significant step in building a new relationship between America and the rest of the world

George Galloway MP
Ron Kovic

Posted on May 14, 2009 by 8th Day Center for Justice

Cooking with Farah: A Cross-Cultural Fundraising Event

COOKING WITH FARAH: ISP FUNDRAISER
Farah Abrahi, an Iraqi refugee currently studying in California with the Iraqi Student Project, is an excellent cook and she has graciously volunteered to share her skills with us.
For Full Details

Download Flyer

Posted on Jun 26, 2009 by Iraqi Student Project DePaul Support

Support an Iraqi Refugee Student through the ISP

Help to repair Iraq one student at a time! Former Evanstonians Gabe Huck and Theresa Kubasak, long-time friends of Iraq through Voices in the Wilderness, founded the Iraqi Student Project (ISP) to provide higher education for Iraqi students forced to flee their war-ravaged country. DePaul University in Chicago has joined over twenty other schools in granting tuition waivers and/or scholarships to these students.

The rest is up to us. Click Here to contribute to the ISP DePaul Support Group, which must raise about $12,000 each year so the student can take advantage of DePaul's tuition waiver. We are all volunteers in Chicago so all the money raised will go directly to the student to fund travel, visa and other fees, books, and living expenses. Information at IraqiStudentProject.org. Learn other ways you can be involved at IraqiDePaul.org.

Posted on Apr 28, 2009 by Iraqi Student Project DePaul Support

Delegation to Colombia- Reminder to send in applications

Just a reminder to folks who may be interested in this opportunity to travel to Colombia August 10-20th, 2009 and learn more about the impacts of the pending Colombia-US free trade agreement. It is a crucial time period due to the state of the US economy and its affect on trade to focus attention on the issues of trade policy with other countries, and the impacts these policies have on human rights, all in the name of profit. Applications are due by July 1st, but space is filling fast, so get your applications in soon! For an application or More information please see below!

Join staff from 8th Day Center for Justice as we partner with Witness for Peace and return to Colombian communities organizing to resist current military and free trade policies that will further jeopardize human rights and increase miltiary repression against Afro Colombian and indigenous communities.

Delegates will meet with community leaders, displaced persons, and human rights defenders, and learn about the Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities struggle for territory, culture and environment.

Right now the U.S. government is trying to push a free trade agreement with Colombia which would further jeopardize the rights of indigenous and Afro Colombian communities. Also, since Plan Colombia began in 2000, the U.S. government has provided Colombia with over $5 billion in mostly military aid used or connected to spread the word about their situation and help call for respect for their rights.

The Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities of Colombia are hopeful that the new U.S. president Obama will continue to oppose the Bilateral Free Trade Agreement with Colombia and renegotiate a relationship wtih Colombia based on mutual respect and human rights.

Join this delegation and gain tools in which to educate and advocate to US citizens and policy makers after witnessing and learning from the Afro-Colombian and indigenous peoples of Colombia.

Please contact Beth Connor, Katie Varatta, or Erin Cox at 8th Day Center for Justice (312) 641.5151

Posted on May 07, 2009 by 8th Day Center for Justice

8th Day Center's 35th Anniversary Celebration

Sowing Seeds, Transforming Tomorrow
Our Celebratory Evening will include refreshments, silent auction, program, and music by emma's revolution.
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27th, 2009, 2:00-5:30pm Catholic Theological Union, 5416 S. Cornell, Chicago IL, 60615

If you would like to take out an add in our program booklet, or honor someone with a name listing please contact Katie Varatta at Katievaratta@yahoo.com.

If you would like to donate your talent, services, or items to our silent auction you can contact Gwen Farry at gwenbvm@aol.com

If you would like to volunteer at the event itself please contact Beth Conner at beth@8thdaycenter.org

For more information about our Ad book, Donating to the silent auction or for tickets to the event visit
8thDaycenter.org or call 312.641.5151

Posted on Apr 21, 2009 by 8th Day Center for Justice

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