Let us unite to honor the victims of 9/11, their families and first responders as we strive to transform this tragic day into one of peace & community building.

The ability to make our country safe, secure, peaceful and harmonious lies in our hands.

Please join us with your family and friends for this Peace Picnic on Friday September 11th, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at 70 W. Hedding St, San Jose.

This event is free and open to ALL. You will enjoy gourmet vegetarian, cheese and halal chicken pizza, a Multifaith Service and children’s performances. We invite you, your friends and family members to be a part of this peace and community building event.

Abolish War
End Povery and Racism
Reverse the Climate Change

Take action this week to build a better world by participating in any of these local events:

Sermon: "Whose Lives Matter?" - Sunday, Sept. 20, 10am, First Congregational Church, 1985 Louis Rd., Palo Alto. This sermon by the Rev. Eileen Altman will begin Campaign Nonviolence local Week of Action by exploring issues of justice.

"White Like Me" Documentary and Discussion: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 7pm, First Congregational Church, 1985 Louis Road, Palo Alto. This 1 hour film by Tim Wise on race and privilege will be followed by a discussion on issues of race, racism and white privilege.

Climate Justice: Response to Pope's Congressional Address: Thursday, Sept. 24, 12Noon, Midpeninsula Media Center, 900 San Antonio Rd., Palo Alto. Join the studio audience immediately following Pope Francis' message to the U.S. Congress. Hear a panel of local and religious climate activists, and live reports from Washington D.C.'s Catholic Climate Covenant activists and members of the Moral Action on Climate team.

Protest Nuclear Weapons at Lockheed Vigil: Friday, Sept. 25, 12-1pm, Lockheed Space Systems at Mathilda Ave. and Lockheed Martin Way, Sunnyvale.  In this silent, nonviolent vigil we will stand in witness against the destruction and death perpetrated by Lockheed Martin - the largest manufacturer and exporter of military weapons.

Quaker Harvest Festival: Saturday, Sept. 26, 9am-4pm, 957 Colorado Ave., Palo Alto. This annual fair with music, food, plant and book sales benefits the Friends Committee on Legislation for California, which advocates for peace and justice issues in our state.

Sermon: "A Subtle Voice" - Sunday, Sept. 27, 9:30 & 11am, Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 East Charleston, Palo Alto. Recognizing that religion can both stimulate and counteract violence, Rev. Amy Zucker Morgenstern will ask, what are our religion's resources for un-making violence.

Labyrinth Peace Walk: Sunday, Sept. 27, 10:30am-12:45pm, Unitarian Universalist Church, 505 East Charleston, Palo Alto. In honor of the U.N. Peace Day (9/21) and concluding Campaign Nonviolence Week of action, come walk the labyrinth with your wish for peace and nonviolence.

Pope Francis will speak to a joint session of Congress on Thursday, September 24.  Join the studio audience with local and national religious and environmental activists to discuss his address.

Thursday, Sept. 24, 12 Noon
Midpeninsula Media Center
900 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto

Local panelists in the studio will include Debbie Mytels, Peninsula Interfaith Climate Action; Katia Reeves, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish Green Committee; and Paul George, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center.  Live reports from Washington D.C. will come via Skype or conference calls with members of the "Catholic Climate Covenant" and "Moral Action for Climate" directly following the Pope's address.

Pope Francis' encyclical on ecology, Laudato Si, challenges us all to hear both "the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor." 

"The entire material universe speaks of God's love....  Soil, water, mountains - everything is, as it were, a caress of God." 

Friday, September 25, 12Noon
Lockheed Space Systems in Sunnyvale
Mathilda Avenue and Lockheed Martin Way, Sunnyvale

September's Week of Action will see hundreds of Campaign Nonviolence actions across the nation. Those of us who live near San Francisco need look no further than Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale to find one of the world's deadliest purveyors of destruction - the largest manufacturer and exporter of military weapons, proudly providing the tools necessary for today's "warfighter."

The Pacific Life Community, Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice and others invite you to attend this vigil where people will silently and nonviolently stand in witness against the violence, destruction and death perpetrated from this place. 

Click here to download a flyer with more information.

As part of Campaign Nonviolence Week of Action join people around the world in celebrating the vision of a nuclear weapons free world, raising awareness and calling on our leaders to advance nuclear disarmament.

Established by the United Nations General Assembly, the aim of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons is to enhance "public awareness and education about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total elimination, in order to mobilize international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world."

This year, on Sept. 26, the Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament (PNND) will present a statement calling for A Nuclear-Weapon-Free-World: Our Common Good, endorsed by parliamentarians, mayors and religious leaders to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the onset of the nuclear age and the foundation of the United Nations.

"Nearly 16,000 nuclear weapons remain in the world's arsenals costing $100 billion annually - funds that could instead be used to implement the Sustainable Development Goals," said Mr. Saber Chowdhurgy MP, Co-President of PNND. "We reaffirm UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's description of the abolition of nuclear weapons as a "common good of the highest order."

Campaign Nonviolence (CNV) 2015 Week of Action now has over 285 events taking place around the world. CNV actions are planned in each of the 50 states plus Afghanistan, Colombia, Canada and beyond. Click here to learn about local, mid-peninsula events.

Global Opportunites to Mainstream Nonviolence include (but are NOT limited to!):
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, September 26 - Spread the word about this day through social media, letters to the editor, and telling your friends, family and faith communities!  Invite your local mayor or religious leader to sign the joint statement on A Nuclear-Weapon-Free-World: Our Common Good.

#Enough: Follow the lead of the Afghan Peace Volunteers as together we build a critical mass of nonviolent relationships for a green and equal world without war.

Tell President Obama to recommend unarmed approaches to conflict: Email or call the White House and tell the President that you want the Peacekeeping Summit which he will convene on Sept. 28 to take seriously the recommendations of the U.N. panel that unarmed civilian protection be a prominant aspect of U.N. Peace Operations. Click here for background from "Nonviolent Peaceforce", and then send a message to the White House.

Take the Campaign Nonviolence Pledge to strive to practice nonviolence toward yourself, others, and to join the global movement.

Regional opportunites also include:
Evening of Prayer for Victims of Violence, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7:30pm, Cathedral Basilical of St. Joseph, 80 South Market St., San Jose

I solemnly swear to take a stand against violence and
help build a culture of active nonviolence.
I will strive to:
practice nonviolence toward myself;
practice nonviolence toward all others;
practice nonviolence by joining the global movement to
abolish war,
end poverty,
stop the destruction of the earth and
foster a just and peaceful world for all.

Click here to sign the Campaign Nonviolence pledge, and join the movement to build a peaceful world for all! 

Campaign Nonviolence 2015

Abolish war
End Poverty and Racism
Reverse the Climate Change
Mainstream Active Nonviolence

And start here!

Multifaith Voices for Peace & Justice will join Campaign Nonviolence again this year.  If your congregation, organization or a community would like to participate, please contact diana@multifaithpeace.org.

Marches or prayer vigils, studies or drama, let us work together to build a world of active, creative, challenging and audacious nonviolence!

Campaign Nonviolence Week of Action events will take place in each of the 50 states as well as several other countries.

"After years spent teetering on the brink of war, the diplomatic agreement with Iran known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action offers an unprecendented opportunity for a peaceful settlement to concerns about Iran's nuclear program." 

The Friends Committee on National Legislation (quoted above) has posted a wealth of resources for people of faith and good will to understand and support the Iran Deal.  Their post on "Understanding the Iran Deal" is very helpful. 

In August 340 rabbis (including our own local Rabbi Sheldon Lewis) from all streams of Judaism sent a letter to all Members of Congress urging that they support the international community agreement and Iran. Read the statement of 53 Christian leaders urging Congress to support the agreement.  The Jewish Exponent posted a thoughtful article on why "The Iran Agreement is Good for America."