Gandhi Peace Brigade/ Light a Candle for Peace on September 12
by Jes & Leslie ( jes_richardson [at] yahoo.com )
Monday Aug 18th, 2008 2:19 AM

A Festival of Friendship will be held on September 12 to create an Axis of Friendship between Americans and Iranians. Iranians, Americans, and people around the world are invited to light a candle for peace and place this candle in their window for the entire day. Join us in celebrating and honoring the humanity that connects us all. It will be held at the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza from 3:30-6:30 pm. We will deliver children's art, poems and letters to Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders with offices in the Federal Building. The rally will conclude at the Plaza with a festival of Iranian and American music, food, dancing and poetry.

Dear Friends,

The world shared America's grief after the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Old barriers dividing nations collapsed with a worldwide outpouring of sorrow and compassion. Americans discovered friends in unlikely places, none more unlikely than Tehran, Iran. Thousands of Iranians spontaneously lit candles in solidarity with the families of 9/11 and the American people.

Instead of accepting opportunities for global peace and friendship, the Bush Administration used 9/11 as a pretext for sowing the seeds of a "war against terror" in Iraq and Afghanistan. The world's offer of good will was squandered.

On September 12, we will reignite the remaining embers of good will by creating an Axis of Friendship. Iranians, Americans, and people around the world are invited to light a candle for peace and place this candle in their window for the entire day. Join us in celebrating and honoring the humanity that connects us all.

A Festival of Friendship, including military families and veterans, Iranian-Americans, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others in opposition to the bombing of Iran will be gathering on September 12 at San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza from 3:30-6:30 pm. We will deliver children's art, poems and letters to Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders with offices in the Federal Building. The rally will conclude at the Plaza with a festival of Iranian and American music, food, dancing and poetry.

Similar events are encouraged in Washington DC, Boston, Portland, Seattle, Austin, and other cities around the country and the world ... especially in Tehran. If you are interested in coordinating an event in your city, please reply to this email. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our friends in the Bay Area for organizing this celebration.

Peace and Freedom,

Jes & Leslie