Santa Cruz United for Peace - An Afternoon Community Symposium

The idea of Armistice 100 Santa Cruz evolved late in 2017 when a few members of Chapter 11 of the Santa Cruz Veterans For Peace reflected on the upcoming 100th anniversary of Armistice Day on November 11 of this year, 2018.

We decided that the time was right for fostering more peace in our community, our nation, and in the world. Armistice Day, the holiday dedicated to peace, no longer exists, but its plea for peace in the world is now a sad and ironic reminder that the last 100 years have been anything but peaceful. We decided to go to work creating a network of individuals and groups that together work to resurrect the bold intention of Armistice Day 1918.

In the last eleven months, Armistice 100 Santa Cruz has aligned with many local groups, held a series of rallies on the 11th of each month, invited guest speakers, musicians, and others; we’ve created and participated in numerous events, met with public officials, activists, students, musicians, and reached out to many other citizens and activists who share our vision and our passion for peace.

Today marks the culmination of the work Armistice 100 Santa Cruz, Veterans For Peace, and a host of other organizations have done over the last year. We hope you’ll join our day-long celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day, our morning 2018 Armistice Day Celebration and Veterans Day Remembrance at the Town Clock and the Santa Cruz United for Peace; an Afternoon Community Symposium on Creating Peace. Armistice 100 Santa Cruz is pleased and gratified to have you with us.

The afternoon of November 11 will be dedicated to “A Community Symposium on Creating Peace” at the Veterans Memorial Building at 846 Front St in Santa Cruz.

This event features a wonderful group of guests including:
WILPF President Mary Hanson Harrison
Daniel Sheehan - Constitutional Attorney & Co-Founder Romero Institute
Nane Alejandrez - Co-founder of Barrios Unidos
Reverend Deborah Johnson of Inner Light Ministries
Jim Greiner & Friends - Community Drumming
Ann Marie Sayers, Martin Hererra - NativeDrummers
Rico Baker
Paul Damon
Steve Bare, Gail Swain,
Tatanka Bricca - Romero Co-Founder
Sarah Nelson
April Burns
Daniel Paul Nelson & Christina Musumeci
Jack Tracey
Sherry Conable
Drew Glover
City Councilman Chris Krohn
Sheriff Jim Hart
Police Chief, Andy Mills
Dr Arnold Leff
Coleen Douglas
And a host other local activists and experts.

These featured guests, and our attendees, will be exploring ideas surrounding Peace and Women, Peace and the Community, and Peace and the Human Spirit.

The afternoon event will begin at 12:30 (Doors open at 11:30.)

In addition to our special guests the afternoon will feature an introduction with native drumming, veterans speak, music,
breakout/discussion sessions, food, and a special Healing Center open from 1:00 to 4:00 hosted by Holistic Veterans and local healers.

Donations are encouraged and gratefully accepted, but
the event is free.

Our mission is to focus on what we believe is good, appropriate, and effective. We are not interested in highlighting that which we are against; instead, we are focused on a positive direction rooted in peace, peaceful resolution of conflict, and peaceful, civil human interaction. We support our veterans; many of us are veterans of war. We are here to engage with others in an effort to heal our divisive culture. Our intent is to create community, not opponents or enemies.

We intend to initiate an ongoing, community-based association of diverse individuals and groups who together will foster new strategies for creating peace in our community, in our nation, and around the Earth. We intend to work with others to resurrect a national holiday dedicated to peace, a new Armistice Day.

We will work to encourage a huge reduction in military spending every year for the next 100 years, and we hope to foster support for leaders who incorporate peace and peace strategies in their approach to governing. We hope to foster an awareness that peace brings about greater prosperity than does war. We support
and want to help create a US Department of Peace and do all we can to manifest a more unified community of Peace.

Please join us.