Worcester Community Peace Fair

an article by Lyor Dotan and Devon Grayson-Wallace

In Worcester, Mass. (USA), Clark University Peace Studies students hosted the 9th ever Worcester Community Peace Fair. They hope to spark discussion and action throughout the Worcester community on issues of peace and justice.

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Community organizations and student groups displayed their work and offered informative, interactive exhibits. Fair-goers from the area were invited to engage with other community members invested in peace and justice work. Participants included the Center for Nonviolent Solutions, Clark Interfaith Action, VegWorcester, PeaceWorks,Fair Share, Student Action for Refugees, Clark University Peace Studies Program, and College of the Holy Cross Peace and Conflict Studies.

As the Fair was held on Earth Day, April 22, 2012, the theme was PEACE ON EARTH. Many exhibits connected interpersonal peace with issues of sustainability and environmental justice. One group offered attendees the opportunity to draw what peace means to them. Others offered homemade lemonade in glass bottles as a fundraiser to get a generator for students in Haiti who are organizing an Internet cafe. The keynote speaker of the event tied the work of all Peace-Workers present together with an address about replacing the current Culture of War with a Culture of Peace.

This tradition was revived after 20 years - it ran from 1985 to 1992 and was hugely successful, attracting more than a thousand people in its last year. The students organizing the event hope to reestablish this great tradition and promote Peace Studies to other students and to the community. They are already planning a 10th Worcester Community Peace Fair, to which all will be heartily welcome should they find themselves in the Worcester area in April 2013.

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

University campus peace centers, What is happening on your campus?

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This report was posted on April 22, 2012.

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