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Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
VOW's September Newsletter
September 2026
Events & Actions

Our September newsletter is being brought to you by our National Coordinator Alley McDonald.

This month we want to highlight Joining 1000+ Women for Peace's Open Letter & Actions; VOW's Peace Supper; International Day of Peace; and so much more happening this month!

Be sure to scroll all the way down for upcoming events, calls to action, and recommended resources!

VOW's work of peace, anti-war and demilitarization merits your support! Make a donation. Even better, join our growing number of Monthly Peace Partners. Consider $5 or $50 or any amount in between. Become a Peace Partner today!

JOIN/RENEW/DONATE
VOW Updates
Join 1000 Women+ for Peace
Care not Warfare!

VOW & WILPF-Canada Campaign

Help us reach 1,000 Women+ for Peace by September 20! 

We’ve reached 575 signatures—help us reach our goal of 1,000! Just 425 more to go!

Women and gender diverse folks across Canada are calling on Prime Minister Carney and Minister for Women and Gender Equality Rechie Valdez to choose #CareNotWarfare and invest in people and the planet—not militarization.

Canadian military spending has risen dramatically, while communities continue to face urgent needs for housing, health care, education, climate action, public transit, Indigenous justice, international aid, and more.

On September 21, International Day of Peace, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Canada will present our open letter to the federal government in Ottawa, with a press conference and rally. We’re also inviting people across Canada to take local action in solidarity.

✍️ Sign the letter here
📣 Share the letter with your networks
🕊️ Join us in Ottawa or organize a local #CareNotWarfare action

Let’s reach 1,000 Women+ for Peace and make our voices heard! #1000Women #CarenotWarfare #InvestinPeace

SIGN THE LETTER HERE
Join 1000 Women+ for Peace Actions in Ottawa

Sunday, September 20th: EARTH'S GREATEST ENEMY Film Screening at Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St, Ottawa

Tickets $5 for students/low-wage | $10 regular

(No one turned away for lack of funds)

Doors open at 5:30pm, showing begins 6pm-8:30pm

Earth’s Greatest Enemy is a new documentary by U.S. journalist and host of the Empire Files Abby Martin. More information: https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/

Click HERE to get your tickets now on Eventbrite!


#1000Women+ for Peace Rally at the Prime Minister’s Office

Care Not Warfare: Cut Military Spending

September 21, 2026

4:00-5:00pm

80 Wellington St., Ottawa

International Day of Peace

Register now! Click HERE

Events are organized by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (VOW), the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom-Canada (WILPF) and the Raging Grannies Ottawa.

BUY YOUR FILM TICKETS NOW

Help Make 1000 Women+ for Peace Happen

VOW is taking action in Ottawa with 1000 Women+ for Peace—bringing women and gender-diverse people together to call for peace and make our voices heard!

We’re organizing a film screening and rally in Ottawa, culminating in the delivery of our letter to Prime Minister Carney.

Your support makes this action possible. Donations help cover the costs of organizing the campaign and events,  and supporting our efforts in Ottawa.

Every contribution helps us turn our call for peace into action. We appreciate your support!

DONATE HERE
VOW's Peace Supper for
International Day of Peace

In-Person

🗓 Thursday, September 17th 2026

⏰  5:00pm-7:00pm ET

📍 Champa Kitchen, 21 King St N, Waterloo, ON N2J 2W6

📧 RSVP with Alley McDonald

Canadian Voice of Women for Peace invites you to join us for a Peace Supper at Champa Kitchen (21 King St. N, Waterloo) as we gather in the spirit of the International Day of Peace.

Sharing food is a peaceful act—one of care, connection, and community. Join us to strengthen relationships, discuss VOW's initiatives, such as our 1000 Women+ for Peace campaign, learn about upcoming peace events and how to get involved.

To RSVP, please email VOW's National Coordinator, Alley McDonald, at info@vowpeace.org with "RSVP PEACE SUPPER" in the subject line.

We look forward to sharing an evening of peace and community with you!

Food Love and Resistance

By VOW Co-Chair Hannah Hadikin

"Across the region, farmers' markets are setting up their stalls with delicious fruit, seasonal vegetables, homemade cold drinks, fresh baked goods, and, of course, divine ice cream. These local gatherings remind us of the simple joy that comes from food, community, and spending time together.

That spirit was very much present at a special early-evening event hosted by Nelson4Palestine: Food, Love and Resistance, featuring Palestinian chef Izzeldin Bukhari. The dinner offered a memorable opportunity to experience Palestinian culture through food. It was also grounded in the history of Palestinian resistance, the realities of life under occupation, and the continuing struggle for a free and just Palestine."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
September Events 
Women in Black:
Grandmothers Against Genocide

In-Person Events
Women in Black Vigil:
Check for upcoming dates here

Wednesdays Wkly 8am: Grandmothers Against Genocide Vigil. Bay/Bloor, Toronto


Thursdays Wkly 8am: Kingston Road Vigil. Kingston Rd./Victoria Park, Toronto

Thursdays Wkly 8am: Grandmothers Against Genocide. Five Points Intersection (Goderich)


Ce que j'ai vu en Ukraine: 2015-2022 - Journal d'un observateur international 
Avec l'auteur et ancien moniteur de l'OSCE Benoît Paré

Virtual Event

🗓 Dimanche, 30 août, 2026

⏰
10 heures HE du matin

📍 Zoom 

Modéré par Pierre Jasmin, Les Artistes pour la Paix

Les Artistes pour la Paix et le Réseau pancanadien pour la justice et la paix (CWJPN) vous invitent à une présentation relayée par Canadian Foreign Policy Institute : une entrevue menée par le secrétaire général www.artistespourlapaix.org Pierre Jasmin, auprès de Benoît Paré, auteur de deux ouvrages-clés sur l’Ukraine fasciste où il a habité de 2015 à 2022. Analyste au ministère français de la Défense, officier de réserve de l’Armée de Terre, Benoît Paré a travaillé pendant de nombreuses années dans plusieurs des principales zones de crises internationales dans ces trois dernières décennies (ex-Yougoslavie, Afghanistan, Liban, Pakistan et Ukraine). Son point de vue est essentiel pour comprendre la guerre. Voici ses deux ouvrages à lire : Ce que j'ai vu en Ukraine: 2015-2022 - Journal d'un observateur international (2025) et Ukraine : la grande manipulation (2026).

Acheter le livre : https://www.babelio.com/livres/Pare-Ce-que-jai-vu-en-Ukraine-2015-2022-Journal-du/1865099 Organisé par Canadian Foreign Policy Institute et approuvé par le Canada-Wide Peace & Justice Network, Winnipeg Peace Alliance, Hamilton Coalition to the Stop the War, et Les Artistes pour la Paix

REGISTER HERE
World Beyond War Book Club
Virtual September Book Club

🗓Start: Friday, September 4, 2026

⏰
1:00 PM EDT

Host Contact Info: david@worldbeyondwar.org

📍 Zoom (details to be shared before the event)

In September 2026, World BEYOND War will be holding a weekly discussion each of four weeks of the book War Is Still A Racket: Smedley Butler’s classic texts with new commentary by David Swanson, with World BEYOND War Executive Director David Swanson.

When you register for the club, we will mail you a signed paperback copy of the book.

We'll let you know which parts of the book will be discussed each week along with the Zoom details to access the discussions.

When:

For one hour on Friday, September 4, 11, 18, and 25, beginning at UTC 17:00, which is 7 am in Honolulu, 10 am in Los Angeles, 11 am in Mexico City, 1 pm in New York, 6 pm in Yaoundé, 7 pm in Amsterdam, and 8:30 pm in Tehran.

REGISTER HERE
Join the Carnival Against Capitalism
Nonviolence International, World BEYOND War, and Solidarity Rising

In-Person Event
Conference:
📅 Saturday, September 12th

⏰5-7pm ET

📍 OCAD University, 100 McCaul St, Toronto
--------------------------
📅 Sunday, September 13th 

⏰ Teach In: 9am-4pm ET

📍OCAD University, 100 McCaul St, Toronto

⏰ Resistance Concert: 4:30pm-6pm

📍Grange Park, Toronto
---------------------------
Rally, March, Protest:

📅 Monday, September 14th, 2026

⏰ 6:00pm ET

📍 Toronto City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, ON

We’ve teamed up with 8th Fire Rising and the Council of Canadians to convene our own counter-summit and resistance concert on Saturday and Sunday, September 12-13. Spots are limited - register now at www.manyvsmoneysummit.ca. It'll kick off Saturday evening (Sept. 12) with an incredible opening keynote featuring journalist Naomi Klein and U.S. scholar and activist Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, with special musical guest, folk singer Carsie Blanton. 

On Sunday, September 13, the counter-summit will continue with an all-day teach-in, bringing together organizers, researchers and front-line activists from various movements (labour, Indigenous, tenants, climate, anti-war, migrant rights, Palestine solidarity, and others). It'll wrap up on Sunday evening with a free Resistance Concert in Grange Park featuring a incredible line-up of performers, vendors, and cultural activities.

On Monday September 14, as Carney’s summit starts, we’ll be there to greet it. We will join a broad swathe of movements, communities, and organizations to gather en masse for a major rally, march and protest against Carney’s summit, starting at Nathan Phillips Square at 6PM. We must come together, united and en masse to refuse to let the global 1% descend on our city unopposed. 
LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

BOOK LAUNCH “Canada & NATO: Myth of a Global Peacekeeper”

In-Person Event

🗓 Saturday, September 19, 2026

📍 Downtown Toronto, exact location TBD

Join the Toronto Association for Peace and Solidarity on September 19th at the Shevchenko Museum, 1604 BLOOR ST W, at 7pm for a book talk with Owen Schalk for his new book: Canada & NATO: Myth of a Global Peacekeeper.

RSVP HERE

OTTAWA: STOP THE BURNING, DEFEND OUR CLIMATE: 2026 Ottawa-Gatineau Climate March

In-Person Event

🗓 Saturday, September 19, 2026

📍
Meeting point Gatineau @ 9:30am, Jacques Cartier Park, Gatineau

Meeting point Ottawa @ 10:30am, Major Hills Park, Mackenzie Avenue, Ottawa

End point Ottawa City Hall @ 12:00pm, Ottawa City Hall, Elgin Street, Ottawa

The 2026 Ottawa Climate March is happening on Saturday, September 19, 2026. We gather at 9:30 AM at Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau before marching to downtown Ottawa, holding rallies at key locations along the way to make our voices heard.

Organized by Fridays for Future: https://www.fridaysforfutureottawa.org/

SENIOR CLIMATE WITNESS

In-Person Event

🗓 Saturday, September 19-24th, 2026

📍 Downtown Toronto, exact location TBD

As Canada faces another summer of devastating climate-fuelled wildfires, I'm joining Seniors' Climate Witness in Ottawa (September 19–24).

Together, seniors, people of faith, and allies will engage in public witness and nonviolent action, calling on the federal government to reject new publicly funded fossil fuel pipelines and invest instead in a livable future for our children, grandchildren, and future generations.

Join us in Ottawa, travel with a Climate Caravan, or help spread the word. We'd love to have you with us.

Learn more and sign up here

SIGN UP HERE

Grassy Narrows River Run Rally

In-Person Event

🗓 Wednesday, September 23, 2026

📍
26 Grange Road, Toronto, ON
M5T 2W7 CA

On Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026, community members and leaders will travel 1,700km from Grassy Narrows to Toronto to demand that Ontario and Canada:

  1. Compensate everyone in Grassy Narrows fairly for the mercury crisis

  2. End the pollution by stopping the Dryden mill and ending mining and nuclear waste plans that threaten Grassy Narrows

  3. Support Grassy Narrows in restoring their community and way of life from the damage that mercury has done.

Walk with Grassy Narrows youth and community members to show that we are with them on their path to achieve mercury justice and freedom!

This is a family-friendly event. Rain or shine!

Check out FreeGrassy.net for more details as the event approaches.

Grassy Narrows people are powerful leaders in the movement for Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. They have shown that together we can fight for justice against all odds and make real gains.

RSVP HERE

The NB Media Co-op's 17th Annual Keynote : Alex Cosh on Silencing Dissent Toward 5 Per Cent

Virtual Event

🗓 Wednesday, September 23, 2026

⏰ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Atlantic Time


📍 Zoom (Once you register, a Zoom link will be sent to your email)

Canada is poised to hike military spending to an astonishing 5% of national GDP at the behest of U.S. President Donald Trump. That amounts to around $150 billion annually. While this gargantuan increase will be a boon to arms manufacturers and military contractors, it is expected to put an enormous strain on public funds. Despite this, corporate media have offered little if any real critical reporting on the target. Meanwhile, both the Department of National Defence and industry groups appear to be working hard to ensure that no critical journalists can ask tough questions. What can independent media do about this?

Alex Cosh is managing editor of The Maple and was previously a staff writer for PressProgress. He lives and works on the traditional territory of the Tla’amin people. Find him on Twitter @AlexCosh_

Join us for the NB Media Co-op’s 17th Annual General Meeting before Alex Cosh's talk at 6:00 PM AT. Find more information here.

We need your support to take our social justice journalism to the next level. Support the NB Media Co-op today.

For more information, email info@nbmediacoop.org.

REGISTER HERE
Regular Weekly & Monthly Events
Canadian Peace Museum

Virtual & In-Person Events

Compassionate Communications

(aka NonViolent Communication) 

🗓  Every 3rd Tuesday

📍 Canadian Peace Museum, 19 Valleyview Drive, Bancroft, Ontario, K0L 1C0, Canada

Learn to Communicate Without Blame, Shutdown, or Escalation.

Organized by the Trust. Time: 3:00 - 5:30pm

Please contact us via this link, leave a message on 613 332-3657.

Upcoming Events
World Beyond War Book Club
Virtual October Book Club

🗓Start: Wednesday, October 7, 2026

⏰
9:00 AM EDT

Host Contact Info: david@worldbeyondwar.org

📍 Zoom (details to be shared before the event)

In October 2026, World BEYOND War will be holding a weekly discussion each of the book The True Price of War with author J. M. Badiyani.

When you register for the club, we will mail you a paperback copy of the book or get you a kindle version (your choice).

We'll let you know which parts of the book will be discussed each week along with the Zoom details to access the discussions.

When:

For one hour on Wednesday, October 7, 14, 21, 28, beginning at UTC 13:00, which is 7 am in Mexico City, 9 am in New York, 2 pm in Yaoundé, 3 pm in Amsterdam, 4:30 pm in Tehran, 9 pm in Manila and Beijing, 10 pm in Tokyo.

REGISTER HERE

#NOWAR2026 CONFERENCE: BEYOND BORDERS

A Global Online Conference Unpacking How the War System Drives Displacement & Militarizes Borders

Virtual Event

🗓 Friday, October 23 - Sunday, October 25, 2026 

📍 Zoom 

Join us on October 23-25 for #NoWar2026: Beyond Borders, World BEYOND War’s annual global conference hosted on Zoom. 

War and militarism drive people from their homes, causing mass displacement. And the very same weapons companies profiting from war and conflict cash in when governments militarize borders and block the movement of people fleeing violence. Throughout three days of panels, workshops, and breakout rooms, the #NoWar2026 Conference will examine the interconnections of the war system, migration, and the border industry, with case studies from around the world.

#NoWar2026 will create a space for global dialogue among activists, organizers, researchers, and educators to share lived experiences, learn from each other, and strategize for a world beyond the violence of both war and borders. 

GET TICKETS HERE

Fifth Annual 24-Hour Peace Wave

Virtual Event

The Fifth Annual 24-Hour Peace Wave remains a 24-hour-long Zoom featuring peace actions in the streets and squares of the world, moving around the globe with the sun. But participants will have until November 1, 2026, to submit videos of peace activism, filmed at any time in the first 10 months of 2026.

We will then compile the videos into 24 videos of 40 minutes each. We will then announce the date of a Zoom webinar that will have 40 minutes of video and 20 of introduction and live discussion (including your questions) every hour for 24 hours.

Have you done any pro-peace or antiwar activities already in 2026 that you have good video of? Let us know!

Are you planning any activities between now and October 31 that you can make video of? Let us know!

We're looking for good quality videos of events and activities, ideally in landscape (horizontal) format, and showing any sort of peace activism other than sitting at a desk and talking to a camera (rallies, demonstrations. concerts, banner-drops, mural painting, etc.)

Answer all your questions about the peace wave at 24hourpeacewave.org

LEARN MORE HERE
In Solidarity:
Global Conflicts and Peace Advocacy

Weekly4Palestine W4P

List of Protests

Click the button below to visit this excellent resource to learn about all recurring weekly protests for Palestine across Canada.

LISTED RECURRING PROTESTS HERE
Demand Accountability for Israel's Systemic Torture of Palestinian Prisoners

Send a Letter

While Canada’s diplomatic mission to Palestine has joined a statement demanding ICRC visits, Canada must do more. In solidarity with these demands, we call on Canada to use all available measures to uphold its responsibility under Article 1 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure violations of the Convention do not occur under any circumstance. This includes sanctions on Israel and an end to all support for the Israeli military, police, or prison services, whether through strategic support, weapons, technology, or investments.

TAKE ACTION HERE
New Report! How Canadian Universities Support Israel’s Crimes Through Investments, Partnerships, Donor Funds, and Anti-Palestinian Racism

Send a Letter

This report builds on existing documentation of ways that Canadian universities materially, politically, and ideologically support Israel’s Crimes, and describes some of the pro-Israel groups that are trying to influence the Canadian post-secondary landscape. We hope to help build awareness of how universities in Canada support Israel’s Crimes.2 We believe Canadian universities can and must become more responsible and accountable. In this report we identify ways they can disentangle themselves from their current complicity.

LEARN MORE HERE
Walk with Grief: Silent Vigil for Gaza
Waterloo Region Friends of Palestine

In-Person Event
Every Saturday, 11am ET
300 King St E, Kitchener, ON 
Silence is the greatest weapon of destruction, so use your voice, speak out, have conversations and, in your listening you will hear your work to support Palestinian liberation.

See you on Saturday at 11am Kitchener Market!
 
Send directly to these Canadian charities; donations are tax-deductible:
 
UNRWA in Canada  https://donate.unrwa.org/int/en/general
IDRF  https://idrf.ca/appeal/palestine/
Islamic Relief Canada  https://www.islamicreliefcanada.org/emergencies/palestine-appeal

Palestinian Human Rights Issues in Canada

A Legal & Tactical Guide

This guide is meant to provide basic information on legal issues that Palestinian rights activists may face, and tips on how to navigate them. It provides some generally applicable information and some campus-specific information for student activists.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE
GAZA SQUARE

In-Person Event
Every Sunday, 11am to 1pm
371 Wallace Ave, Toronto, ON

We'll be at Gaza square once again this Sunday morning with hot chocolate and coffee, buttons and posters, lawn signs and colourful chalk! Come say hi and meet your fellow neighbours/organizers as we make our presence known and continue to build safety in our community!

LEARN MORE HERE
Calls to Action
Petition e-7649

Sign the Petition

Sign the petition to call upon the Government of Canada to:

1. Deepen and defend economic and cultural exchanges between Canada and Cuba in the face of United States aggression;
2. Enforce the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act, to protect Canadian corporations who do business in Cuba against United States sanctions;
3. Lift the Government of Canada’s advisory against non-essential travel to Cuba and expand opportunities for tourism and trade; and
4. Reaffirm Canada’s historic opposition to the United States embargo against Cuba at the United Nations and support the annual resolution on the Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo.
 
Closed for signature:October 11, 2026, at 2:22 p.m. (EDT)
SIGN THE PETITION HERE
Petition e-7559

Sign the Petition

Sign the petition to call upon the Government of Canada to honour and ensure Canada’s 2030 and 2035 emissions targets and strengthen the policies that make them achievable for the love of our children and grandchildren.

Closed for signature: November 10, 2026, at 3:49 p.m. (EDT)
SIGN THE PETITION HERE
Reject $100 Billion Submarine Purchase

Send a Letter

Mark Carney recently announced the purchase of up to a dozen German submarines, which are set to cost $100 billion over their lifecycle. Expected to be equipped with cruise missiles, the submarines will greatly enhance the Canadian navy’s offensive capacities. Yet there’s been little political pushback.

Please email NDP leader Avi Lewis and Green leader Elizabeth May - with a cc to the Prime Minister - to ask them to oppose Carney’s costly submarine purchase.

 
SEND A LETTER HERE
SANCTION ELBIT NOW! 

Sign & Share
Elbit is Israel’s biggest arms manufacturer. No company is profiting more from this genocide, and no company is more necessary for Israel’s ongoing military violence – not only in Palestine, but in Lebanon and Iran.

And yet, two and a half years on, Canadian suppliers continue to send parts to Elbit, and the Canadian government continues to purchase arms from Elbit. Elbit subsidiaries are lobbying our politicians and Elbit
representatives are visiting our cities to hawk their weapons.
 
The federal government must sanction Elbit now. Sanctions on Elbit would block anyone in Canada from doing business in any way with Elbit or its subsidiaries: no trade with Elbit, no supplying parts to or receiving parts from Elbit, and no financial services to, support of, or investments in Elbit. #ElbitOutOfCanada.
SIGN HERE
We Stand with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Its Curatorial Independence
Independent Jewish Voices Canada

Sign the Petition

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights recently opened Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present, an exhibition examining Palestinian history, culture, displacement and lived experience. The exhibition offers Canadians an important opportunity to learn about the Nakba and its continuing impact on Palestinians in Canada and around the world.

Since its opening, the museum and its leadership have faced organized campaigns demanding political intervention, public condemnation and institutional consequences. 

People have every right to debate or criticize an exhibition. But politicians and pressure groups should not decide which histories Canadians are permitted to encounter or pressure museums to alter, discredit or distance themselves from professionally curated work.

This issue extends beyond one exhibition. Public museums must be able to present difficult and contested histories honestly, thoughtfully and according to evidence and professional standards.

READ MORE & SIGN HERE
No More Weapons Shipments to
Ukraine, Israel, or Taiwan
World BEYOND War

Sign the Petition

Stop the weapons shipments, and replace them with diplomacy and a new focus on the human and environmental crises that these wars defund, distract from, and exacerbate.

SEND THE PETITION HERE
Stop the Global War Bank:
Canada must not host or join the DSRB

Send a Letter

Most Canadians have never heard of the new international war bank–the so-called Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB)--but this institution, dedicated to financing war, has been in the works for years and Canada is set to host the global headquarters.

At a time of a housing crisis, hosting the DSRB headquarters is guaranteed to drive up the cost of living dramatically. We reject Canada’s commitment to profiteering from perpetual war in the guise of economic development. We say NO to the war bank being headquartered in Canada.

The DSRB will funnel public funds directly to arms manufacturers, ensuring massive military build-up for 35 to 40 countries. It will make it easier to bypass regulations and public opposition to Canada’s military support for genocide and repressive regimes.

See linktr.ee/stopthedsrb for additional info and resources, including an organizational sign on letter.

SEND A LETTER HERE
Days of Significance

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Women and Girls

September 5th

Indigenous women and girls are leaders, knowledge keepers and agents of change.

Indigenous women and girls are vital to Indigenous Peoples’ communities and to society as a whole. As leaders, knowledge holders and rights holders, they play essential roles as transmitters of Indigenous knowledge, languages and governance systems. They contribute to the well-being of their Peoples as caregivers and stewards of their lands, territories and the world’s biodiversity.

Despite these contributions, their voices, leadership and experiences have too often gone unrecognized.

As women and as Indigenous persons, Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately impacted by deep-seated structural inequalities that have often resulted in poverty, illiteracy, insecure or limited access to their lands, territories and resources, non-existent or poor health care, lack of access to justice, being subjected to trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence, and unequal participation in decision-making processes.

Recognizing, supporting and investing in Indigenous women and girls is not only a matter of justice; it is an essential condition for building a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for people and the planet.

LEARN MORE HERE

International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 

September 7th, 2026

On the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, we call upon everyone to accelerate action for clean air, from governments to businesses to civil society and individuals.

Clean air is fundamental to healthy people, resilient economies and a stable climate. Yet air pollution continues to impose major economic and public health challenges.  

But solutions are at hand and are proving to protect human health, while strengthening economies and accelerating progress towards global climate and sustainable development goals.  

Action on climate change and air pollution together, can generate economic benefits and protect public health, securing cleaner air for all.  

LEARN MORE HERE

International Day to Protect Education from Attack

September 9th, 2026

In 2025, six years after the first observance of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, violence against education continues to escalate. Between 2022 and 2023, there were around 6,000 attacks targeting students, educators, and educational institutions.

The use of schools for military purposes rose by 20%, and over 10,000 students were killed, abducted, arrested, or harmed.

Attacks on education in conflict zones have reached alarming levels. Over the past year, there was a 44% increase in attacks on schools, leading to the death, abduction, and trauma of thousands of students and teachers. These violations threaten not only individual lives but the future of entire communities.

LEARN MORE HERE

International Day of Peace

September 21st, 2026

2026 Theme: Invest in Peace-For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day

Today, amidst staggering volatility, the search for peace feels overwhelming—but it has never been more urgent.

Peace is more than the absence of war; it is the foundation necessary to collectively tackle humanity’s challenges. It is the lived experience of safety, dignity, opportunities and cooperation in our daily lives.

LEARN MORE HERE

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons 

September 26th, 2026

The UN’s message on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons underscores the gap between the goal of nuclear disarmament and the reality of today’s nuclear-armed world. While the global stockpile has declined since the Cold War, around 12,241 nuclear weapons remain, nuclear-armed states continue to invest in modernizing their arsenals, and more than half of the world’s population lives under the protection of nuclear weapons or within nuclear alliances. At the same time, no nuclear weapon has been physically destroyed under a disarmament treaty, and no nuclear disarmament negotiations are currently underway.

This is precisely the context in which the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) matters. The TPNW represents a fundamentally different approach: rather than accepting nuclear weapons as permanent instruments of security, it establishes a comprehensive prohibition on developing, possessing, using, threatening to use, or assisting with nuclear weapons, while providing a framework for their eventual elimination. The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons therefore serves not only as a reminder of the continuing danger posed by these weapons, but also as an opportunity to highlight the TPNW as a concrete pathway toward the goal of their total elimination.

LEARN MORE HERE
Tributes to Peace Women

Legacy Donations

Your legacy gift helps ensure that VOW’s critical work continues for years to come. Whether it’s advancing our disarmament education program, advocating for peace, or working to end nuclear threats, your gift will directly support the next generation of peacebuilders!

LEARN MORE & PLAN YOUR LEGACY HERE
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
 
Mission Impossible? Quantifying Military Emissions

Bulletin of Atomic Scientists

By Neta C. Crawford

"How much does war, and the preparation and recovery from it, contribute to the climate crisis? Nobody knows, because there is no comprehensive accounting of global warming emissions from militaries, military industries, or war. While some military emissions are reported, those are the tip of the iceberg. The failure to quantify the emissions from this sector inhibits the ability to reduce them and keeps them largely sacrosanct."

LEARN HERE
Knowledge Hub

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

Watch, Read, Listen

Click the button below to visit WILPF's curated Knowledge Hub where you can find all things related to our work towards feminist peace. You will be able to find advocacy documents, publications, thought pieces, videos and listen to our podcasts. There is something for everyone.

LEARN HERE
Canadian Foreign Policy Hour with Yves Engler

Join author Yves Engler on Mondays for a weekly news roundup and interactive discussion about Canada’s role abroad. This weekly session will delve into the latest developments on subjects ranging from military affairs and Canada’s role in Ukraine to its contribution to Palestinian dispossession and exploitation of African resources. Join Yves for a critical take on Canada’s foreign policy. Questions, comments and criticisms are all welcome.

Mondays 6PM EST

ATTEND HERE
Canadian Peace Museum

The Canadian Peace Museum is dedicated to inspiring a culture of peace, equity, and sustainability. Through art, education, and activism, the museum highlights stories and initiatives that promote environmental stewardship, social justice, and community harmony. By collaborating with organizations and supporting efforts to alleviate poverty, the museum serves as a space for reflection, learning, and action toward a more peaceful and equitable world.

Click below to visit the Canadian Peace Museum's website, and click here to read a recent publication about the museum!

LEARN MORE HERE
Peace Quest Weekly Newsletter

More than just a must-read Saturday morning newsletter; it's a catalyst for action. Participate in community discussions and take meaningful steps towards peace. PeaceQuest provides a platform for you to make a difference. Join us!

SUBSCRIBE TO PEACEQUEST HERE

Please let us know if you know a VOW member who has passed away, as we wish to recognize their contributions to VOW and to building peace in our world. Please contact us at info@vowpeace.org

 Renew your membership and donate to VOW to keep up our good work!
Renew Your Membership & Donate!

Be sure to renew your membership and donate to support our important work building a culture of peace in Canada and so that we can continue to hire youth throughout the year. Make a donation today!

 

Our mailing address:
60 Lowther Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1C7
info@vowpeace.org

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