Friday 27 July 2012

Peaceprints rally for peace, July 25


July 25, 2012:

More than 40 young people attending Camp Peaceprints rally for peace with staff and community supporters in Niagara Square at noon today.

Camp Peaceprints, a collaboration between the Interfaith Peace Network, the SSJ Sister Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence and the WNY Peace Center, is a day camp for 8- to 13-year-olds who take part in games and activities designed to teach them about social justice, community building and peaceful conflict resolution.

photo by NYCLU

Vencermos Brigade, at the Peace Bridge


Here is a news report about this summer's Venceremos Brigade, crossing the Peace Bridge back to USA.   On Monday morning, July 23rd, Buffalo welcomed these courageous U.S. citizens,
defying the ban on travel to Cuba.



Article from The Buffalo News, July 23, 2012:
31 Americans due to return from Cuba.

A group of 31 Americans who have spent the last two weeks in Cuba without permission from the U.S. government will cross the Peace Bridge from Fort Erie, Ont., to Buffalo this morning.

Rallies will be held on both sides of the border for the group, traveling with the Venceremos Brigade as a protest to the U.S. embargo on travel and trade with Cuba. Supporters will gather at 9 a.m. to greet them in Buffalo's Front Park near the Peace Bridge.

The group took more than 1,000 pounds of embargoed materials to the island nation, volunteered on community projects and talked with a variety of Cubans.



photo by Ellie.

Monday 16 July 2012

Medea Bejamin: her book "Drone Warfare"

Medea Benjamin came to Buffalo for the July 7 weekend, partly in solidarity with local efforts in the Upsate NY Coalition to End the Drones.  She spoke at a press event that morning, to help start public opposition to any plans to use the Niagara Falls Air Base for drone activitiy.  Talking Leaves Books and the Peace Center also hosted a fantastic event on Saturday afternoon, July 7.  There Medea
gave a great overview of drones today, in support of her new book "Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control".  Copies are available at Talking Leaves, 3158 Main St.
        (716) 837-8554   http://tleavesbooks.com/events.htm
The event was very well-attended and was captured on video.  It lead into a lively discussion.  Medea Benjamin is cofounder of the peace group CODEPINK and the international human rights organization Global Exchange.  She has been an advocate for social justice for more than thirty years.   It was an honor and an inspiration to have her with us.

Thursday 12 July 2012

LASC/Pastors for Peace


LASC/Pastors for Peace BBQ Fiesta for Cuba
we CELEBRATED at a festive BBQ, on Friday July 6 2012 from 5pm to midnight.
It seemed that everyone had a great time; thanks to all the volunteers.
There was music, food, and camaraderie.  

Rev. Tom Smith from IFCO inspired us on US-Cuba issues and the history and ideas behind the Friendshipments. "We challenge an unjust law that asks us to hate our neighbor.  Love is our license."
He continued on by bus to his next stop, leaving at 3am!

The 23rd Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba continues to commemorate Rev. Lucius Walker, founding director of IFCO-P4P. Vehicles gather aid in Canada and the USA, go through Mexico and on to Cuba.

Packing of Friendshipment supplies (donated by local doctors and hospitals) had taken place Monday afternoon July 2.   The truck to carry supplies arrived at 10:30 pm on Saturday July 8, and we loaded the boxes, gave them breakfast the next morning, and sent them on their way.  It was good to see Luis and Ned again.


Hi.  Terry Bisson here.  I will be posting reports on events like this one, hosted by the
Latin America Solidarity Committee, which is a taskforce of the Western New York Peace Center.

We have a website:               http://www.lascwny.org/
We have a facebook page:    https://www.facebook.com/pages/LASC-wny/143873822377380