|
|
|
|
|
|
Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| September 11, 2004 |
New York, USA – Stonewalk and teach-in "Working Towards
a World Free from Fear" |
|
| |
 |
| "Working Towards a World Free from Fear" Teach-In |
Moving up the Hudson River, past the towering skyline of Manhattan, Peace Boat docked in mid-town
on September 10 for a three-day visit to New York City. On the second day of the visit, to commemorate
the third anniversary of the tragedy of September 11th and to remember its victims and the victims
of war everywhere hundreds of Peace Boat participants and city residents gathered at the Riverside
Church and took part in a teach-in under the theme "Working Towards a World Free from Fear." The
teach-in, comprising a wide range of speakers, workshops and performances, aimed to bring people together
to reflect on this important date while examining methods to build understanding through education
and action. Today people all over the United States, and the world, live in fear - fear of war, of
terrorism, of poverty, and of speaking out against injustices. Over the course of the day, with the
help of many local organizations and educators, participants in the teach-in learned ways to move
away from this culture of fear and towards a culture of peace. |
|
|
 |
| Stonewalk - a two-ton memorial dedicated to Unknown Civilians Killed in War |
Stonewalk
Leading up to the teach-in, a group of over 50 Peace Boat participants joined members of US organization
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows in the Stonewalk - a memorial procession to honour
the memory of civilians killed in war. September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows is an advocacy
organization of family members of 9/11 victims who have united to turn their grief into action for
peace, with the objective of seeking effective, nonviolent solutions to terrorism and breaking the
cycle of violence and retaliation engendered by war. |
| |
 |
| Stonewalk participants and Klara (in red) observe a moment's silence |
Peaceful Tomorrows, together with members of the Peace Abbey from Boston, Massachusetts, has pulled
a two-ton memorial stone dedicated to the Unknown Civilians Killed in War, from Boston to New York
in an action aimed to highlight the human cost of war, and the suffering it causes. On the morning
of September 11, the memorial was pushed 10 km, from downtown New York to The Riverside Church. Accompany
the group was Peace Boat volunteer interpreter Klara Ellefsen, who has since reflected on her experience.
To Klara one of the most significant moments came, "Right before the time the first plane hit
the Towers, until after the second plane hit, we placed our hands on the stone and stood in silence.
After the time lapsed, a man who had lost his brother in the second plane crash began to speak. Still
standing around the stone he asked everyone to reflect on the time that had passed, and think of the
3,000 plus people that were lost during these minutes in 2001." |
| |
 |
| Cooperation and solidarity - pulling the memorial stone |
"When the stone finally reached Riverside," said Klara, "David, a member of Peaceful
Tomorrows said to us, 'I'm sure you're physically tired and this work was hard, but now try think
about the difficulty faced by people all over the world everyday. People who have lost loved ones,
or live in conflict, war, or poverty.'" Along with gaining appreciation for her own life and
being able to relate to people in other situations Klara and others ended the walk with a sense of
accomplishment. "We felt a real sense of achievement - me alone couldn't do this. But because
over 50 people did this together, we had the feeling that collectively we can overcome almost anything." The
stone memorial was placed outside The Riverside Church for the duration of the Teach-In. |
| |
 |
| The Riverside Church, New York |
Teach-in: "Working Towards a World Free from Fear"
Beginning the teach-in, participants gathered for a talk from several keynote speakers. Rev Dr.
James A Forbes, Senior Minister of the Riverside Church began the address. The first African-American
to hold this position, Dr. Forbes is an outspoken advocate for human rights and he held the participants
with his story of visiting the wreckage of the World Trade Center towers together with a group of
religious leaders. "While waiting, I looked up and saw a traffic light dangling. I thought
whatever else we do to respond to this crisis, that traffic light must be repaired...Without that
traffic light we will not know the red light that says stop, the yellow light that says caution,
the green light that says go. When the light is repaired there will be a big green go for peace
and for justice." |
| |
 |
| Lila Lipscomb delivers her speech |
Unfortunately, that green "go" for peace and justice has yet to materialize
itself in US government actions. With the unleashing of attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq, besides
the thousands of victims in those countries, people in the United States like Lila Lipscomb have
also suffered. Lila is the mother highlighted in Michael Moore's movie Fahrenheit 9/11. Traveling
all the way from Michigan, Lila was eager to share her experiences with others. After losing her
son Michael in Iraq on April 2, 2003 Lila has channeled the energy of her suffering to speak out
against what she believes to be an unjust war. "I stand before you today because I can't remain
silent. My son is gone..." By educating people about the Iraq war and spreading the word of
peace, Lila is determined to make sure her son did not die in vain. "Why must we disgrace
and dishonor each other so much that we force each other to live in fear? I challenge each of you
today to become living examples of peace." Lila ended her talk by emphasizing that the Iraq
war is not about the real United States, but about the decision of a few - "Going into someone's
home and demanding how they're supposed to live is not American," said Lila.
|
| |
 |
| Debbie Almontaser speaks from her experience as an Arab American |
As an Arab American Debbie Almontaser, who later in the afternoon conducted a workshop - Overcoming
Xenophobia Post 9/11 - delivered another powerful speech. In Debbie's view, the events of September
11th drastically changed the lives of Arab Americans. Over the last three years many of the 7 million
plus Arab Americans and Muslims have become targets of violence and discrimination, with attacks against
them increasing by 70%. Debbie urges people to see that the actions of September 11th were the actions
of a few, and were not actions recognized by her Islamic religion. "On that day not only my religion,
but my ethnicity was hijacked," said Debbie. To change peoples' attitude Debbie encouraged all
to get to know their Arab American neighbours, and not to forget that Arab Americans "...have
loved their country for generations, and would never want to see harm come to their communities." |
| |
 |
| SANITY (Students Against Nuclear Insanity for Tomorrow's Youth" workshop |
Workshop - Abolition Now! - Youth-led workshop on nuclear disarmament
After the opening speeches, participants split into groups and chose between a wide variety
of workshops. The focuses ranged from developing peace education and independent media, to the
Israel-Palestine conflict, and bias, discrimination, and civil liberties in New York - see the
end of this report for a full list of workshops. Because the majority of Peace Boat participants
come from Japan, and live in the only country where nuclear weapons have ever been used, Katherine
Sullivan and the student led youth group SANITY (Students Against Nuclear Insanity for Tomorrow's
Youth) drew a large crowd for a workshop entitled "Abolition Now!".
|
| |
 |
| Cristina Torraz holds up a ball bearing representing the nuclear arsenal in
WWII |
Eiko Kuboki, a 29 year old student on Peace Boat was personally
drawn to the workshop because of the time she spent on Peace Boat with Amano Fumiko, a survivor
of the Hiroshima nuclear bombing and now an outspoken advocate for peace. One exercise in particular
had a powerful impact on Eiko. Beginning the exercise a small metal ball ball bearing was dropped
into a tin can causing a loud hollow sound to ring out. SANITY member Christina Torraz (17) explained
that "This sound of the ball bearing represents the nuclear arsenal during World War II." Asking
all attendants to then close their eyes, Christina continued to slowly pour another 2,667 ball bearings
steadily into the can. This sound symbolizes the equivalent of the nuclear arsenal today. After
the loud crashing sound ended, for a moment, the room remained silent. "To feel anger is good," said
Kathleen. "Because it shows you care about the world, and that you're not just being passive." |
|
|
 |
| Eiko Kuboki working on a presentation onboard Peace Boat |
"The numbers of nuclear weapons are so big I couldn't
imagine what the real effect would be like," said Eiko. "But during the exercise, dropping
one by one, I could hear the sound, I was scared to imagine the future, what the earth would be
like." For Eiko the fear she felt can be transformed. "We have to know reality, to know
what we have to do to change it. Not just have fear, but, to know the effects to teach others." With
the knowledge she gained at the workshop, Eiko says she wants to work with people and share this
knowledge, both with Peace Boat participants and after returning to Japan. |
| |
 |
| Participants form an image of peace in the Transforming Fear workshop |
Workshop - Peace Education: Transforming Fear into Action
Gathered in a circle participants closed their eyes and were asked to transform into the images
of fear they associated with the September 11th attacks and the war in Iraq. Judy Tsai, a volunteer
Peace Boat interpreter, says when observing the workshop, her overall feeling was that people
freed themselves. "When asked to form the shape of fear, people had different responses," said
Judy. After the initial exercise the group was then asked to transform themselves collectively
into peaceful images. When people were afraid they were alone, but felt when they came together
they were capable of transforming images of fear into images of peace. With their eyes closed
some people had the same images of fear, but this was rare, however when forming images of peace
similarities were more common. When forming peace images, Judy says, the group was more unified
and found that "What people fear may be different, but peace is the same." |
| |
 |
| Group views the DCTV program in the Independent Media workshop |
Workshop - Independent Media and post 9/11 reporting
Matthew O'Neill is a documentary filmmaker and producer of community television. Following September
11th Matthew visited different US East Coast towns to collect the real voices of America on the
War Against Terror. During his workshop participants were shown his work with DCTV (Downtown Community
Television Center) - an organisation of alternative programme producers whose the goal to show
stories different from those being seen on mainstream networks. While viewing his programme, he
explained that media is manipulated from all directions, making it difficult to get the full story.
After viewing a very emotional segment of an Iraqi woman who had lost a family member, Matthew
said that even this was made from his point of view, because human emotion can always be seen
from different angles. But, he emphasized, "It was an emotional story that was not being
shown in the U.S. at the time." The importance of this, Matthew says, is people can see the
human side of suffering in Iraq. |
| |
 |
| Makiko Oya and Michi Seki reflect on the Independent Media workshop |
Makiko Oya (22) and Michi Seki (19), both Global University
students onboard Peace Boat, were sorry to learn that it is so difficult for alternative forms of
media to deliver this message across the US. They learned from the workshop that the current reality
is that independent media finds it very difficult to be part of the mass media. "But over the
course of the workshop," said Oya, "We learned that it is our responsibility to know the
truth, and to inform people. That this doesn't necessarily lie only with the government...Independent
media stresses the fact that each person has the ability to inform and be informed." |
| |
 |
| Musicians Bamboo Cedar Oak |
Following the day's teach-in, participants, along with many members of the local
community, came together for the evening's Commemoration Ceremony in the striking nave of The
Riverside Church. Many compelling speeches were delivered interspersed with eclectic performances
of step dance, Japanese taiko drumming and the haunting original music of Bamboo Cedar Oak who
later joined Peace Boat from New York to Guatemala.
|
| |
 |
| Yu Chang of Taiwan (right) and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Flame |
Early on in the ceremony, Peace Boat carried in Peace Flames
from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On August 6th and August 9th 1945 two atomic bombs were dropped in
Hiroshima and Nagasaki creating what is often referred to as the world's first ground zero. The
September 11th attacks have created a new "ground zero", but Japan has also felt the effects
of September 11th. The Japanese government's support for the Bush Administration's war in Iraq has
created a new kind of fear within our country, the fear of attack," said Peace Boat staff member
Hidaka Shinsuke. Urging the audience to transform a flame born of such sadness and destruction into
a symbol of hope and peace, candles were lit from the Peace flame. Yu Chang, of Taiwan, a student
onboard Peace Boat, spoke about his hopes for peace in Northeast Asia and of the need for dialogue
between governments and peoples. |
| |
 |
| Terry Rockefeller of Peaceful Tomorrows |
Terry Rockefeller, a member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows,
who lost her sister, Laura, in the attack on the World Trade Center attack received the Peace
flame from Peace Boat and followed with a moving speech. She explained that, having experienced
such a personal tragedy she and the other members of Peaceful Tomorrows feel it is the responsibility
of everyone to alleviate such tragedies in the world. Terry spoke of her disappointment and distress
that the US government has created by engaging in an immoral, and unnecessary war of revenge in
Iraq.
|
| |
 |
| "How will today impact our lives tomorrow?" |
Ending the event, Cora Weiss, President of The Hague Appeal
for Peace, stirred the crowd with her upbeat call for everybody to get active. "Get out your
pen and paper - its time to get to work!" She then asked the question "How will today
impact our lives tomorrow?" and encouraged all to think of something they can do to end nuclear
weapons, to end the Korean War, to protect Japan's war-renoucing Article 9 of its constitution,
or to create peace education in schools. By the end of the day many participants were able to answer
this question for themselves, and were now informed with many different ways to approach these issues.
Ending her speech Cora said, "Thank you for coming, for being, for giving, and for doing one
more thing for your children, and I think, I can say for your grandchildren." |
| |
|
Teach-in - List of Speakers and Workshops:
Speakers:
- Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr - Senior Minister of The Riverside Church
- Lila Lipscomb - The Mother in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11
- Mark Rosenblum - Founder, Americans for Peace Now
- Debbie Almontaser - Women in Islam, Inc.
Workshops:
-
Building Bridges - Architects for a New Century:
- Remi Alapo, Sabrina Esufali, Amy Taliaferro & Kathleen Tordini, Hague Appeal for Peace
- Spirituality, Violence and Non-Violence:
- The Riverside Church
Peace Education: Transforming Fear into Action:
- Janet Gerson, Peace Education Center, Teachers College, Colombia University & Esperanza
Martell, The Institute for Popular Education, Brecht Forum
Abolition Now! - Youth-led workshop on nuclear disarmament
- Kathleen Sullivan, Educators for Social Responsibility Metro Area and members of SANITY (Students
Against Nuclear Insanity for Tomorrows Youth)
Overcoming Xenophobia Post 9/11
- Debbie Almontaser, Women in Islam, Inc.
 |
| Phatin Jarara, with the support of Jill Strauss, speaks on growing up Muslim
in New York |
Being Muslim American in New York City Post September 11
- Phatin Jarara & Tania Chowdhury of the Mosaic Youth Project. Assisted by Jill Strauss.
The Reflective Activist: Sustaining our own resilience and hope in uncertain times
- Linda Lantieri & Madhavi Nambiar, Project Renewal - A project of the Tides Center
Independent media and post 9/11 reporting
- Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV)
Bias, Discrimination and Civil Liberties
 |
| Itay Lewinsky, Israel and Iba Farrah, Palestine, hold a workshop on the "Apartheid
Wall" |
Israel and Palestine: "Apartheid Wall"
- Iba Farrah, Itay Lewinsky & Tyler Hall - International Students onboard Peace Boat
Ceremony Speakers and Performers:
- Terry Rockefeller - September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
- Cora Weiss - President of the Hague Appeal for Peace
- Rev. Otis B Moss, III - Pastor, The Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church
- Yu Chang - International Student onboard Peace Boat
- Bamboo Cedar Oak
- Tomoekai - traditional Japanese drumming
- Rick DellaRatta - Jazz for Peace - www.jazzforpeace.org
|
| |
|
Resources - Co-sponsors and Endorsers of "Working Towards
a World Free from Fear":
|
| |
|
|
|
