Stockholm, London, Rome, Minden -- these communities, along with hundreds of others around the globe, will be the scenes of Saturday peace vigils in response to the possible war with Iraq.
The Douglas County Citizens for Peace, also known as the Citizen's Forum, is organizing the Minden event while various groups including United for Peace and the Green Party are organizing global protests.
Protests are planned in 400 cities in 60 countries, from Antarctica to Pacific islands, according to an article published by The Guardian newspaper on the United for Peace Web site. In what could be the largest peace protest ever, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to gather in London and Barcelona while 200,000 could march in New York if a permit is issued, the Guardian article reported.
The Minden event will be smaller and more quiet, according Julie Joldersma, one of the Citizen's Forum organizers.
"We are going to do some singing, we have some peace songs lined up," she said. "It should be kind of a relaxed type of event."
The event will be at 4 p.m. in Minden Park on Esmeralda Street in Minden.
Speakers at the event will include the Rev. Jeffrey Paul of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Carson City, the Rev. Chuck Durante with Diocese of Reno, the Rev. Pete Nelson of the United Methodist Church in Gardnerville and students from the Amnesty International Group at Douglas High School. The band Living Picture Show will play. A peace petition addressed to President Bush and the Nevada legislators will be circulated.
Many of the Nevada Voices for Peace members who have been holding candlelight vigils in front of the Legislature in Carson City on Friday nights will be attending, according to Ed Skudlarek.
"They're complimentary efforts," said Skudlarek of the candlelight vigils and the Minden gathering. "We're supporting each other in this and that's really critical in helping people consider alternatives to war."
Nevada Voices for Peace is continuing vigils at the corner of South Carson and Fifth streets on Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Reno saw what may have been the biggest peace rally there since anti-Vietnam War protests of the early 1970s when about 500 gathered to protest the pending war with Iraq last month.
IF YOU GO
What: Vigil for peace
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Minden Park on Esmeralda Street in Minden
Call: 265-2547
E-mail: CitizensForum@charter.net
ON THE NET
www.unitedforpeace.org/
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