On January 22, 2021, the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force—giving the world what might be the best path to survival. You can learn more about the TPNW by visiting ICAN—the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons—a coalition of non-governmental organizations promoting implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty. For an example of the approach of one peace organization—Mass Peace Action—to the threat of nuclear disaster and the passing of the TPNW] check out the announcement for this webinar, scheduled for April 24, 2021: Building Political Support for the Nuclear Ban Treaty in Congress and at state and local levels. Zoom event: Saturday, April 24, 2021 10:30 am-12:45 EDT
Saturday’s rally in Brattle Square Plaza, Cambridge, MA, to end the U.S.-Saudi blockade of Yemen, began just as the morning’s rain ended and pedestrians returned to Harvard Square.
Activists held signs and gave out leaflets urging an end to U.S. support for the Saudi blockade.
As the leaflet noted, “Yemen is a Massachusetts war. Raytheon is headquartered here in Massachusetts. It makes the bombs for Saudi Arabia and it makes the jet engines for the planes that drop the bombs. Let’s do all we can to end this connection between Massachusetts and this terrible humanitarian disaster.”
Further information is available at the Raytheon Antiwar Campaign (617-354-2169), and at info@masspeaceaction.org.
Pegean says: “If you’re concerned about the situation in Yemen, let your national and state legislators know.”
11:20 AM -11:40 AM: Supporting the Treaty at State and Local levels
· State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Massachusetts
· Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, Easthampton
11:40 AM – 12:10 PM: Panel Discussion – “ICAN pledge –Collecting signatures in other nuclear-armed and nuclear-reliant countries”
· Heidi Kassai (ICAN Germany)
· Tilman Ruff (ICAN Australia)
· Erin Hunt (Mines Action Canada/ICAN Partner)
12:10 PM – 12:30 PM: Breakout Rooms – Writing to Your Elected Representatives
Participants will break up into small groups by state/region to write letters and emails to federal, state, and local representatives in their own states and districts.
12:30 PM – 12:40: Debrief and next steps
12:40 PM – 12:45 PM: Closure
Background on the ICAN Pledge and Nuclear Ban Treaty:
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) went into effect on January 22nd of this year. Everything to do with nuclear weapons is now illegal in 54 countries, and that number will continue to rise. In countries where governments are not yet ready to sign this treaty, their elected officials are pressuring them to do so. Over 250 parliamentarians in Italy have signed the ICAN Pledge, nearly 200 in Germany, over 100 in Australia, and almost every member of the Scottish Parliament.
So far, ten members of the US Congress have signed the ICAN Pledge. Join us on April 24th to hear from Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and from ICAN campaigners around the world, on how they have successfully used the ICAN Pledge to build support for nuclear abolition in other nuclear-armed and nuclear-weapon-reliant countries. Also hear from US legislators who have signed the ICAN Pledge or are considering doing so. We will discuss how to get many more members of the US Congress to sign, and how this could begin to change the conversation about nuclear weapons in Washington towards a clear call for the abolition of these weapons. We will also look at how getting state and local legislators to sign the Pledge can help build pressure on Members of Congress to also sign.
Event Co-Sponsors: NuclearBan.US, The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Massachusetts Peace Action, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF US), World Beyond War, CodePink, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Sierra Club, Veterans for Peace, Physicians for Social Responsibility, United Methodist General Board of Church and Society and Baltimore Nonviolence Center, Beyond Nuclear, Catholic Worker New York City, Center for Nonviolent Solutions, Coalition for Peace Action, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, Engaging Peace, Inc., Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution Peace Task Force, Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace, Granny Peace Brigade New York City, Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Hampton Roads Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Maryland Peace Action, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, New England Peace Pagoda, New Hampshire Peace Action, Northampton Friends Meeting (Quakers), Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Nuclear and Carbon Free Future Coalition, Nuclear Hotseat Podcast/Broadcast, Nuclear Resister, NuclearWakeUpCall.Earth, Nukewatch, Nukewatch New Mexico, Oregon PeaceWorks, Outrider Foundation, Pax Christi Baltimore, Pax Christi Metro New York, Peace Action Maine, Peace Action New York State, PEAC Institute, Physicians for Social Responsibility Kansas City, Prevent Nuclear War Maryland, Resistance Center for Peace and Justice, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice, Tri-Valley CAREs, Upper Midwest Chapter World Beyond War, Veterans for Peace Chapter 27, Veterans for Peace Chapter 34, Veterans for Peace Chapter 80, Veterans for Peace Golden Rule Project, War Resisters League New York City, Women Against Military Madness, Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility, War Prevention Initiative Jubitz Family Foundation.
Engaging Peace, the nonprofit we created in 2010 to promote peace and social justice education, is about to embark on a new venture. Specifically, the blog will be transferred to another activist organization–Massachusetts Peace Action (MAPA).
Mass Peace Action is the largest peace organization in Massachusetts, with ties to other peace organizations around the country. Here are a few examples of its activities in 2020:
Hosted more than 70 webinars, with speakers like Noam Chomsky and Trita Parsi
Held dozens of events to protest war in the Middle East and intervention in Latin America; sent more than 10,000 emails to state and federal legislators and the White House
Surpassed 15,000 supporters, 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, and 5,000 followers on Twitter
Grew to eight working groups with active engagement of over 100 volunteers
Started the “Fund Healthcare Not Warfare” Campaign
MAPA’s Education Fund, like Engaging Peace, is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization.
Before the Engaging Peace archive moves to its new site, we want to thank all our readers, guest authors, and donors for sharing our work towards peace and social justice over the last 11 years.
What a wonderful journey it’s been, starting when we first imagined a blog to making it happen, becoming a nonprofit, adding the newsletter, and growing our contacts to over 900. Over more than a decade, Engaging Peace has published over 1,000 posts (which prompted almost 5,500 reader comments), more than 100 monthly online newsletters, and over 60 political cartoons.
During that time, we were honored to have contributions from over 90 guest authors and illustrators, dozens of interns, and hundreds of commentators.
We most especially offer thanks to our donors who supported EP and helped us meet our budget, and to our board of directors (Doe West and Alice LoCicero) for helping to guide EP through a host of decisions and milestones.
Although Engaging Peace, Inc. as an organization will close, Kathie, Pat, and the EP cartoonist, Joe Kandra, will continue to publish occasional posts and cartoons on the MAPA site.
The best news of all is that our efforts for peace and social justice will continue within a larger constellation of activists within Mass Peace Action. Our work is their work, our goals are their goals. Please continue to participate in these efforts toward a more peaceful and just world for ourselves, our children, and the future of the earth.
Action: If you would like to sign up for MAPA’s e-alerts, just click here. And please be sure to watch for new posts and cartoons from Kathie and her team on the MAPA site.
