Iowa Peace Building

Occupy Des Moines members Frank Cordaro, Ed Fallon and Megan Felt will facilitate a participatory nonviolent civil disobedience training in preparation for occupying the campaign offices of presidential candidates in December. This is just an introduction. Highly recommended to beginners and people interested in finding out more about what nonviolence civil disobedience is all about. All are welcome. Time: 11:30am - 1:30pm

Join Occupy Des Moines for a fun and informative nonviolent civil disobedience training. Strength in unity, hope in resistance, power in numbers.

The Story of a World-wide Grassroots Movement for Localization

A film on how government and big business continue to push for ‘growth’ in the form of  increased global trade which results in climate chaos, senseless war, fundamentalism, financial volatility, income inequality, and the consolidation  of corporate power.  People around the world are  resisting , demanding regulation of  both trade and finance and re-building more human-scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm-an economics of localization.

Geral Blanchard

Geral Blanchard, left, visits with friends in Africa as they teach him about peacemaking and healing.

Through words and photos, Geral Blanchard will examine interpersonal violence in indigenous societies, noting how resolution often entails making conflict resolution processes into sacred ceremonies. He will draw examples from the Hollow Water Ojibwa First Nation of Canada, the Q'ero of Peru, and various African tribes. Moving from the micro to the macro, Geral will stimulate discussion on how sacred indigenous traditions can be brought to the world stage to address international conflicts.

Mollie Michelfelder

Mollie Michelfelder, MSW, works with trauma survivors at Friends House in Des Moines.

Please join us for the first of two public forums on the real costs of war.

Psychological Cost of War: “No One Comes Through Unscathed” --Edward Tick; Psychotherapist/Veterans counselor

Film clip: Wartorn 1861-2010: exploring combat and PTSD

Discussion with Mollie Michelfelder, LISW specializing with PTSD clients, including returning soldiers.

Refreshments and community time to follow.