When: Nov 21-25
Cost: $200, unless unwaged (as in student) and then $150
plus bring $50 US for some food and also a passport needed for border crossing
WHO: Anyone who cares about peace and the lives of Latin American people is welcome! The trip is child, teen and family friendly.

How? Mail a check payable to Educators for Justice, 688 rockway Dr, Kitchener, ON. First come, first served.

Any questions: Read below and if needed call Dwyer Sullivan at 519-570-1323 or email me.

It will be another fabulous experience with the added pleasure of sleeping all 4 nights in a bed.

Peace,
Dwyer

Here is a group of Buddhists from Nipponzan Myohoji-Atlanta Dojo who walked to the vigil from Atlanta to Columbus!

What is the SOA and Why the Vigil?

The Vigil and Procession by the Canadian contingent is a Public Witness at The School of the Americas, Columbus Georgia, Nov 21-25, 2013

For more than 15 years I have participated in this incredible, inspiring, creative, prayerful, non-violent witness on behalf of the victims of graduates from this school. During this time the Canadian contingent has grown from 10 to over 150 and the gathering of students, teachers, religious communities, veterans, union workers, torture victims, etc. has grown to over 15,000.

The School of the Americas (renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation), based at Fort Benning, Georgia, has trained over 65,000 Latin American soldiers. These graduates have consistently used their skills to wage war against their own people. Among those targeted by SOA graduates are educators, union organizers, religious workers, student leaders and others who work for the rights of the poor. The United States militarization in Latin America is accelerating as shown by the SOA graduate-led military coup in Honduras, the continuing repression against the Honduran pro-democracy resistance, and the expansion of U.S. military bases in Colombia and Panama. Despite promising comments by Obama during his first campaign, the SOA is still in operation, the U.S. is pouring millions into “military solutions” to combat drug problems in Mexico and Colombia.

The public witness is coordinated by the School of the Americas Watch (SOAW). It began in a tiny apartment outside the main gates of Fr. Benning by Fr. Roy Bougeois in 1990. The vigils and activities quickly grew, drawing upon the knowledge and experiences of many in the U.S. who had worked with people in Latin America in the 1970’s and 80’s.

Today, SOA Watch is a large, grassroots movement rooted in solidarity with the people most affected by the SOA, the poor and oppressed. This movement is strengthened by many faith communities, student groups (both high school and university), national and international labour unions and organizations, Veterans for Peace chapters around the U.S. and now 6 Latin American governments who refuse to send their soldiers to this school.

This year the Social Justice Department at Kings College, London will again be organizing a bus load of University students and professors to attend the Vigil. Here in Kitchener-Waterloo this will be our third year coordinating a bus. The Waterloo Catholic District School Board will again be supporting two teachers to participate with the high school students.

What can you expect from this 5-day opportunity?

You will be with many like-minded people of all ages, all committed to ending violence, torture, war, militarization, etc. Friday and Saturday overflow with a variety of workshops, teach-ins, film screenings, a Mass, and an evening concert – all in the Columbus Convention Center. Saturday afternoon is a massive rally at the gates of Ft. Benning with musicians and speakers from across the Americas. Sunday morning is the inspiring and memorable procession and vigil honouring the martyrs and victims of the SOA. The afternoon is an up-lifting participatory street theatre with puppetistas, drummers, dancing, stilt-walkers, etc.

The logistics are that the bus will pick up people mid-morning on Thursday Nov 21 at Resurrection HS, St. Mary’s HS and Rockway Mennonite HS. We will travel to Aldergate United Methodist Church in Huber Heights, Ohio for supper and group activities that prepares participants for the weekend experience. We will overnight at a hotel in Florence, Kentucky before travelling to the Martin Luther King Centre for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta and then on to our motel in Columbus, Georgia. We will be 4 to a room on Friday and Saturday night (see schedule of activities above) and we leave Sunday after the rally and will stay overnight again in Florence,, arriving late afternoon on Monday, Nov.25.

Because of 2 substantial grants from the United church and Educators for Justice, the cost will be kept at only $200 Canadian, payable to Educators for Justice which includes transport, accommodation and some meals You should bring $50 US to cover a few meals and perhaps a souvenir t-shirt, etc.

You need to be able to cross the US border (passport will be requested), be open to meeting some amazing people, hearing some incredible stories and having an enjoyable, meaningful time. I am a firm believer in the value of experiential education and know that participants of this Vigil are truly moved to be in solidarity with the oppressed. For the past number of years, I have helped coordinate the black-robed, white face- painted mourners who lead the Sunday Morning funeral procession and do a symbolic die-in before the Gates. It has been an annual meditation for me about the value of non-violence and the stupidity of war.

I hope that a group from your school can be organized, or that you can join with an already organized group. Please check out www.soaw.org for more details. Because of the above-mentioned grants, unwaged people (students) can sign up for $150 Canadian. Feel welcome to contact me at dwyerandsheila AT gmail DOT com (or by phone 519-570-1323) if you require further clarification.

Sincerely
Dwyer Sullivan (Retired WCDSB Teacher)

The capacity of the coach bus is 56. This experience is on a first come basis. A registration fee of $50 will hold your place. This can be mailed to me at:
Educators for Justice, 688 Rockway Dr, Kitchener, ON N2G 3B4

Students can give their money to the coordinating teacher at their school, or mail a check to me.

Specific details regarding times, addresses, phone numbers, etc will be made available once I receive your registration. Also note that the above cost is based on 4 people sharing the cost of the rooms for 4 nights, and the rooms are about $80 Canadian. For the past 15 years we have been most understanding in accommodating participants (same-sex) roommate preferences.

If you are counting on have a single room, it would be another $60 for each of 4 nights and if you are counting on two per room, it would be another $40 between the 2 of you for each of the 4 nights. I also need to know your preference so I can pre-order more rooms as we require them.