Building Unity Spotlight
Building Unity Gatherings (BUG's) are events where people committed to peace, justice, sustainability, and democracy can come together, share information, and find ways to collaborate.
This Winter / Unity Summit will be attended virtually via Zoom.
Guest speakers will include:
* Janan NaJeeb on Peace
* Tamra Oman on Justice
* Anakwet (Guy Reiter) on Sustainability (the Rights of Nature)
* Tomika Vukovic on Democracy
We will also hear from other partners in our growing coalition.
Pam Richards will speak about the anniversary of the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons.
We will also explore and expand our proposed 2024 unity plan:
Our Spring Tour of Community Forums across the state Our Calendar of Solidarity and Transformation - Ending the war on Palestinians - NAACP Climate Summit in Feb - March 2 w/ PPC - Launch of the Spring Tour - Earth Day (4/20-22) - Spring Festival and Unity Summit (4/27) - May Day with Voces de La Frontera - Juneteenth Everywhere -
MREA Energy Fair - Building Unity on Rock Island (7/2 - 7/9) - Summer Summit - Peace Day (9/21) - Indigenous Peoples Day (10/14) - GOTV - Election Day Weekend Celebrations - Fall Summit
To Register, please sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/UnitySummitReg. You will receive a reminder on the day of the summit.
For questions, comments, ideas, or concerns, please call Building Unity at 608-630-3633
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All Critters Art Build and Potluck- Ashland
Let’s get together for an art build to prepare for future actions to #StopLine5!
Led by local organizers and the 350 Wisconsin Art Collective and Tar Sands Team, this two-day event will be an opportunity to create critter hats and other eye-catching art for the fight against Line 5.
Arrive at Bohemian Hall in Ashland at 10am on Saturday, January 27, and come back the following day to complete your project or take it home to finish. All supplies will be provided.
All are welcome! There will be frybread and a potluck from 1:00 to 3:00pm on both days. Bring a dish to pass and enjoy great food and conversation with neighbors.
The event is FREE to attend, we just ask you to RSVP so we can plan for supplies.
WHAT: All Critters Art Build & Potluck WHEN: Saturday, January 27, & Sunday, January 28, 10:00am – 6:00pm WHERE: Bohemian Hall, 319 11th Ave. E., Ashland, WI 54806 RSVP HERE: tinyurl.com/allcritters
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WNPJ member groups and affiliates issue Statements and Action Alerts on Hamas/Palestine/Israel
See the developing list here: https://www.wnpj.org/post/statements-from-wnpj-groups-and-their-national-affiliates-on-palestine-israel-hamas
Petitions to sign https://www.change.org/p/sign-and-share-this-urgent-petition-calling-for-a-ceasefirenow-in-gaza-and-israel and phone calls to make.
Go to the Madison Rafah Sister City sites: http://madisonrafah.org/ and/or https://www.facebook.com/madisonrafah to learn more.
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Upcoming Events this next week for WNPJ groups:
FITCHBURG Mon Jan 22, 10 am UN in the News monthly discussion group. At the Fitchburg public library. We'll be discussing several important foreign policy topics and concerns for 2024. These include the Israeli war on Gaza, climate change, the continuing war in Ukraine, migration trends and major elections in 2024. Another major topic we can discuss is the upcoming proceedings in the International Court of Justice where South Africa supported by several countries is charging Israel of perpetrating the crime of genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. Also continuing our discussion about ongoing conflicts in Sudan and the Congo. Finally, we can discuss the adoption of UN General budget and how late payers are affecting the work of the United Nations. Questions? Contact Sam Romano of the UNA USA Dane County chapter. sromano@charter.net
MADISON Mon Jan 22, 12 noon – 1 pm Monday Noon Vigil for Peace – Meet at the corner of MLK, Jr. Blvd and Doty St. For more information, call Tim at 608-630-3633.
VIRTUAL – Mon Jan 22 - Building Unity Summit. Read more in the Spotlight above….
CAMP DOUGLAS Tues Jan 23, 3:45 – 4:45 MONTHLY VIGIL AGAINST THE DRONES, OUTSIDE THE GATES OF VOLK FIELD. We are starting a new year. Please make this vigil part of your new monthly routine. We must keep vigilant and continue to speak out against killer drones. Our first vigil against drone warfare was at Volk Field on December 1, 2011, and so we are starting our 13th year of vigiling. WE MUST BRING THIS TERROR THAT THE US GOVERNMENT REIGNS DOWN ON OTHERS TO AN END! The vigil at Volk Field is a legal vigil where we will be on public property. As always, it will be a solemn vigil, remembering the victims of US government drone attacks. DIRECTIONS - To get to the vigil, take the Camp Douglas exit off Interstate 90/94 between Mauston and Tomah. When you exit take County Rd. C to the northeast. You will see the base straight ahead, but follow County Rd. C to the right and within a few blocks is a picnic wayside where you can park. The wayside is now closed for the winter, but you can legally park on the side of the road. There are no bathrooms available during the winter months THE VIGIL - We will gather at the wayside at 3:30 for introductions and to review the plan for the vigil, and then process together to the gates of the base where we will hold a solemn vigil for one hour to remember those killed by drones. Participants can stand in silence or read poems and stories about the effects of drone warfare. It is important that the voices of the victims be brought to the gates of Volk Field. Bring posters if you can. If you have questions about the vigil because of the weather, please make sure to call Joy at 608 239-4327 joyfirst5@gmail.com or Bonnie blb24@earthlink.net at 608-256-5088 for an update before you make the long drive.. Wisconsin Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars
VIRTUAL Wed Jan 24, 12 noon – 1 pm WISDOM Virtual Lunch and Learn Webinar. WISDOM's Digital Organizer Amanda Ali and EveryAction Coordinator Katie Olson will be hosting. These quarterly events are open to the public and WISDOM community to take an hour out of your time during lunch and invest it in learning with us in 2024! Our first session will be about optimizing your campaign through digital tools. Register for the event in advance here ! Once you register, you will receive a Zoom confirmation email. This is free to attend, so please share with anyone else you think would be interested! Let's invest in ourselves and get to learning! office@wisdomwisconsin.org
MILWAUKEE Wed Jan 24. 12 noon – 1 pm ANTI-ROTC VIGIL Meet in front of M.U. Library on Wisconsin Ave. Casa Maria Catholic Worker casamariamke@gmail.com
VIRTUAL Wed and Thurs, Jan 24 & 25, WISDOM is diving all into 2024 with two new campaign and voting trainings in January! Two different events but both equally important. The first is a Virtual Lunch and Learn: Optimizing Your Campaign on January 24 at 12 p.m. CT through Zoom. You can join WISDOM's digital team to discuss how digital tools can create momentum in your campaign. Register in advance
In order to prepare for the upcoming 2024 elections, WISDOM is excited to have relaunched School of Democracy last September! The fourth event in our series is a training with our affiliate, FREE's Director Peggy West-Schroder on State Elections on January 25 at 6:30 p.m. CT through Zoom. Come learn about important upcoming elections, what's at stake for 2024 and how you can make a difference by using your voting power. You can register in advance here or click the link below! Register in advance
School of Democracy and WISDOM will host many trainings in the upcoming year so keep an eye out in your inbox for future updates! For questions, please contact WISDOM's Digital Organizer, Amanda Ali, at aali@wisdomwisconsin.org.
WEBINAR: Wed Jan 24, 12 noon A Conversation with Robert Herbst- "Israel, South Africa, Genocide and the International Court of Justice" Register Here. South Africa sued Israel for genocide in the International Court of Justice (“ICJ”) late last year. On January 11 and 12, the court heard its initial arguments on South Africa’s claim for preliminary relief, styled Provisional Measures. Robert Herbst and Michael Spath will be discussing the case and its political, moral and religious implications for Palestinians, Israelis, and their American supporters in our first webinar of 2024. Viewers will get some understanding of (1) how genocide is defined in the Genocide Convention to which South Africa and Israel are both signatories, (2) the allegations of genocidal intent and genocidal acts detailed in South Africa’s 84 page complaint, styled an Application, which has now also been joined by others, including Turkey and Malaysia, (3) Israel’s response, (4) the nature of these proceedings before the ICJ, its jurisdiction and possible outcomes. Come join us! Robert Herbst is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace, as well as a veteran international human rights attorney, arguing cases in Sierra Leone and other countries. He and Michael Spath are co-chairs of ICAHD-USA. Michael Spath is the Executive Director of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace and a member of UCC-PIN and the Global Kairos for Justice Coalition. He and Robert Herbst are co-chairs of ICAHD-USA. Sent to WNPJ by Madison-Rafah Sister-City Project rafahsistercity@yahoo.com
LaCROSSE Thurs Jan 25, 12 noon - 12:30 pm Weekly Women in Black Peace Vigil. Meet at Main St & 4th Street South. A weekly vigil for peace every Thursday. Contact Deborah. dbuffton@yahoo.com
VIRTUAL Thurs Jan 25, 7 pm Webinar: 1992 Peace Accords and the February 2024 elections in El Salvador. In El Salvador, President Bukele’s State of Exception strips people of their rights and continues with no end in sight. The government has imprisoned over 73,000 people, including some from our sister community of Arcatao. There are detailed reports of torture, medical neglect, and death in prisons. President Bukele is defying the constitution and running for re-election on February 4, 2024. Join MASCP for a conversation with CRIPDES, our Salvadoran Sistering partners, to learn more. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tfuGvpz0tHdPBv9QXzINKHqAeN2f96ruT#/registration Madison Arcatao Sister City Project - info@mascp.org
WEBINAR: Thurs 25 Jan 5:30 - 06:30 pm From terror to transformation. From the organization: King and Breaking Silence. This event sent to WNPJ by Dena Eakles of Echo Valley Hope - dena.eakles@gmail.com. Dena writes: "This webinar is presented by an organization I respect for their depth of coverage in wonderful webinars on social injustice." Learn more: Can the violence in Palestine-Israel become a turning point for humanity? Register at https://kingandbreakingsilence.org.
MADISON Thurs Jan 25, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm DACA Advocacy Day. At Bethel Lutheran Church (312 Wisconsin Ave). The Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin is sponsoring a day of to urge our Wisconsin legislature to pass four bills that will help DACA recipients to: Receive professional licenses to be teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, etc. – ie, Pay in-state tuition if they have lived in Wisconsin at least 12 months prior to the semester and are DACA recipients - Receive a tax credit to help defray the cost of renewing their DACA status every two years -Become police officers and sheriff’s deputies. Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is co-sponsoring, as is WISDOM. Register by January 19. https://www.loppw.org/evrplus_registration/?action=evrplusegister&event_id=10
MADISON Thurs Jan 25, 5:30 pm Antiwar Movie Series – 2 films. At the Madison downtown central public library. The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the US (2016, 45 min) PLUS & My Neighborhood (2012, 25 min) Socialize and tabling plus a movie discussion, plus free popcorn. Co-sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace and World Beyond War Madison. Contact: Brad Geyer 920-650-0052 Veterans for Peace Madison - Clarence Kailin, Chapter 25 https://madisonvfp.org/
RHINELANDER Thurs Jan 25, 6 – 8 pm Northwoods Community Forum. Nicolet College . For Our Future, with support of Project North, Northwoods Area Progressives, and Nicolet College, are holding a casual event to get people together! This will be an opportunity for small businesses, local non-profits, and individuals active in the community to share what they are working on, and to network and connect with others. Here is the Facebook event, and a link to sign up to attend. https://fb.me/e/49Yv6XWXh Sign-up link: https://secure.everyaction.com/WaxlzK9lhESZF0Ott3G-QA2 Announcement sent to WNPJ by Building Unity: BuildingUnityWi@gmail.com
MILWAUKEE Sat Jan 27, 12 noon - 1 pm Peace Action WI - Weekly STAND for PEACE: Each Saturday, a different location. Today meet at 76th and North. Join us. Bring your signs. info@peaceactionwi.org https://www.peaceactionwi.org/stand_for_peace
VIROQUA Sat Jan 27, 11 am - 12 noon Driftless Palestinian Solidarity Weekly Vigil. Meet at Decker and Main. Action Alert: The Driftless Palestinian Solidarity group has written a petition to demand that Senator Tammy Baldwin support a ceasefire in Gaza. We are trying to get this initiative going throughout the state of WI. If your group is interested in getting signatures, please email driftless.solidarity@gmail.com. Thank you for your help!
VIRTUAL Sat Jan 27, 2 – 4 pm United for Peace and Justice Midwest Planning Call. The Regional Gathering held in March 2023 was informative and energizing. There's certainly a lot going on in The Great Lakes area and a lot that still needs to happen. Now, it's time to get together and discuss our next steps and prepare for 2024! Please join us on January 27th at 2:00 p.m. for a 2-hour Zoom. Register here. Remember to Share this info with your networks! United For Peace and Justice info.ufpj@gmail.com
ASHLAND Sat and Sun Jan 27 – 28 All Critters Art Build & Potluck . Bohemian Hall, 319 11th Ave. E. RSVP HERE: tinyurl.com/allcritters See the Spotlight above…..
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If your group would like to get your events posted in the weekly e-bulletin – JOIN US! https://www.wnpj.org/membership
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Join WNPJ – www.wnpj.org
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The WI Network for Peace and Justice is the umbrella non-profit organization
supporting the work of 82 member groups around Wisconsin.
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You can open any of our weekly WNPJ e-Bulletins from the archive and copy the web address to share with others.
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