CODEPINK co-founders on peace diplomacy mission to Iran: |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT CODEPINK co-founders on peace diplomacy mission to Iran: Meet with Iranian officials and community groups; urge Obama to meet with U.S. peace movement NEW YORK CITY -- Echoing the nation's incredible feelings of hope and change following the presidential election of Barack Obama, two co-founders of CODEPINK Women for Peace and a retired U.S. Army Colonel are in Iran for a week-long citizen diplomacy trip to foster peaceful ties between the two countries. Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin and Col. Ann Wright will meet with Iranian officials, women's groups, NGOs and peace activists under CODEPINK's "Let's talk!" initiative within its new "War is SO over" campaign inspired by Obama's historic election (listen to Evans describe the initiative and the trip on Air America radio here). "We know that to achieve peace, it takes an engagement of the people of the country," Evans said. "They counteract and humanize the war mongering done by those in power." "The Iranians we are meeting are so anxious to see a new relationship under Obama's presidency," Benjamin said. "Still carrying the scars of an 8-year war with Iraq and the daily hardships of sanctions, they, too, are ready for hope and change." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad invited the women to Iran last October, when they and 150 other leaders in the American peace movement met with him in New York City during his trip to the United Nations (read The Nation's story about the meeting here). Benjamin and Evans asked Ahmadinejad why Iran had been denying their and other peace activists visas to visit the country, denying their vision for promoting peace through citizen diplomacy. The president told them their visas would be granted and he hoped the United States would be reciprocal in granting visas to Iranians. In its weekly alert, CODEPINK asked its 200,000 members to request that President-Elect Obama meet with the leaders of the U.S. Peace movement, another element of its "Let's talk!" initiative. CODEPINK kicked off its "War is SO over" campaign Nov. 12 with a party in Times Square celebrating the end of the Iraq War as reported in a prank special edition of the New York Times distributed in several major cities, produced with help from CODEPINK. A major viral story worldwide, the paper has continued to give people throughout the nation a jolt of optimism about living in a nation at peace with its neighbors. And last week, a dozen CODEPINK members in Washington, D.C. formed a peace caravan and delivered doves, apple pies, flowers and cards to the Embassies of Syria, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia -- five countries with which the Bush administration has had antagonistic relations (view this story on the trip in the DC Examiner here). To arrange interviews with Jodie Evans or Medea Benjamin to learn more about this historic trip and CODEPINK's "War is SO over" work, please contact Jean Stevens at 646-723-1781 or email at jean@codepinkalert.org. ****************************** CODEPINK, founded in 2002, is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into health care, education and other life-affirming activities. We reject the Bush administration's fear-based politics that justify violence, and instead call for policies based on compassion, kindness and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence. For more info, visit www.codepinkalert.org. |
