On March 20 2003, the US launched the criminal invasion and occupation of Iraq. Eighteen years after that invasion, with many hundreds of thousands dead and trillions of dollars spent, the US war machine continues and expands its deadly presence in the Middle East and other regions of the world. At the same time the “War at Home” has resulted in expanding militarism in our communities in areas like policing and schools.
We are hosting various events around this date to protest these injustices and call for an end to the “forever wars,” defund the Pentagon, and use those trillions of war dollars for our human needs:
- Silent “Peace and Justice” Auction Fundraiser (opens March 15th online)
- Panel Presentation and Discussion (March 19th at 6:30 pm)
- Rally to End the Forever Wars! (March 20th at noon at Peace Corner)
Donate to the Silent Auction and Fundraiser!
Our virtual Silent “Peace and Justice” Auction is an attempt to creatively raise funds and bring the community together to continue to support one another through this time of physical distancing. We invite you to donate a product or service to include in our silent auction. Your donations will help us continue to build and create an even stronger foundation for the San Jose Peace and Justice Center and Collins Foundation.
Our Silent Auction event will begin on Monday, March 15th via the Bidding Owl Platform which can be found at: https://www.biddingowl.com/SJPJC. Bidding will end on Monday, March 22nd at 4 pm!
If you would like to donate to the event, please access our Silent “Peace and Justice” Auction donation form at this link: http://bit.ly/pjgive!
Recommended donation items include (but are not limited to) art pieces, gift cards, signed books, and handmade crafts and goods. Anyone can submit a donation!
Event Co-Sponsorship
Co-sponsoring events is one way to promote the event within our networks! Your logo and group name will be included in our event’s promotional material.
We ask community groups that co-sponsor to help us promote all of the events and to donate an item or service for our Silent “Peace and Justice” Auction. You can fill out the donation form at this link: http://bit.ly/pjgive! If your group is unable to contribute to our auction, please make a donation to our online portal (http://bit.ly/pjgive) or donate volunteer time.
Email your logo and how you want your group or organization name listed during the online event and in social media postings to michele@sanjosepeace.org.
End the Forever Wars: Discussion Panel
Join us on Friday, March 19th from 6:30 to 8 PM for a panel discussion and recorded segments from community members in remembering this time 18 years ago. You can register to attend this panel at this link: https://bit.ly/IraqPanel!
Please reach out for any accessibility needs. We will have Otter.ai transcription and are looking into other elements to create collective access. Email michele@sanjosepeace.org for any specific asks.
Rally to End the Forever Wars!
On Saturday, March 20th, we will return to the Peace Corner (Stevens Creek and Winchester Blvds) for a noontime rally with masks and social distancing. To help us build this important action, contact the Peace & Justice Center via our social media or email to EndWars@sanjosepeace.org. Help us send a powerful reminder of the costs of war to many who choose to forget!
You can find out more about these events on our website HERE! Stay tuned for updates.
