www.declarationofpeace.org

The majority of the people of the United States, Iraq, and the rest of the world believe that the US war and occupation in Iraq must end. A New York Times/CBS poll published May 10, 2006 reported a 29% approval rating for the war, the lowest yet. 73% of the troops on the ground voiced a similar sentiment in another recent poll. This war has resulted in over 100,000 Iraqi deaths, the deaths of over 2400 US soldiers, and has consumed billions of dollars of resources. Nevertheless, the Bush administration continues to pursue an indefinite policy of war and occupation. Recently, President Bush stated that the decision on whether or not to withdraw will be left to his successor.

Pace e Bene invites you to join people in 30 national peace and justice organizations in creating a new direction by taking the Declaration of Peace pledge to:

* Declare peace by taking action to bring all US troops home from Iraq now and to establish a comprehensive, concrete and rapid plan for an end to the US war in Iraq; and
* Declare peace by engaging in nonviolent action in cities and town across the United States and in Washington, DC September 21-28 if these goals – immediate withdrawal of US troops and a comprehensive plan to end the US war — are not accomplished by International Peace Day, September 21, 2006. These activities will include marches, rallies, vigils, demonstrations, boycotts and other nonviolent and creative expressions “declaring peace.” In the spirit of Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, some signers will be led by conscience to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience and risk arrest as a way to signify their principled opposition to the US war in Iraq. Nationally coordinated nonviolent activities will continue on a regular basis until the United States withdraws from Iraq.

By signing the Declaration, people commit to one or more of the following:

* Call on the Bush administration and Congress to immediately withdraw all US troops from Iraq, with no future redeployments, and to establish a concrete, comprehensive plan to end the war
* Urge members of Congress to adopt a “bring the troops home now” position, and to establish a concrete, comprehensive plan for an end to the war no later than September 21, 2006, International Peace Day, just days before Congress adjourns
* Participate in marches, rallies, demonstrations, coordinated e-mail and telephone lobbying campaigns and other peaceful strategies to establish this plan
* Engage in nonviolent civil disobedience, as led by conscience, and other peaceful strategies in Washington, DC and across the US if this plan for a comprehensive, concrete end to the war is not established and activated no later than September 21, 2006.

The Declaration of Peace: Organizing and Structure

Over 25 national peace and justice organizations and coalitions have actively endorsed The Declaration of Peace, including United for Peace and Justice, the largest peace coalition in US history, which comprises 1500 local organizations and groups. New organizations are joining the Declaration campaign every day. These organizations have formed a national Declaration of Peace Working Group that is directing, and organizing the Declaration of Peace through the Declaration of Peace website (http://declarationofpeace.org), systematic e-blasts to their constituencies, myriad other forms of outreach, media work, nonviolence training, and action planning. The Declaration of Peace plan includes

* Declaration of Peace public signing events in cities and towns across the country.
* Systematic outreach to members of Congress and candidates;
* A nonviolence training and organizing initiative designed to assist local organizers in crafting their action strategy and preparation;
* Nonviolent activities that tens of thousands of people across the country can participate in before September conveying support for a comprehensive plan;
* Nonviolent action in Washington and across the US September 21-28 if this comprehensive plan is not established.

Each of these elements will be reinforced and magnified by a strategic public relations campaign. “Messaging” and “reframing” of this issue and those who are trying to change it. This message will stress that leaving Iraq is the best option for both the US and Iraq, and that those who are “responding to the emergency” are ordinary people from all walks of life who are “rolling up their sleeves to lend a hand to put the fire out.” This includes assembling a “dream team” of notables, speakers, former military leaders, and business and community leaders to “declare peace” in many public and media venues. It also will involve systematic national and alternative press outreach.

The Power of the Declaration of Peace

The Declaration of Peace combines the power of a pledge (a solemn commitment to take nonviolent steps for an end to the war) with the power of a deadline by which the American people will vocally and clearly say, “Enough is enough – we are ready for peace and a new direction and we will withdraw our consent to this war and offer our support for peace in powerful and dramatic ways.” The campaign combines a legislative strategy with a nonviolent action strategy. It combines “people participation activities” (including vigils; marches; public reading of the names of the US and Iraqi war dead; house meetings; phone calls and letters to Congress) with dramatic nonviolent action organized in the centered and determined spirit of Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Most of all, it is a campaign where people from many different perspectives – policy-makers and ordinary citizens; Democrats, Republicans and Independents; people of faith and people of conscience – can “declare peace” and convey public support for a peaceful solution.

Conclusion

The Declaration of Peace is a campaign designed to end the US war in Iraq. It will have the intensity and urgency of a traditional political campaign, but one designed to make the Fall 2006 elections a referendum on the war. It seeks to bring this laser-like focus by mobilizing tens of thousands of people to take action; by reframing the war as something that matters to all of us and that we each have the power to end; and by creating the conditions Congress to set a concrete deadline for a US withdrawal. The central method of this campaign is a pledge to put active and creative nonviolence into practice. We seek the funding to successfully deepen, broaden, and execute out this campaign for peace.

www.declarationofpeace.org