Groups Across US Transform September 11th Into A Day of Hope and Healing

Local showings of the movie Gandhi will remind people that even after violence, peace is possible, and will heighten awareness of legislation to establish a U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence

September 11th stands out as a day in history. On that day in 2001, violent acts were inflicted on this country in ways few will ever forget. And 100 years ago, on September 11th, 1906, Mohandas K. Gandhi launched Satyagraha, the modern non-violent movement that changed the course of history. In honor of these events, grassroots movements across the country have come together in an extraordinary venture of peace-building.

Led by New Yorkers for a Department of Peace (and in conjunction with Sony Pictures and the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence), on Monday, September 11th, groups in 35 cities in 17 states will screen Richard Attenborough's 1982 classic film Gandhi. By doing so organizers of these events hope to accomplish two related goals: to transform September 11th into a day of hope and healing - and to raise awareness of legislation currently in the House and Senate to create a cabinet-level U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence.

"Movies have the power to inspire and influence," said Dot Maver, Executive Director of the citizen action organization The Peace Alliance. "Gandhi's story reminds us that a single individual can change history, and that individuals working together can change the world. We hope that people watching Gandhi on September 11th will be inspired to learn more about the Department of Peace, and to tell their legislators they want this bill supported in Congress."

"The Department of Peace and Nonviolence would benefit everyone," continued Maver. "For a small fraction of what we currently allocate to the Department of Defense ($8 billion versus more than $419 billion) it would provide a coordinated, proactive approach to reducing violence and would reap enormous benefits in our homes, in our schools, in our communities, our nation, and throughout the world."

"A Department of Peace would send a message of hope to people throughout America and around the globe," adds Peace Alliance founder Marianne Williamson. "We are devoted to creating a new political consciousness, based on the nonviolent principles articulated by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. A Department of Peace would embody those principles. It would send a clear signal that the United States is committed to using its great strength to participate in peace."

Domestically, the department would develop policies and allocate resources to effectively reduce the levels of domestic and gang violence, child abuse and various other forms of societal discord.

Statistics reveal that each year, medical expenses from domestic violence alone total at least $3 to $5 billion, and businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity.

Internationally, the Department of Peace and Nonviolence would advise the President and Congress on the most innovative techniques to create peace among nations. It would also research and analyze the root causes of war and other forms of discord to help prevent conflicts from escalating to the point of violence. A Peace Academy, on par with the Military Service Academies, would train civilian peacekeepers and the military in the latest nonviolent conflict resolution strategies and approaches.

Gandhi showings are scheduled in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. The Student Peace Alliance is planning showings of the film at a number of college campuses across the country, and showings are also scheduled in Bombay, India and Pisa, Italy.

The Peace Alliance is a nonprofit, trans-partisan organization spearheading the national campaign for a U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence. For more information on this legislation and our campaign, please visit the Peace Alliance website at: www.thepeacealliance.org.

For information about local showings of Gandhi, please visit the Ghandi Showings website.
For more information, visit the websites of New Yorkers for a Department of Peace and the Student Peace Alliance.

NATIONAL CONTACTS:
Matt Harris, 206.331.9728,
Patty Kuderer, 206.910.2422
press@thepeacealliance.org

alan@newsblaze.com

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