On March 19th, the third anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq, MAPP and CANOPAS hosted author Olga Bonfiglio in the Silver Rose book store in the Manchester Mill. The event started with soup, bread and conversation. Olga spoke about her book, HEROES of a Different Stripe: How One Town Responded to the War in Iraq and followed up with a Q & A session and book signing.
August 6 - Riverfolk Festival
MAPP had a table in the non-profit tent. Many festival goers stopped by to pick up anti-war materials and express their support for an end to the U.S. occupation and war in Iraq.
March 19 - Making Peace Happen
Two staff members from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), David Culp and Arthur Meyer Boyd, presented a full-day conference at the Michigan Friends Center, Saturday, March 19, 2005, coincidentally the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The morning was devoted to factual presentations on such topics as nuclear proliferation, human rights, military recruiting, the department of peace, peace tax, etc. The afternoon was devoted to developing effective skills in areas such as talking to people that disagree with us and influencing legislation and opinion, locally and more broadly.
Past Events
February 15, 2005 - Film and discussion.
Control Room - the inner workings of Al-Jazeera broadcasting during the Iraq War.
December 21, 2004 - Peace vigil at the Gazebo.
November 20, 2004 - MAPP at Christmas in the Village
MAPP members helped children make peace-related ornaments, gift tags, and buttons at St. Mary's Parish Hall where kids and parents had lunch with Santa.
September, 2004 - MAPP Canvasses to Register Voters
MAPP members along with Chelsea and Ann Arbor volunteers canvassed Manchester neighborhoods to identify issues of importance to voters and to register voters for the upcoming presidential election.
August, 2004 - MAPP Table at the Riverfolk Festival
MAPP members were present at this year's Riverfolk Festival in Manchester. Visitors to our table learned about our school project and local activities to promote peace and justice.
May, 2004 - MAPP Launches School Project
MAPP began a school project in the spring of 2004 aimed at providing information to students and teachers on careers in peace, justice, and conflict resolution. MAPP and Veterans for Peace offer classroom speakers and a variety of information and resources on the realities of military service and alternatives to military service.
February, 2004:
Showing of Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War"
Manchester Area People for Peace and the Chelsea Area Network of Peace Activists (CANOPAS) joined for a viewing of the highly recommended film, Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War. The evening began with a pot luck supper, followed by the movie and a discussion. The event took place at the Michigan Friends Center north of Chelsea.
From the film jacket:
This controversial and arresting film takes you behind the walls of government, as CIA, Pentagon and foreign service experts speak out, many for the first time, detailing the lies, misstatements and exaggerations that served as the reasons to fight a "preemptive" war that wasn't necessary. Fighting wars to bring about regime change is in breach of international law. Yet, throughout the fall of 2002, and into the weeks preceding the war in Iraq, the Bush administration systematically distorted intelligence evidence and misled the public in order to turn opinion in favor of "regime change" in Iraq.
The film will present interviews with more than 20 experts, all of whom have informed opinions about the reasons we were given for war and the evidence presented to support those reasons. Some supported the war itself but are deeply concerned about the way information was misused. All believe it is their duty to speak up.
March - June, 2003 - Iraq War Vigils
MAPP members held weekly silent vigils in the village square to protest the war and remember the victims.
March, 2003 - MAPP Presents Resolution to Oppose War
MAPP members presented a resolution to the Manchester Village Council opposing a pre-emptive war against Iraq by the United States.
March, 2003 - Health Kits for Iraqis
MAPP members collected and assembled twenty health kits that were sent to the Iraqi people by the American Friends Service Committee.
February, 2003 - Discussion Group
Topic was the book Blood Brothers.
Copies of the book are available at the Manchester Township Library.
more info.
January, 2003 - Discussion Group
Topic: Iraq and the Threat to Peace.
A video was shown and a discussion followed.
January, 2003 - Ann Arbor Protest Rally Against the War
MAPP members took part in the rally and march protesting the imminent war.
January, 2003 - National March on Washington
A number of MAPP members traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in the national march opposing the war.
December, 2002 - Prayers for Peace
On Saturday, December 21, prayers for candlelight peace were offered at the Peace Pole in Manchester's Chi-Bro Park. We then walked to the United Methodist Church by candlelight for refreshments and fellowship.
some photos of the event
November, 2002 - Christmas in the Village
On 11/23/02, Manchester Area People for Peace sponsored a table at Klager Elementary School for the annual Christmas in the Village celebration. MAP for Peace members helped children who stopped by the table to make holiday ornaments, gift tags and oragami peace doves. They also answered questions about MAP for Peace and discussed issues of peace and war with interested local residents.
