Peacemaker Trainings

A Call for SOAWatch Peacemaker Volunteers for 2007

Peacemakers, along with the thousands of others, will gather at Ft. Benning with the common purpose of protesting the SOA/WHINSEC, commemorating the victims of SOA/WHINSEC graduates and celebrating nonviolent resistance.

The Peacemaker Working Group is looking for volunteers to serve as Peacemakers during this year's gathering at the gates of Fort Benning. As a Peacemaker volunteer (formerly called "peacekeeper"), you are asked to commit to the added responsibility of being an intentional nonviolent presence throughout the weekend.

Specifically SOAWatch Peacemaker responsibilities include:

- Maintaining by their own demeanor a nonviolent presence among the participants.
- Establishing a mode of conduct that is purposeful, positive, and instrumental in contributing to the general spirit of the vigil and action.
- Offering help with communication in the event of a medical emergency.
- Helping apply de-escalation strategies in the event of a potentially violent situation.
- Some Peacemakers will be "guides" for the Sunday Solemn Procession

The schedule for the Peacemaker Training Session are for Friday, November 16. There will be two special Peacemaker Training Sessions; one for "first time" SOAW Peacemakers, and a second one for experienced volunteers, those who have been a Peacemaker at SOAW in the last several years.

Friday, November 16, 2007: 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. and 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.

The criteria for being part of the SOA Watch Peacemaker Community includes

- Participation in at least one prior SOA Watch weekend at Ft. Benning, GA.
- Participation in a nonviolence training prior to this weekend
- Attendance at one of the PEACEMAKER TRAINING Sessions mentioned above

We need many Peacemakers. Please consider volunteering and/or giving us names of others from your region that can join us, too, for this important task.

New Peacemakers and Veteran Peacemakers/Guides, please send your name, email, phone (cell if you have one) and address, city, state, zip to:
Marge Clark at mclark(at)networklobby.org


Gratefully,
Marge Clark and Kathleen Desautels - SOAW Peacemaker Coordinators