[IMC-Editorial] Peace/environment news through Nov 12

[John Grebe]

From:           	Louise Dunlap <changewrite at earthlink.net>
Subject:        	Peace/environment news!

Media advisory:  
CONTACT: Kate Stevens <Nov12 at religiouswitness.org>
                   Jo Comerford <afsc at crocker.com>
                   Louise Dunlap (413) 695-2871 (walk cell phone)

INTERFAITH KYOTO WALK
For Our Earth and Children

From: Leverett, MA--October 31, 2003        
To: United Nations--November 12, 2003.

As erratic weather visits the Northeast, four Buddhist monks with up to
ten others are walking the highways between Western Massachusetts and
New York City to call attention to global warming and our nation’s
failure to support the Kyoto Protocol. Their destination --the
interfaith Service of Repentance and Renewal to be held at the United
Nations on November 12, five years after the original signing of the
Kyoto Protocol.

Each night community groups host the walkers for potlucks and
discussions of the many issues connected to global warming: loss of air
quality and urban asthma, extremes of weather and new diseases, effects
on third-word countries, government cover-up, the role of weapons and
militarism—all with a focus on what an awakened population can do to
stop the madness.

On Thursday November 6, the walkers will be hosted at the New Haven
People’s Center, 57 Howe St, in New Haven, after traversing coastal
routes that will be among the first to be affected by flooding as global
warming proceeds. A community meeting will be held at 7 pm preceded by a
potluck. Contact person in New Haven is Bruce Martin (203) 878-4769. (A
schedule of each day’s walk routes is attached.)  On Friday, Nov. 11th
walkers will stay at Manhattan’s All Souls church, 1157 Lexington Ave
(near 80th), holding an informal meeting with supporters at 7:30.  On
this final night, Rev. Kate Stevens of Religious Witness for the Earth,
organizer of the November 12 gathering at the United Nations, will join
them. (Schedule for the 12th also attached.)

Buddhist monks initiating the walk belong to Nipponzan Myohoji,, an
order of some 150 worldwide, who build peace pagodas and conduct peace
walks, chanting and beating small hand-drums in troubled regions of the
earth.  There are two peace pagodas in the Northeast US. Normally walks
focus on war and disarmament: dozens of monks, for instance, attended
the giant demonstration in 1982, which brought a million people into the
streets of New York over nuclear disarmament. A recent hour-long
documentary on PBS featured a Nipponzan Myohoji walk on the issue of
slavery and the Middle Passage (the final segment of the series This Far
by Faith in June 2003.) While outside their usual purview, the monks
feel that global warming is central to peace and justice in the world.

Websites: www.religiouswitness.org, www.dharmawalk.org,
Info on Nov 12 event: Religious Witness for the Earth,
email:Nov12 at religiouswitness.org
Info during walk: Western Mass AFSC: (413) 584-8975; Walk cell phone:
(413) 695-2871