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Together We Can Stop the Violence See Also: Sexual Harassment

Press Release

Key West NOW Held Vigil for Peace Talks * (REPORT BELOW )

Key West, Fl. - A candlelight vigil to call for success at the Little White House peace talks involving Armenia and Azerbajan was sponsored by the Key West Chapter of the National Organization for Women on Tuesday, April 3 at 7 p.m. NOW invited all who wanted to show their support for a successful outcome of the talks and an end to the violent conflict in these Eastern European lands to join them outside the Presidents' Gate, Whitehead at Caroline streets.

Key West NOW commends the peace negotiators for sitting down to talk and urges them to end the conflict and take steps to end the violence against women in their countries. Violence against women is a byproduct of war that is unacceptable, and these talks are a step in the right direction of justice for women around the world.

Recent news reports have described the terror that women in neighboring Chechnya have been subjected to -- including rape and murder in the conflict going on there. An end to these conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East would be a step towards a badly needed improvement in the lives of women in all of these places.

Local clergy and lay leaders of all faiths were invited to participate in the vigil. They were asked to offer a brief prayer for peace and for an end to violence against women throughout the world. All supporters were asked to wear white and to bring a tall, white candle.

Theresa Foley, initiator of the action, said, "When we NOW members heard that the peace talks were to take place here in Key West, we felt this was a wonderful opportunity to make a positive contribution to the peace effort. It's also an opportunity to point out that women and children suffer during war and to take a public stand against violence against women. We hope that our community, with its beauty and peaceful surroundings, will provide a backdrop that is conducive to securing peace in places that are far more troubled than the United States."

Many who supported peace and opposed violence attended. For more information, contact Connie Gilbert, Convener at (305) 295-9466. E-Mail: Connie Gilbert

* REPORT :

The chapter's candlelight vigil for the success of the Peace Talks between Albania and Azerbaijan held in Key West April 3-6 was a "beeping" success on the evening of the opening day: Joy Fiore made a banner that said "Honk for Global Peace" and dozens of people in passing vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, vans, scooters, pedicabs!) responded with horns, peace signs and waves. The sub-theme was an end to violence against women.

From 7 until 8:30 p.m. about 30 people demonstrated, with about two dozen present from start to finish (we forgot Daylight Savings Time when we decided to start at 7, but the candlelight looked great from 8 till 8:30). Not bad since we still have only about 31 members in the chapter!

We didn't give away all the press kits we prepared with a press release (thanks to action initiator Theresa Foley) a fact sheet (thanks to UN writer Elisa Levy, who also put together the press kits) about the conflict and National NOW and chapter brochures, but we're still hopeful of some local press; the Miami Herald, the daily Key West Citizen and a couple of local weekly papers gave the action excellent advance press.

Thanks to Vicki Weeks, president of the local UU Fellowship, who did a wonderful Julia Ward Howe reading about how women are a positive influence to end violence and war. No other religious representatives participated, but there was representation of the local WILPF and the Green Party, the G/L/B/T center's Lesbians in Paradise, Sugarloaf Women's Village and the local Democrats.

All who attended were invited to come to the next KWNOW meeting, Friday April 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the Hukilau, and residents (several snowbirds participated) who were not yet members were given chapter brochures containing membership applications. Then a big table of us retired to Kelly's Caribbean Bar and Grill across the street.

All in all, a wonderful time was had by all. (Thank you all!)

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