A Message from John Dear about the August 2020 Conference

Dear friends,

We're hard at work planning an amazing national conference on nonviolence for next August, 2020 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I'm writing to invite you to register right now. Why? Because the discounted tickets end on January 1st, and more importantly, we're suddenly thinking there could be a large crowd and strong interest, so you should get your ticket now.

On August 6 and 9, 2020, we'll gather up on the mountain of Los Alamos, near the Labs, in the park where the actual original bombs were built, to commemorate the 75th anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The conference will begin Friday evening at the Hotel Albuquerque, back in Albuquerque, with Fr. Richard Rohr giving a keynote address on nonviolence. Saturday, we'll go from 9-6, with talks by the great Dr. Erica Chenoweth of Harvard, the world's leading expert on the power of nonviolence; followed by Civil Rights Icon Dolores Huerta; Roshi Joan Halifax; a panel of younger folk on nonviolence; Dr. Ira Helfand, of the Nobel Peace Prize group, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons; then Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. of the Hip Hop Caucus, and concluding with a conversation between me and actor Martin Sheen.

It will be a great way to reflect on Campaign Nonviolence and our movement as nonviolent people; to make new friends and compare notes with other organizers; and to commemorate these anniversaries and call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. As someone said, "There are only two places to be in August 2020--in Hiroshima, Japan or New Mexico." Plus, you might stay longer, travel and enjoy the beauty of New Mexico for a while.

Plan on joining us! Help us spread the word! Bring a contingent of friends! Most especially, invite young people to attend.

See you in New Mexico next August! Merry Christmas!

-John Dear