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SUMMARY:The Militarization of Europe and The Workers' Fightback: Lessons and Connections for the US
DESCRIPTION:As Europe is increasingly drawn into the expansion of NATO and into the Ukraine war\, workers are increasingly rebelling\, seeing evaporate not just the peace they’ve experienced since the end of WWII begin but also the Cold War creep back\, while their economies increasingly falter. Organized and unorganized they are beginning to fight back\, while at the same time right wing forces are gaining some foothold in Europe as in the US. \nWorkers in the US have not known peace now for many decades\, with the US involved in endless wars all over the globe\, endless billions of tax dollars flowing into production and export of weapons\, and real wealth continuing to flowing into fewer and fewer hands. US workers rage against the government\, the true nature of their wealth decline obscured by rightwing rhetoric and misinformation. \nAre there lessons we can learn from the workers’ fightback in Europe? Are there experience to he shared from our own increasing fight back? Can workers’ rage be channeled more constructively? How? Working together\, can the workers in Europe and in the US create an effective front against the militarization of their economies and the ongoing march forward of NATO and the Right?” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRegister to Attend \nPeter Mertens  is a Belgian statesman and activist who led the Workers’ Party of Belgium from 2008 to 2021 and continues to lead the party as General Secretary. He has served as a member of the Chamber of Representatives since 2019\, and as a municipal councilor in Antwerp since 2013. He is the author of a number of articles and books\, the most recent of which\, available in English\, are: They Have Forgotten Us (2021) and Mutiny: How Our World is Tilting (2024) as well as numerous articles. \nCarlos Aramayo is the President of UNITE HERE Local 26\, the Union for hospitality workers in the greater Boston area and Rhode Island. He is also a Vice President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO\, an International Vice President of UNITE HERE and a trustee of UNITE HERE Health and the Greater Boston Hospitality Employers Trust. In addition to his work in the Union\, he is a member of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Board of Directors and a member of Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy’s Advisory Council on Latino Empowerment. During his eighteen years with UNITE HERE\, he has organized casino gaming\, hotel\, and industrial food service workers in Connecticut\, Nevada\, Florida\, Massachusetts\, and Rhode Island. \nHarris Gruman (moderator) is Executive Director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) State Council. He is co-founder and co-chair of Raise Up Massachusetts\, a coalition of 150 organizations which successfully campaigned to raise the minimum wage to $15\, enact paid family and medical leave\, and pass the Fair Share Amendment\, aka millionaire’s tax. A veteran of decades of successful issue and electoral work in community and labor organizing\, he is an astute political strategist. A former executive director of the Neighbor to Neighbor Education Fund\, he studied at Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Massachusetts Peace Action\, the Ukraine Committee\, and of the Peace and the Working Class Working Group sponsoring this webinar.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/the-militarization-of-europe-and-the-workers-fightback-lessons-and-connections-for-the-us/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Peace and Working Class,Strategy and Ideas
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ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250524T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250524T170000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250422T180902Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T144259Z
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SUMMARY:Protecting Federal Investment in Public Education - Books Not Bombs
DESCRIPTION:Register to attend. \n \nProtecting Federal Investment in Public Education – Books Not Bombs \nThe threats to federal education programs have become acute. Funds for PELL grants\, title I and disability programs are at risk in the Trump/Musk Administration. The proposed termination of the Dept of Education will weaken other school programs. Though organizations representing teachers and educators\, including NEA\, AFT and AAUP\, have come together to resist the proposed cuts\, it remains difficult to reach parents\, who generally lack statewide organizations. Their local school district organizations rarely address the federal budget. Following up on our earlier Oct 26\, 2024 Conference we will be gathering on Saturday May 24th\, 2:00 – 5:00 pm to explore paths to protect the federal budget supporting public schools\, and continuing to try to reach out to parents and grandparents among our Peace Action affiliates and their local allies. \n  \n2:05: Panel  1 – The Emerging Federal Public Education Budget\nChair – Prof. Jonathan King (MIT & Mass Peace Action Education Fund);\nCivilian versus Pentagon Budget Allocations – Deborah Weinstein (Coalition for Human Needs);\nImpacts on the Young – Denisha Jones (Defending the Early Years);\nImpacts on Graduate Students – Evan MacKay (Harvard UAW Local). \n2:45: Panel 2 – Choices in Federal and State Budgets:\nChair- Deb McCarthy (V-P of Mass Teachers Association)\nTax Cuts and Related Fallacies – Karen Dolan (Institute for Policy Studies);\nRoles for State Legislatures – Rep. Mike Connolly (Mass State Legislature);\nMinds Not Missiles – Defunding the Sentinel ICBM Program – David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action);\nCutting Funds for Foreign Wars – Merrie Najimy (Past MTA President\, MTA Rank & File for Palestine). \n3:45 Break \n4:00 – Closing Panel – Fighting Back\nChair: Vatsady Sivongxay (Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance);\nPressing State Legislatures – Max Page – (Mass Teachers Association);\nOrganizing Low Wealth Constituencies – Shailly Barnes (Kairos Institute & Poor People’s Campaign);\nLeading Role of Union Educators – Jessica Tang (Pres. of AFT Mass)\nActions Today – Cole Harrison (Mass Peace Action). \n  \nCo-Sponsors: Mass Peace Action Education Fund; American Federation of Teachers Mass; Defending the Early Years; Massachusetts Teachers Association; UAW Region 9A. \nRegistration: options are – Registration free\, small donation/ $12\, or large donation/$75) \n\nRegister to attend.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/protecting-federal-investment-in-public-education-books-not-bombs/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Books Not Bombs
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T200000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250417T185507Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250417T185507Z
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SUMMARY:Rematriating Stolen Land and Bringing History and Culture Forward: Indigenous Reparations 2025
DESCRIPTION:What can indigenous solidarity allies and activists do to help redress centuries of injury and loss to tribal peoples? Giving voice to Indigenous speakers and groups from here in Massachusetts\, this webinar will explore the current forms of reparative justice and specific actions people can take in support. Resources and places to donate will be provided. \nRegister to attend. \n \nMelissa Ferretti is proudly on her second term as the elected Chairwoman of the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe located in Plymouth MA. She is also a licensed realtor and notary public\, currently associated with Jack Conway & Company. As chairwoman\, Melissa has worked tirelessly on the many initiatives and challenges that indigenous communities face on an everyday basis. She is passionate about educating the non-native public about the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe and its rich\, well documented history. \nTia M. Pocknett grew up in the Mashpee Wampanoag Community and works at the Weetumuw School. Tia teaches students Wôpanâôt8âôk (Wampanoag Language) and cultural practices.  Tia focuses on both culture-based education and Montessori pedagogy. Tia has been one of the founding teachers of Weetumuw School since its opening in 2016. She will discuss the importance of using language\, teaching cultural practices\, and why being on the land is an integral part of learning at Weetumuw School. Learning about cultural practices and having students learn about the land ensures that the next generation will understand the importance of land\, language\, and culture.  \nKatherine Harrelson is an Environmental Analyst with Community Land and Water Coalition. In her role with the organization\, she reviews technical documents and is most proud of her work providing the public with the resources and information to make an impact on the local level. She holds a masters degree in Applied GeoSciences and a professional certification in wetlands delineations\, with her areas of expertise including environmental monitoring\, groundwater chemistry\, and wetlands assessments. \nRegister to attend.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/rematriating-stolen-land-and-bringing-history-and-culture-forward-indigenous-reparations-2025/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Racial Justice and Indigenous Solidarity
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ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250429T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250429T203000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250422T174055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250422T175457Z
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SUMMARY:Sorting Through the Confusion Around Ukraine
DESCRIPTION:Register to attend. \n \nWhat on earth is going on in Ukraine and in Trump’s negotiations with Russia and Ukraine? What is the current military and political situation in Ukraine? What should we know about the origins of the Ukraine War prior to the Russian invasion in 2022? What are the prospects for a negotiated settlement of the war? And what does all this mean for the U.S. peace movement? \nTed Snider\, long-time independent journalist and commentator on Antiwar.com\, Libertarian Institute\, Responsible Statecraft\, and American Conservative\, will speak about the military and political situation in Ukraine in the Spring of 2025\, and the prospects for a negotiated settlement. \nTed Snider is a regular columnist on U.S. foreign policy and history at Antiwar.com and The Libertarian Institute. He is also a frequent contributor to Responsible Statecraft and The American Conservative as well as other outlets. His most recent articles can be found here on Antiwar.com including his article from March 12th\, “Will the U.S. Push Zelensky Out?” \nRegister to attend.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/ending-the-ukraine-war-with-ted-snider/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Ukraine/Russia
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ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250416T203000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250404T050746Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T185307Z
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SUMMARY:To Win Our Survival: Building the Next Era of our Movements
DESCRIPTION:In this interactive workshop\, facilitators Daisy Carter and Rebecca Harris from The Climate Mobilization Project will invite participants to reflect on the moment we’re in\, and where movements for peace and climate justice can go from here. Building on Climate Mobilization Project’s work with food sovereignty\, mutual aid\, climate justice and anti-war groups in Kentucky and Virginia\, we will share tools for participants to explore their role in supporting survival programs that expand access to climate disaster preparedness\, food\, care\, and more while growing movements for climate\, economic\, and racial justice. \nSurvival programs are a bold new approach to growing movements that have enough people power to fight back.Groups across the U.S. have come together to build a mass grassroots movement with the power and resources to win our survival. We are growing this movement by organizing people into grassroots projects that grow a regenerative economy and culture; expand food\, energy\, water\, and land access and sovereignty; and fight back together against the systems that threaten our lives and communities. \n \n  \nDaisy Carter (she/they) is a New Orleans native\, queer multi-disciplinary artist\, yogi and climate justice organizer working at the intersections of mutual aid\, disaster resiliency\, African-American herbalism\, and grassroots organizing. Daisy is inspired by the black radical movements of the so-called U.S and African diaspora\, reimagining what healing + self-determination look like for frontline\, BIPOC (black\, brown\, and people of color) communities who are most vulnerable to climate disaster. For the past few years\, they have been organizing around mutual aid\, environmental + climate justice\, and building BIPOC and marginalized leadership throughout Kentucky. In 2021\, they founded Rise and Shine\, a community-led mutual aid organization building power and solidarity with low-income\, BIPOC\, LGBTQ+\, and other marginalized communities in Bowling Green\, Kentucky and beyond. She has also led numerous political campaigns\, direct actions\, and led outreach + communications strategy for organizations such as The Sierra Club\, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth\, and the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for a Moral Revival. At the Climate Mobilization\, she is supporting programming\, the development of the Movement Incubation Program\, and the creation of climate survival projects. \nRebecca Harris (she/her) is Resource Organizing Director and Co-Leader at Climate Mobilization Project. She first began organizing at age 16 during the movement to end the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. After years of organizing for economic justice and housing rights\, she joined Climate Mobilization Project as Organizing Director\, a role in which she coached dozens of local climate groups\, launched the campaign for a national Climate Emergency Declaration\, and supported the organization in its increasing focus on racial and economic justice and anti-militarism. Rebecca previously worked as a journalist covering equity in Chicago public schools and as the Development and Communications Manager at Latino Union of Chicago\, an immigrants’ and workers’ rights organization. She is a 2017 graduate of the Reframe Mentorship in strategic communications. \n \nRegister to attend.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/to-win-our-survival-building-the-next-era-of-our-movements/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Peace and Climate
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ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250412T213000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20241229T204252Z
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SUMMARY:Music for Peace: Athena's Oboe
DESCRIPTION:For our Spring concert this April\, we honor the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and the mythical inventor of the oboe with the program “Athena’s Oboe.” Join us as we revisit classical works as well as sample neo-classical ones. Delight in the virtuoso music of Mozart and Beethoven. Revel in the humor and rhapsody of Grazyna Bacewicz. Call forth Spring with Athena’s oboe! \nViolinist Jean Bäverstam\, violinist/violist Amy Galluzzo\, and cellist Sam Ou are critically acclaimed artists who are known for their “riveting\,” “nuanced\,” “fiery\,” and “meltingly melodic outpourings” that have left audiences “speechless.” \nAmanda Hardy’s gorgeous oboe sounds are familiar to Boston Symphony Orchestra audiences. She is a frequent guest principal oboist with the BSO and is principal oboist with the Portland Maine Symphony Orchestra. \nProgram \nBeethoven String Trio in G major\, op. 9 no. 1\nBacewicz Oboe Trio\nMozart Duo no. 2 in Bb major for Violin and Viola\nMozart Oboe Quartet \nThe concert will be held at Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church\, 1555 Massachusetts Ave.\, Cambridge 02138\, near Harvard Law School. \nBenefits Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund.  $25 for Mass. Peace Action members\, $10 for students and low incomes. \nTo reserve\, write a check to “Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund” or “MAPA EF” and mail to MAPA EF\, 1991 Massachusetts Ave.\, Cambridge\, MA 02140\, or call 617-354-2169 with credit card number.  Or reserve your tickets online. \nDonations to support our work for peace are welcome in any amount. Supporters donate $250 or more to Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund; they receive two tickets with preferred seating in the first 3 rows and recognition in the program. Sponsors donate $500 and receive four tickets; Benefactors donate $1\,000 and receive eight tickets.  All contributions above $25 per concert are tax-deductible. \nThe audience is invited to join the musicians and Peace Action members at a reception after the concert.  The venue is wheelchair accessible via the entrance on the right as you face the church. \nAmanda Hardy joined the Portland (Maine) Symphony Orchestra as principal oboe in November 2013 where she occupies the Clinton Graffam Chair. An in-demand artist in New England and beyond\, Amanda is a frequent performer with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops\, with whom she has both toured internationally and recorded.   Amanda recently joined the faculty at Boston University as Lecturer in Oboe\, is Assistant Professor of Oboe at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee\, and is on the faculty of New England Conservatory Preparatory School. She holds a Bachelor of Music in oboe with a piano minor from Drake University and a Master of Music and Graduate Diploma from NEC. Previous festivals include the Masterworks Festival\, the Chelsea Music Festival\, the Aspen Music Festival and School\, and Tanglewood Music Center in 2010 and 2011 where she was awarded the Mickey L. Hooten Memorial Award both summers. Her solo work can be heard on\, Dancing with J.S. Bach (2019)\, on the Chelsea Music Festival Live label. Her teachers include John Ferrillo\, Marilyn Zupnik\, Anne Gabriele\, and Jay Light; summer studies with Elaine Douvas and Richard Woodhams. \nDemonstrating “superior leading” (Boston Musical Intelligencer)\, Taiwanese violinist Jean Huang Bäverstam‘s active performing career has brought her to concert halls internationally and have impacted listeners throughout the United States. “(I was) left speechless after having the chance to watch and listen to Jean Huang close up” is how WBUR-FM described her performance. Huang holds a Doctoral of Musical Arts degree in Violin Performance with honors from the New England Conservatory with the Doctoral thesis topic “A Performative Analysis and the Critical Edition: Francis Poulenc Violin Sonata”. Huang maintains a private studio in Boston\, with students ranging from six years old to adults. She also teaches violin at the NEC School of Continuing Education and Preparatory School. \nAn active performer\, Jean serves as the Concertmaster of both Phoenix Orchestra in Boston and Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra and has received recognition from local prominent newspapers and music critics.  Jean’s recent concerto appearances include a sold-out performance of Vaughan William’s Lark Ascending with the CCCO\, and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.5 with the Music for Peace Orchestra under the direction of Victor Rosenbaum.  A consummate artist\, Jean delves into all aspects of her field. In the summer of 2013\, she designed and created her own violin which was based on a Guarnerius model. Her other affiliations include Miclot Chamber Players\, Vangarde Orchestra\, Anastasia String Quartet\, and Trio Flamecrest. \nPraised for her “nuanced Mozartian phrasing” and her “delicacy and\, when needed\, force” (Boston Musical Intelligencer)\, violinist and violist\, Amy Galluzzo enjoys an active career as both a chamber musician and soloist. For many years\, Amy was a member of the Carpe Diem String Quartet\, touring around the United States and internationally\, performing a wide range of repertoire.  Amy has performed at several prestigious summer festivals\, including the Tanglewood Music Festival\, Chelsea Music Festival\, Taos\, and Sarasota Music Festival\, and has collaborated with artists such as Masuko Ushioda\, John Ferrillo\, James Buswell and Carol Ou. More unusual collaborations include Yihan Chen\, pipa\, Scott McConnell\, steel pan\, and Dariush Saghafi\, santoor. \nAmy Galluzzo began her violin studies in Great Britain and went on to study with Dona Lee Croft\, a professor at the Royal College of Music\, London. Amy received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music with Honors\, and a Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory in Boston\, where she studied with Marylou Speaker Churchill and James Buswell. She is currently a candidate for the degree of PhD from the Steinhardt School\, New York University.  Amy teaches through the New England Conservatory Preparatory School and Continuing Education department. \n \nPraised for his “impassioned performance” (Boston Globe) and playing “with remarkable ease and clarity\, while maintaining a graceful—if vociferous—line that fit well into the narrative” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer)\, cellist Sam Ou enjoys an active musical life in the Greater Boston area.  Mr. Ou gave the world premiere performance of Larry Bell’s Cello Concerto: The Triumph of Lightness with the Boston Civic Symphony at New England Conservatory of Music’s Jordan Hall (NEC).  In March of this year\, he performed Yehudi Wyner’s Cello Concerto: Prologue and Narrative with the New England Philharmonic to celebrate the Pulitzer prize-winning composer’s 95th birthday. \nAn avid chamber musician\, Mr. Ou has collaborated and performed with the Borromeo String Quartet\, James Buswell\, Lucy Chapman\, Hung-Kuan Chen\, Pi-Hsien Chen\, James Dunham\, Thomas Hill\, Patricia McCarty\, Paul Neubauer\, Heiichiro Ohyama\, Lois Shapiro\, Marcus Thompson\, and Yehudi Wyner.  As one-half of the Formosa Duo\, he performs regularly with pianist Chi-Chen Wu. \nMr. Ou became the new assistant professor of cello and music theory at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania starting in the fall of 2024.  For the past two decades\, he has been a faculty member at NEC’s Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education\, where he also served as assistant string chair.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/music-for-peace-athenas-oboe/
LOCATION:Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church\, 1555 Massachusetts Ave.\, Cambridge\, MA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Arts and Culture
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250406T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250406T160000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250310T165945Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250320T143345Z
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SUMMARY:Understanding Palestine and Israel
DESCRIPTION:How the Gaza conflict spilled over to affect the U.S. election and the rights of its citizens\nA Book Talk with Phyllis Bennis in Conversation with Rami Khouri\nRegister to attend. \n \nJoin us for a discussion with Phyllis Bennis\, activist\, political analyst\, and author of the recently published Understanding Palestine and Israel. Rami Khouri\, Palestinian-American academic and journalist with over 50 years of experience reporting in the Middle East\, will serve as moderator. \nAs the war in Gaza continues amidst a fragile ceasefire agreement\, the struggle and call for justice in Palestine persists with many searching for truth and clarity. In Understanding Palestine and Israel\, with a foreword by Palestinian analyst Omar Baddar\, Phyllis Bennis answers key questions regarding the history and the current situation of the war between Israel and Palestine\, addressing events prior to October 7\, 2023\, through Israel’s genocidal war and the aftermath of Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election. \nFrom freedom of speech\, the 2024 election\, to your tax dollars\, Bennis and Khouri will unpack historical perspectives\, their experiences\, and the impact the Palestine-Israel conflict has on Americans and the world today.  \nThe event will conclude with a book signing. Books will be available for purchase ($20) and are currently available to preorder through the registration link.  \nPhyllis Bennis is a fellow at the Institute for Policy studies\, serving as co-director of the New Internationalism Project\, and writes and speaks widely on U.S. wars and foreign policy\, authoring numerous books. She is also an international advisor to Jewish Voice for Peace and an activist in national and global movements supporting Palestinian rights. Bennis has been twice short-listed to become the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. \nRami G. Khouri is a Palestinian-American academic and journalist whose family resides in Beirut\, Amman\, and Nazareth. He is Distinguished Public Policy Fellow at the American University of Beirut and Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Arab Center Washington\, D.C.  During his 50-year career in journalism across the Middle East he was Editor of the Jordan Times and the Daily Star (Beirut) newspapers\, and contributed reporting and opinion pieces from the Middle East to the Financial Times\, NPR\, BBC radio\, and other outlets. \nRegister to attend. \n \nCosponsored by Alliance for Water Justice in Palestine\, Community Church of Boston\, Jewish Voice for Peace Boston\, and Watertown Citizens for Peace Justice and Environment \nOther Talks by Phyllis Bennis: \nFriday\, April 4 at 6 pm: Lenox Community Centre\, 65 Walker St\, Lenox\, MA 01240. \nSaturday\, April 5 at 4:00 pm: Possible Futures\, 318 Edgewood Ave\, New Haven\, CT 06511. Sponsored by JVP New Haven and Mending Minyan. \nMonday\, April 7 at 6:00 pm: Event organized by Traprock Communication at All Souls Unitarian-Universalist Church\, 399 Main Street\, Greenfield\, MA. \nTuesday\, April 8 at 7:00 pm: UMass Amherst\, Thompson 106 (near parking garage). Sponsored by SJP\, FJP\, JVP\, Interlink etc … Phyllis Bennis in conversation with Michel Moushabeck. RSVP. \nWednesday\, April 9 at 7:00 pm: Event organized by Southern Vermont for Palestine in Brattleboro\, VT.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/understanding-palestine-and-israel/
LOCATION:St. James Episcopal Church\, 1991 Massachusetts Avenue\, Cambridge\, MA\, 02140
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
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ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250404T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250404T200000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250314T213126Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250320T143122Z
UID:10003285-1743789600-1743796800@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:What About Gaza?
DESCRIPTION:Justice Democracy International Law & Freedom in America\nUnderstanding Palestine and Israel: Discussion and book signing with author Phyllis Bennis\nRegister to attend. \n \nJoin us for a discussion with respected political analyst and author Phyllis Bennis. Her new book\, Understanding Palestine and Israel\, answers important questions including perspectives often missing from corporate media: history that shaped the area\, events leading up to the current crisis and how this has affected international law\, human rights\, the recent American elections\, and the erosion of democracy. \nTickets are free\, but please register to reserve a seat. \nPhyllis Bennis is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies where she co-directs the New Internationalism Project. She has written numerous books on Palestine\, foreign policy\, and the UN. She serves as an international advisor to Jewish Voice for Peace\, and has been shortlisted twice to become the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  \nOther talks by Phyllis Bennis: \nSaturday\, April 5 at 4:00 pm: Possible Futures\, 318 Edgewood Ave\, New Haven\, CT 06511. Sponsored by JVP New Haven and Mending Minyan. \nSunday\, April 6 at 2:00 pm: Massachusetts Peace Action. Venue: 1991 Massachusetts Ave\, Cambridge\, MA 02140. \nMonday\, April 7 at 6:00 pm: Event organized by Traprock Communication at All Souls Unitarian-Universalist Church\, 399 Main Street\, Greenfield\, MA. \nTuesday\, April 8 at 7:00 pm: UMass Amherst\, Thompson 106 (near parking garage). Sponsored by SJP\, FJP\, JVP\, Interlink etc … Phyllis Bennis in conversation with Michel Moushabeck. RSVP. \nWednesday\, April 9 at 7:00 pm: Event organized by Southern Vermont for Palestine in Brattleboro\, VT.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/what-about-gaza/
LOCATION:Lenox Community Center\, 65 Walker St\, Lenox\, MA\, 01240
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/04-04-What-about-Gaza.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250317T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250317T203000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250303T184838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250303T223434Z
UID:10003278-1742238000-1742243400@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:Babies\, Children and Health Care Workers: The Impact of the Occupation and Assault on Gaza
DESCRIPTION:Register to attend. \n \nDr. Ali travelled to Gaza\, Palestine in February 2024 to provide humanitarian aid where he primarily worked in the largest functioning Neonatal intensive care unit at the time.  He will talk about his experience working in the NICU\, about the hostages and unlawful imprisonment including Palestinian children in Israeli prisons\, and the torture and abuse of healthcare staff. \nDr. Arham Ali is an Assistant Professor and a Pediatric Intensivist at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. He attended medical school internationally in Karachi\, Pakistan. Thereafter\, he completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in Pediatric Burns at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Hospital in Galveston\, TX.  Ali then went on to complete his intern year of residency at Crozer Chester Medical Center\, in Philadelphia. The remainder of this Pediatrics residency was completed at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Chicago. Finally\, his fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care was completed in 2021 at UCLA/Mattel Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Ali was honored with an opportunity to travel to Gaza\, Palestine in February 2024 to provide humanitarian aid where he primarily worked in the largest functioning Neonatal intensive care unit at the time.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/pediatric-critical-care-in-gaza/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/03-17-BabiesChildrenHealthcare.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250304T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250304T203000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250207T210847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250302T203842Z
UID:10003257-1741114800-1741120200@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:War is Not Justified by Party Politics
DESCRIPTION:Register to attend. \n \nWhy have our movements for peace\, justice and the environment let party politics lead us into a pro-war position? Why does party politics lead us to support wars\, or at least not oppose them\, purely on the basis of which party is conducting them? This growing polarization is leading us to support or oppose other critical policies as well\, purely on the basis of what party those policies are identifies with — rather than a rational and moral assessment of the issue at hand.  \nThis webinar looks at the contrast between the bi-partisan militarism of the United States\, on the one hand\, and the starkly different governing philosophies of the two parties\, on the other.  A critique of the Labor Movement’s relationship to this problem offers a long-term case-study\, but one also increasingly relevant to the environmental movement\, and even the peace movement.  The current setback for the Democrats offers us a chance to reflect on what our core values are and how we navigate our relations with party politics going forward. \nDon’t miss it. \nRegister to attend. \n \nHarris Gruman is the Executive Director of the Service Employees International Union Massachusetts State Council.  In that role he has helped lead campaigns to win union rights for child care providers and rideshare drivers.  In 2013\, he founded and has since helped lead the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition of labor\, community and faith organizations\, which has nearly doubled the minimum wage to $15-per-hour\, created the most extensive paid family and medical leave program in the United States\, and won a constitutional amendment to raise tax rates on the top One Percent. In 2024 Harris joined the board of directors of Mass. Peace Action. \nThis webinar is cosponsored by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 509.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/war-is-not-justified-by-party-politics/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Fund the People, Not the Pentagon
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03-4-War-is-Not-Justified.rev2_.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250224T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250224T193000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250201T164211Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250219T192609Z
UID:10003249-1740420000-1740425400@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:Eradicating Gaza: How to Remember and Forget Genocide
DESCRIPTION:Register to attend. \n \nA discussion with Prof. Omer Bartov. As we’ve been witnessing a genocide in Gaza for the past 15 months\, it’s timely to reflect on the politics of the use of the word “genocide”\, and the use and misuse of the memory of the Holocaust in WW2. \nProf. Bartov will also expand our thinking about the development of Zionism over time: as a settler colonization effort\, as a mechanism for helping Jewish refugees and as an ideological national movement. \nOmer Bartov is an Israeli-American historian. He is the Samuel Pisar Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University\, where he has taught since 2000. Bartov is a historian of the Holocaust and is considered a leading authority on genocide.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/eradication-gaza-how-to-remember-and-forget-genocide/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/02-24-Eradication-Gaza-How-to-remember-and-Forget-Genocide.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250219T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250219T203000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250207T215725Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250214T223842Z
UID:10003258-1739991600-1739997000@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:U.S.-China Nuclear Rivalry and the Taiwan Question
DESCRIPTION:Register to attend. \n \nIn the last five years\, nuclear tensions between the U.S. and China have accelerated dramatically driven by a series of factors\, including the severe deterioration of cross-Strait relations. This presentation will summarize thinking on both sides of the Pacific regarding the current state of this nuclear rivalry and its relationship to the Taiwan issue. Prof. Goldstein will also answer questions about his Asia trip during the winter holiday that took him to northeast China\, Kazakhstan\, the Philippines\, and also South Korea. \nLyle J. Goldstein is the Director of the China Initiative and Visiting Professor at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. At Brown\, he is investigating the costs of great power competition with both China and Russia in association with the Costs of War Project at Watson.  Goldstein serves concurrently as Director of Asia Engagement at the Washington think-tank Defense Priorities\, which advocates for realism and restraint in U.S. defense policy.  He has a PhD from Princeton\, is fluent in both Chinese and Russian\, and tweets at @lylegoldstein. \nSponsored by MAPA Education Fund\, cosponsored by Campaign for Peace\, Disarmament\, and Common Security. \nRegister to attend.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/u-s-china-nuclear-rivalry-and-the-taiwan-question/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Northeast Asia,Nuclear Disarmament
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/02-19-U.S.-China-Nuclear-Rivalry-and-the-Taiwan-Question-1.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250215T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250215T213000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20241228T224936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250215T155452Z
UID:10003228-1739647800-1739655000@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:CANCELLED: Music for Peace: Love Letters from Around the World
DESCRIPTION:The Music for Peace concert with Psychopomp scheduled for tonight\, Saturday\, February 15\, has been cancelled due to snow.  We will reschedule a Psychopomp performance in the fall.\nJoin us this Valentines season for an enchanting program to celebrate love in all its forms. The program features Smetana’s The Moldau\, a patriotic anthem\, and Psychopomp Ensemble’s heartfelt tribute to Bach alongside works by Hindemith and Kurtág. The ensemble will also offer exciting original arrangements of music by jazz legends Bill Evans\, Thelonious Monk\, Ran Blake\, and the modern sensation Laufey\, among others. Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration where love knows no boundaries! \nThe concert will be held at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church\, 1555 Massachusetts Ave.\, Cambridge\, near Harvard Law School\, at 7:30 pm. \nBenefits Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund.  $25 for Mass. Peace Action members\, $35 for non-members\,  $10 for students and low incomes. \nTo reserve\, write a check to “Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund” or “MAPA EF” and mail to 1991 Massachusetts Ave.\, Cambridge\, MA 02140\, or call 617-354-2169 with credit card number.  Or reserve your tickets online. \nDonations to support our work for peace are welcome in any amount. Supporters donate $250 or more to Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund; they receive two tickets with preferred seating in the first 3 rows and recognition in the program. Sponsors donate $500 and receive four tickets; Benefactors donate $1\,000 and receive eight tickets.  All contributions above $35 per concert are tax-deductible. \nThe audience is invited to join the musicians and Peace Action members at a reception after the concert.  The venue is wheelchair accessible via a ramp to the left of the church. \nCo-founded by pianists Chi-Wei Lo and Xiaopei Xu\, Psychopomp Ensemble weaves together a diverse tapestry of traditional serious music\, third stream\, jazz\, pop\, blues\, minimalist\, and contemporary\, creating an auditory experience that defies categorization. \nTheir arrangements—some in their psychopomp mode—blend improvisation\, re-composition\, and unaltered portions into original works\, guiding both connoisseurs and newcomers through their musical universe. The Boston Musical Intelligencer describes them as offering “new directions in pianism” and exploring the “far reaches of musical possibilities.” They aspire not merely to stake a claim but to reshape the landscape\, push boundaries\, and redefine possibilities within the realm of two-piano as well as four-hand repertoire. \nRecently\, Psychopomp Ensemble appeared on The Kamerman Piano Series at the University of West Florida and at Puddingstone Events in Rhode Island. Additionally\, Psychopomp’s past performance highlights include concerts presented by UCLA\, the Chinese American Museum (LA)\, the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra\, Scripps College\, Ukraine Forward\, the College Music Society\, the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts\, the Lancaster Piano Festival\, and the German Society of Pennsylvania. In 2021\, Psychopomp Ensemble participated in interdisciplinary events in Los Angeles\, which garnered coverage from more than a dozen media outlets\, including The LA Times\, NBC News\, Shanghai Morning Post\, Qilu Evening News\, and others. \nChi-Wei Lo is a pianist\, improviser\, and arranger whose performances utilize a plethora of musical languages. As a co-founder of the Psychopomp Ensemble\, Lo has continually pushed boundaries\, blending interdisciplinary art forms with both traditional and avant-garde musical elements to create compelling concert experiences. \nWith a career spanning diverse platforms\, Lo has been presented by the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra\, North American Medical Orchestra\, The Lancaster Piano Festival\, College Music Society\, UCLA\, Lilypad\, Chamber Music Charlestown\, The Harvard Musical Association\, The Chinese American Museum (LA)\, Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts\, Caroga Arts Collective\, New Asia Chamber Music Society\, the German Society of Pennsylvania\, and the Counterpoint Ensemble (Taiwan)\, among many others. \nLo holds a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) and a Master of Music (M.M.) in piano performance from The Juilliard School. He is expected to complete his Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) in Contemporary Musical Arts (formerly Contemporary Improvisation) at the New England Conservatory this year. Currently\, Lo shapes the next generation of musicians as an Assistant Professor of Composition at Berklee College of Music and a Theory Instructor at the New England Conservatory. During the summer\, he teaches improvisation classes and piano at The Lancaster Piano Festival\, where he delivers all pre-concert talks\, sharing his expertise and passion for music with festival attendees. \nHailed by The Boston Globe as “a world-class pianist\,” Xiaopei Xu has captivated audiences worldwide with her “spellbinding and expressive”performances (BMInt). She made her Boston Symphony Hall concerto debut with Boston Pops in 2018\, and has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in venues across three continents. \nXu’s recent performances have been presented by the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra\, Harvard Musical Association\, Foundation for the Chinese Performing Arts\, The Stecher and Horowitz Foundation\, German Society of Pennsylvania\, Lancaster International Piano Festival\, Chinese American Museum(LA)\, Ukraine Forward\, College Music Society… etc. \nXu holds her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University\, Master’s degree from Yale University and Bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. Her principal teachers include Hung-Kuan Chen\, Xun Pan\, Meng-Chieh Liu\, and Boaz Sharon. She has also worked with influential musicians such as Claude Frank\, Richard Goode\, and Paul Badura-Skoda.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/music-for-peace-psychopomp/
LOCATION:Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church\, 1555 Massachusetts Ave.\, Cambridge\, MA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Arts and Culture
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/EVT-250215-MFP-Psychopomp-Cancelled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
GEO:42.377939;-71.119702
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church 1555 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge MA United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1555 Massachusetts Ave.:geo:-71.119702,42.377939
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250208T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250208T153000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250116T200352Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250120T145714Z
UID:10003238-1739023200-1739028600@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:Reporting from the Frontlines of the Massacre
DESCRIPTION:Haggai will talk with us about the latest events in the Israeli onslaught in Gaza\, the chances for a ceasefire\, Israel’s campaigns in Lebanon and Syria and the push for attacking Iran. We will also discuss the overall climate among Jewish Israelis for relations with the Palestinians\, the future of the country\, and the role of the media in all of this. \nHaggai Matar is an award-winning Israeli journalist and political activist\, and the executive director of +972 Magazine\, which is an independent\, online\, nonprofit media outlet run by a group of Palestinian and Israeli journalists\, founded in 2010.  He is a conscientious objector who refused to serve in the Israeli army back in 2002\, and spent two years in prison. \nRegister to attend. 
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/reporting-from-the-frontlines-of-the-massacre/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2-8-Haggar-Matai-webinar-.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250202T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250202T163000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250124T175526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260215T185135Z
UID:10003200-1738508400-1738513800@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:GAZA IN CONTEXT: The Colonial History that Shaped the Modern Middle East
DESCRIPTION:A 4-part online series Sundays\, Jan 5\, 12\, 26\, and Feb 2\, 2025\, all at 3pm The Israeli war on Gaza – widely considered genocide – did not begin on October 7\, 2023. This series will look at the background of Zionism and colonialism that laid the foundation for ongoing wars and today’s violence in the Middle East. Palestinian dispossession\, we will see\, began more than a century ago. \n\nJanuary 5 – CONQUEST AND COLONIALISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST DURING THE 20TH CENTURY: The roots of the contemporary Middle East go back to the First World War and its aftermath; the birth of Zionism as a political movement.\n\nVideo: https://youtube.com/live/Y_75LgjQiAg \nSlides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jTrcqiR3IZlebo5bUQHziKVeavw10VRO/ \n\nJanuary 12 – MANDATES AND REPRESSION IN PALESTINE AND BEYOND: The failure of the British colonial attempt to shape Palestine in conformance with the Balfour Declaration; Palestinian resistance and the first proposals for partition; Zionist terror; British\, French colonialism in Iraq\, Syria and Lebanon.\n\nVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duY-ABJP_8A \nSlides:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nhUBtaPKkUQZdInsLL7GTMbgIgnGmoK0/ \n\nJanuary 26 – THE US AND ISRAEL IN THE MIDDLE EAST: Although the US government supported the Zionist project from the time of the First World War\, and it was quick to recognize the independence of Israel in 1948\, US policies toward the Middle East centered on Oil and later Cold War interests. The US was not much involved the Middle East until the 1930s and then oil-rich Saudi Arabia\, not Israel\, was its close all — as it remains to this day. Republicans – who as a party are now firmly pro-Israel —  were skeptical in the 1950s and 1960s of unconditional support for Israel. It was only in the 1970s that Israel came to be viewed as an important strategic ally\, especially in the context of the Cold War. Since then\, the Israel Lobby also became an important player in US politics.\n\nVideo:  https://youtube.com/live/Chuz0APhZic \nSlides:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zSHbg52kYJI1Z27hx8mq-5rYGn_h4dbg/ \n\nFebruary 2 – LOOKING IN THE MIRROR: How the U.S. has shaped the contemporary Middle East from before the Cold War to the present. Indigenous nationalism and its opponents. Addressing the domestic colonial and imperial background to US support for Israel and its destabilizing interference in the region.\n\nVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_pdo_Q8Rpw&t=4418s \nSlides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13ZTXZlBuyRkkIfTFQ4aR-UConOBdpT-1/ \nSpeaker: Jeff Klein is a veteran anti-war activist\, retired machinist and local trade-union president\, who for 8 years until 2023 taught a course on “The US in the Middle East” at the UMass Boston Lifelong Learning Institute.  He is a board member of Massachusetts Peace Action and a member of its Gaza Israel Mideast peace campaign’s steering committee. Since 2004 Jeff has traveled almost every year to Palestine/Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East\, and has many close friends among veteran activists in Palestine\, Lebanon and Jordan.  He has also worked in Nicaragua and for the exiled African National Congress in Zambia.  Check out his weekly presentations on “Genocide in Gaza” and read his articles on the Middle East. \nRegister to attend any or all of the four sessions.  Course materials: Readings and Resources on Israel/Palestine Course Outline – the US in the Middle East – This outline was prepared for an 8-session version of the course given at UMass Boston in fall 2023.  The material will be condensed for this 4-session online version.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/gaza-in-context-the-colonial-history-that-shaped-the-modern-middle-east-3-2/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/gaza-in-context-part-4.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250126T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250126T163000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20250124T175559Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260215T185009Z
UID:10003199-1737903600-1737909000@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:GAZA IN CONTEXT: The Colonial History that Shaped the Modern Middle East
DESCRIPTION:  \nA 4-part online series Sundays\, Jan 5\, 12\, 26\, and Feb 2\, 2025\, all at 3pm. \nThe Israeli war on Gaza – widely considered genocide – did not begin on October 7\, 2023. This series will look at the background of Zionism and colonialism that laid the foundation for ongoing wars and today’s violence in the Middle East. Palestinian dispossession\, we will see\, began more than a century ago. \n\nJanuary 5 – CONQUEST AND COLONIALISM IN THE MIDDLE EAST DURING THE 20TH CENTURY: The roots of the contemporary Middle East go back to the First World War and its aftermath; the birth of Zionism as a political movement.\n\nVideo: https://youtube.com/live/Y_75LgjQiAg \nSlides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jTrcqiR3IZlebo5bUQHziKVeavw10VRO/ \n\nJanuary 12 – MANDATES AND REPRESSION IN PALESTINE AND BEYOND: The failure of the British colonial attempt to shape Palestine in conformance with the Balfour Declaration; Palestinian resistance and the first proposals for partition; Zionist terror; British\, French colonialism in Iraq\, Syria and Lebanon.\n\nVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duY-ABJP_8A \nSlides:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nhUBtaPKkUQZdInsLL7GTMbgIgnGmoK0/ \n\nJanuary 26 – THE US AND ISRAEL IN THE MIDDLE EAST: Although the US government supported the Zionist project from the time of the First World War\, and it was quick to recognize the independence of Israel in 1948\, US policies toward the Middle East centered on Oil and later Cold War interests. The US was not much involved the Middle East until the 1930s and then oil-rich Saudi Arabia\, not Israel\, was its close all — as it remains to this day. Republicans – who as a party are now firmly pro-Israel —  were skeptical in the 1950s and 1960s of unconditional support for Israel. It was only in the 1970s that Israel came to be viewed as an important strategic ally\, especially in the context of the Cold War. Since then\, the Israel Lobby also became an important player in US politics.\n\nVideo:  https://youtube.com/live/Chuz0APhZic \nSlides:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zSHbg52kYJI1Z27hx8mq-5rYGn_h4dbg/ \n\nFebruary 2 – LOOKING IN THE MIRROR: How the U.S. has shaped the contemporary Middle East from before the Cold War to the present. Indigenous nationalism and its opponents. Addressing the domestic colonial and imperial background to US support for Israel and its destabilizing interference in the region.\n\nVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_pdo_Q8Rpw \nSlides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13ZTXZlBuyRkkIfTFQ4aR-UConOBdpT-1/ \nSpeaker: Jeff Klein is a veteran anti-war activist\, retired machinist and local trade-union president\, who for 8 years until 2023 taught a course on “The US in the Middle East” at the UMass Boston Lifelong Learning Institute.  He is a board member of Massachusetts Peace Action and a member of its Gaza Israel Mideast peace campaign’s steering committee. Since 2004 Jeff has traveled almost every year to Palestine/Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East\, and has many close friends among veteran activists in Palestine\, Lebanon and Jordan.  He has also worked in Nicaragua and for the exiled African National Congress in Zambia.  Check out his weekly presentations on “Genocide in Gaza” and read his articles on the Middle East. \n \nRegister to attend any or all of the four sessions. Course materials: Readings and Resources on Israel/Palestine Course Outline – the US in the Middle East – This outline was prepared for an 8-session version of the course given at UMass Boston in fall 2023.  The material will be condensed for this 4-session online version.
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/gaza-in-context-the-colonial-history-that-shaped-the-modern-middle-east-2-2/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Palestine/Israel
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/gaza-in-context-part-3.revised.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250125T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250125T173000
DTSTAMP:20260520T195803
CREATED:20241206T211421Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250120T141931Z
UID:10003207-1737813600-1737826200@masspeaceaction.org
SUMMARY:Reducing the Nation's Spending for Nuclear Weapons
DESCRIPTION:Saturday Jan 25\, 2025 Virtual Conference 2:00 – 5:30 pm (EST) \n \nThe threat of nuclear war is increasing\, rather than abating. \n\nBiden’s recent actions in the Russia/Ukraine conflict has sharply increased the danger.\nThe tragic Israel/Gaza conflict continues to expand.\nCold Warriors in high places are beating the drums of war toward Russia and China.\nEnormous public expenditures are being made on upgrading all three legs of the nuclear weapons triad\n\nResponding to these costs and dangers\, we will meet virtually  on Saturday afternoon January 25\, 2025 to call for Reducing Congressional Spending for Nuclear Weapons and discuss how to organize to meet the challenge.   Register to attend. \nProgram:  \n2:00 Welcome: Bob Redwine (MIT) – Continuing influence of the Military-Industrial Complex \n2:05 Opening Panel – International Flashpoints Chair- Joseph Gerson (Campaign for Peace\, Disarmament and Common Security); \n–       US and Russia – Hon. George Beebe (Quincy Institute); \n–       US and China – Prof. Lyle Goldstein (Watson Institute/ Brown University); \n  –      Nuclear Tensions over Israel. Gaza\, and Iran –  Sharon Gaya Dolev (Israel) and Emad Kiyaei (Iran) (Middle East Treaty Organization) \n2:50 pm Panel 2- Costs & Dangers of the US Nuclear Weapons Buildup – Chair\, Nancy Goldner (Cut Sentinel Campaign). \n– Exorbitant Sentinel costs –Richard Krushnic  (Mass Peace Action); \n– Dangers of the New ICBMs – David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action); \n– What do we expect from Trump’s Nuclear Stances –Daryl Kimball (Arms Control Assn.). \n3:30 Break \n3:40 Panel 3 – Economic Campaigns – Chair\, Susan Mirsky (Nuclear Disarmament Working Group); \n–       Moral Budget – Shailly Gupta Barnes (Poor People’s Campaign (PPC) and Kairos Center (NY); \n–       Warheads to Windmills – Anduin Devos (Nuclear Ban.US); \n–       Divestment – Susi Snyder (ICANW); \n–       Fund People over Pentagon – Prof. Jonathan King (MA Peace Action Education Fund). \n4:20 Panel 4: No New Nukes- Campaigns Focused on Limiting Weapons: Chair\, Gary Goldstein (Campaign for Peace\, Disarmament and Common Security and Tufts University); \n–       Back from the Brink- Harry Katz (Back from the Brink); \n–       Restricting Sole Authority and First Use – Prof. Elaine Scarry (Campaign for Peace\, Disarmament and Common Security); \n–       Physicists Campaign for Nuclear Threat Reduction – Prof. Stewart Prager (Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Threat Reduction); \n–       Promoting the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) – Melissa Parke ( ICANW). \n 5:00 Congressional Initiatives: Chair Cole Harrison \n–       Senate action: Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) \n–       Cancelling the Sentinel -Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) \n–       Citizen’s Call to Action – Jodie Evans (CodePINK). \nProgram Committee: David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action); Ann Fritsch (Rotary International); Nancy Goldner (Sentinel Project); Prof. Gary Goldstein (Mass Peace Action Education Fund); Cole Harrison (Mass Peace Action Education Fund); Susan Mirsky (MAPA Nuclear Disarmament Working Group); Jonathan King-Chair (Nuclear Disarmament Coordinating Committee and MIT); Prof. Bob Redwine (Nuclear Weapons Education Project and MIT). \nNuclear costs calculator – https://www.psr-la.org/nuclear-costs \n 
URL:https://masspeaceaction.org/event/reducing-congressional-spending-for-nuclear-weapons/
LOCATION:Online Event
CATEGORIES:Nuclear Disarmament
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://masspeaceaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/01-25-NW-Dangers-in-Trump-Presidency.r5.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund":MAILTO:info@masspeaceaction.org
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