30th Annual Rochester Memorial Day Peace Parade
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30th Annual Rochester Memorial Day Peace Parade
On May 26, 2014 the 30th Annual Rochester Memorial Day Peace Parade will follow the Memorial Day Parade. We will gather at Arnold Park and East Avenue beginning at 10am and walk 100 yards behind the Memorial Day Parade.
The Peace Parade will begin as a solemn procession lead by symbols of the devastation caused by war and end with a celebration of the fruits of peace and justice as women and girls dance to “Break the Chain”, the theme of One Billion Rising. In between will be representatives of local organizations large and small that support global peace, social justice, environmental preservation and networking for a more loving and humane society that puts the wellbeing of people before corporate and nationalist agendas.
Thirty years ago, Rochester Women’s Action for Peace came together to build the first Memorial Day Peace Parade, and despite formidable obstacles at the time, they succeeded. Their initiative was actually covered in the New York Times.
Organizer Wilma Campbell says “It is time to become visible again!”
The Peace Parade does not seek to denigrate the sacrifices of our military and their families. Rather, it seeks to remind us of the suffering caused by war and the indivisibility of peace, justice and freedom. We will make a statement on Memorial Day that we remember all the victims of war and so we want to shift our resources to create a future that delivers peace and justice for all.
The 2014 Peace parade is sponsored by: MetroJustice of Rochester along with Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace, the Flying Squirrel Community Space, the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, Rochester Against War and Rochester Friends Meeting.
More information and photos of the 1984 Peace Parade can be seen on our Facebook page.
