Visit our Vigils Calendar to see if a vigil is planned near you
Q. Why should we hold another vigil, and what is special about September 21?
On this night, we will light our candles and stand beside each other—and with thousands of people across the country—symbolically lighting the darkness. By so doing, we make visible our intention to build a presence for peace in our communities, our country, and our world.
These candlelight vigils will observe the deadline set by the Declaration of Peace for the U.S. government to establish a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. As part of this national campaign, thousands of people have pledged to engage in nonviolent action—including nonviolent civil disobedience—to bring an end to the war and occupation. The vigils will kick off a week of actions in Washington, D.C., and in communities all over the country.
September 21 is also International World Peace Day, a poignant pause to remember our hopes and dreams. No matter what the failures and conflicts of people and governments, we must keep the attainable dream of peace in front of us, like a candle lighting our path.
Q. What do I need to schedule a vigil in my neighborhood?
Here’s a quick list of the things you should do as a local organizer:
1. Select a time and location.
2. Publicize your event to local media, groups, and bloggers.
3. Bring extra resources, such as petitions, signs, or candles.
4. Help ensure the event remains respectful and safe.
5. Report back to the Declaration of Peace to let us know how it went.
Q. Why are local vigils important to get the message across?
Local vigils and attention by local media will spread the message of antiwar sentiment across the country. Today public opinion vastly favors an end to the U.S. occupation in Iraq, and our job is to convert that untapped tidal wave to visibility and pressure. Local media cover things in their own communities, rather than big actions in far-off population centers. Plus, vigils and local events provide a way for people to register their protest in their communities against the war and occupation of Iraq.
Q. How should I select an appropriate time and location?
Select a location where the event will be noticeable but will not create a disturbance. Most towns have an obvious place to hold an event: in front of the town hall or the public library, the town center, a major intersection, or a central and visible park. A location near a federal office building or near a Congressional district office may be especially appropriate for this event. If there is no obvious location for an event, then you may have to get creative.
In some rural and suburban areas of the United States, a local mall or a big store is often the most desirable place to reach a lot of people. However, public gatherings are usually not permitted at those privately owned places. If you want to hold your event on privately owned property, make sure to call the management in advance and get permission.
Q. Do I need to get a permit?
Depending on the location, you may need some kind of permit from local authorities. Call your local police department or town hall to find out. Permits may take a while to secure. If the location you want will require a permit, start working now. However, if one person without authority tells you that you can’t hold an event where you want to, do not easily take “No” for an answer. Talk to someone higher up and find out what the law really is. However, please DO respect local laws and regulations. If the location you’ve picked is not OK, you can change the location to one that is OK.
Q. What signs/flyers are available?
Use what’s appropriate for your community, or make something on your own. We will post sample flyers on our site for you to use as a template.
Q. Can I have a vigil on a different date than September 21? This event will be most powerful if it takes place on the same day all over the country, but if this proves to be impossible in your community, be creative.
Q. How can we publicize our event?
Make sure to register your vigil on the Declaration of Peace Events Calendar so people in your area can find it, and so you as an organizer will be able to email any information to those who attend.
A flyer and press release will be available in the resources section of the Declaration of Peace website. You can adapt them for your event. Please reach out to local media and local bloggers that you may know or run across.
Finally, personally inviting your friends and neighbors to your event and asking them to do the same is the best way to guarantee a healthy turnout.
Q. How do I find media contacts online?
You can use the web to search for local media. A good media directory is available at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/. For your local newspaper, contact the local or metro desk editor. He or she is usually the person who would assign journalists to cover your event. Check out our Media Resource Kit.
For a local TV station that covers local news, contact the assignment editor.
Visit the Associated Press to find the nearest bureau.
Call the general number for your area and to get into their “daybook” or list of events in the area. Ask to see if they can send a journalist and photographer to cover your event.
Check in with local Indie media and send them information, photos, and video clips. To find them, do a search on the internet or just ask around.
Q. How do I report our vigil to the Declaration of Peace?
Designate a person from your group to immediately send a report and photos about your event to the Contact link on the Declaration of Peace website. It is important to do this right away, so we will have this information to share with the press. We will be eagerly waiting to hear from you—preferably that night, if possible.
Q. Tell me again why this night is a crucial time to come together in vigils.
The world has never needed courageous people to act together more than now. The Declaration of Peace is a nationwide effort of several hundred peace and community groups to make the U.S. government listen to the majority of Americans who oppose what’s happening in Iraq.
Lighting candles on the night of September 21 will represent our determined, inextinguishable promise to make the world a better place. We will continue to work to stop the war and occupation. We will lift high our collective voices. We will light our candles and light up the night.