By Ed Flaherty, Iowa City, Secretary of VFP #161
With wars bellowing in Europe, Asia and Africa, and with violence at home at a frightening level, it is time to remember the joy of ending war and to rededicate ourselves to peace, with justice. Veterans For Peace #161 has for the past 13 years sponsored the only Armistice Day observance in the state of Iowa.
This year’s observance will be held at the Iowa City Ped Mall, Weatherdance Fountain Stage and will begin at 10:45 a.m. with the bugling of Assembly by Ross Porch. Bells will be rung 11 times at 11 o’clock. The observance is being held to commemorate the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.
David Swanson will be the guest speaker. He is co-founder and executive director of World Beyond War. Swanson’s books include War is a Lie. He is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and was awarded the 2018 Peace Prize by the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation. His speech, “The World Needs an Armistice Day,” will be short and memorable.
The observance is free and open to the public. For further information, consult the website vfp161.org.
