Walking Together for Peace Initiative Update!

Check out what's happening this month with VOW!

Unsubscribe

View in your browser

VOW Updates

WALKING TOGETHER FOR PEACE Initiative -
PUGWASH TO HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA

The Walking Together for Peace initiative has launched! On Saturday, September 8th, walkers visited the Thinkers Lodge National Historic Site. This site held the first Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs, bringing together top-level scientists to discuss the threat of nuclear weapons and establishing the influential Pugwash movement for nuclear disarmament. Speeches were given by Dr. Reva Joshee, Rajagopal PV, Guests and Dignitaries.

On Monday, September 9th, walkers began their first steps on the 200km peace journey, while others facilitated a workshop at Pugwash High School--Canada's first school to declare themselves a nuclear weapons free zone. This meaningful engagement with the school allowed walkers to share the important messages of the walk: urging Canada to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, advocating for a nonviolent economy, and fostering a culture of peace. Students learned about this global initiative to end war and violence.

In the image below, Jane Watson and Joy Masuhara can be seen signing the Pugwash High School's declaration:

"The threat of nuclear weapons harming all life on Earth is simply too great to ignore and due to this, the students, faculty, and school community of Pugwash District High School hereby declare our school as a nuclear-weapon-free zone."

In 1995 Pugwash Canada and Joseph Rotblat were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Nearly 30 years later we are walking for peace from Pugwash to Halifax to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. In 2017 Setsuko Thurlow accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, together with ICAN, for their work to bring to life the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 93 countries have signed the treaty, and 70 have ratified, but Canada is not among those countries.

We call for the Canadian government to sign the TPNW.

Can you gather petitions to call on the Canadian gov't to sign the TPNW? Download our petition here and send completed petitions to Lyn Adamson 671A Vaughan Rd. Toronto M6E 2Y4 by mid- October. Our hand-signed petitions (by Canadian residents) will be read in the Canadian parliament.

This peace walk aims to re-awaken courage and inspiration for nonviolent conflict resolution, advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote reallocation of defence spending towards urgent social priorities and engage in conversations about disarmament and divestment from the weapons industry.

Download the Petition Here

The walk is hosted by Nova Scotia Voice of Women for Peace, and supported by partner groups including Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Science for Peace, Jai Jagat, Pugwash Canada, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada, PeaceQuest, the International Gandhian Institute for Nonviolence and Peace Canada, Reverse the Trend and the International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons (ICANW).

ICANW.org is holding an international week of action for nuclear disarmament Sept 16 to 22. (https://www.icanw.org/week_of_action).

International Day of Peace Event

September 21st: International Day of Peace, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Walking from World Peace Pavilion to Dalhousie University via Ummah Mosque. From 1:00 - 5:00 pm. Featuring discussions, motivational speeches, music and lunch, embodying the spirit of peace and unity | Hybrid Event Registration (Sept 21)

Notable Participants and Speakers:

- Dorene Bernard: Mi'kmaq grandmother, water protector, and cultural teacher

- Rajagopal PV and Dr. Jill Carr Harris: Gandhian social movement leaders

- Dr. Reva Joshee: Mahatma Gandhi Foundation for World Peace

- Ellen Woodsworth: Co Pres. Women's International League for Peace & Freedom Cnd

- Lyn Adamson, National co-Chair, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace

Register for the Event Here

Mainstreet NS with Jeff Douglas:
Walking Together for Peace Interview

VOW's co-chair, Lyn Adamson, was interviewed by Jeff Douglas about the Walking Together for Peace initiative. Click the button below to listen to this great interview about the group of peace activists walking from Pugwash to Halifax in support of nuclear disarmament. We are so grateful for our Nova Scotia Chapter, NSVOW, for hosting the walk.

Listen to the Interview Here

CBC News:
Nova Scotia peace walk draws people from around the world

Walking Together For Peace, a 200-kilometre walk across Nova Scotia, began in Pugwash and will end in Halifax on Sept. 21 for the International Day of Peace. CBC visited the walkers as they passed through Tatamagouche.

Watch the Interview Here

Host a Solidarity Peace Walk!

We invite you to support the cause by joining us on the walk or donating to support those on the walk—or by hosting your own solidarity peace walk in your community! Peace walks will be happening around the world throughout September, so be part of this important journey toward a peaceful future.

Please contact Together@Walk4Peace.ca if you are planning a peace walk!

Please join in with the walk in solidarity on September 21st! Send your photos, and let us know where you are located!

Scroll down to read about the Solidarity Walk held in Kitchener-Waterloo last weekend!

Contribute to the Campaign!

Thank you to our donors that have helped us get halfway to our goal of $3000 to match a $3000 donation by a VOW member.

Please help us reach our target. Our donor has extended her matching offer till Sept 21. That is the closing day of our Walk for Peace in Nova Scotia. Even small donations will help us raise the $1500 we need to raise!

Please send your donation by e-transfer to accounting@vowpeace.org

Or donate by credit card at this link: https://tinyurl.com/pb6rndsf

Donations by cheque can be sent to:

Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, 60 Lowther Ave Toronto M5R 1C7

Add a note re purpose of the donation.

Your contribution will be gratefully received!

Follow & Amplify the #Walk4Peace Social

Media accounts:

Follow us on social media:

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/walk4peace.ca
Facebook:

https://facebook.com/walk4peace.ca
X (Twitter):

https://x.com/walk4peace_ca

#Walk4Peace

Follow for news!

When sharing anything

online about the campaign,

kindly use the unified hashtag: #Walk4Peace

KW Solidarity Walk
for Peace & Disarmament

On Saturday, September 7th, individuals gathered in Waterloo Town Square in solidarity with the "Walking Together for Peace" initiative in Nova Scotia. Photos were taken together and speeches were held to share the messages of the walk:

✊ Canada: Sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – Show leadership for disarmament.

✊ Stop the Genocide in Gaza – Implement a two-way arms embargo against Israel, ceasefire now, stop sending weapons, and Free Palestine,.

✊ End the War in Ukraine – Stop sending weapons and support peaceful negotiations.

✊ No to the COLT Expansion in Kitchener – Build peace not guns.

We invited everyone to walk with us in the spirit of peace and solidarity! Organized by the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace and the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom Canada. Learn more about the initiative "Walking Together for Peace": https://vowpeace.org/walkingtogether4peace/

For more information about "Walking Together for Peace" and upcoming events, visit:

https://walk4peace.ca/

If you are interested in setting up your own peace walk in September in solidarity, please reach out to walkingtogether@vowpeace.org

GlobeEyeNews (@Globe Eye News) posted: BREAKING

Canada suspends 30 permits for arms sales to Israel and also cancels a contract with the US government to send ammunition manufactured in Canada to the Israeli army. View GlobeEyeNews post here.

Congratulations are due to all the World BEYOND War folks organizing so many actions at arms manufacturers, and to all of us for continuing to send letters to the government calling them to act on the genocide in Gaza.

Support the VOW Tru Earth Fundraiser!

Support VOW by shopping for your everyday eco-friendly essentials with Tru Earth!

Tru Earth products are manufactured in Canada and have plastic-free packaging. When you order through our fundraising page, 20% of the total sales value will go to VOW.

Every year 700,000,000 laundry jugs are unable to be recycled and end up in landfills. To date Tru Earth and our community of Change Makers have helped reduced this by 2 million with our revolutionary laundry strip technology.

You can feel good knowing you are supporting VOW and purchasing products that reduce environmental impacts.

Check out our fundraising link! And share it with others!

SHOP HERE!

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

Remove yourself from all our bulk mailings