About.

Our Values

It is our belief that all people of this world deserve to live in peace, free from oppression and guided by self-determination and respect. Further, we believe that all conflict, whether among individuals, groups or nations should be resolved by non-violent means.

Our Vision

We envision a world where all people have reached an understanding and level of skill that enables them to resolve conflict by non-violent means. All families, ethnic, racial and faith groups, and governmental and non-governmental entities are supported by a full array of peace-centered mediation options which are available to resolve differences non-violently.

Our Mission

The Greater Bennington Peace and Justice Center is committed to working cooperatively with its members and other partners to advance peacemaking both locally and globally, build understanding and solidarity among people and support peacebuilding economies. Peacemaking is to bridge the gaps that divide people, gain understanding through education, encourage non-violent forms of problem solving and promote justice and peace. Solidarity is supporting people's efforts around the world to achieve their basic human needs, human rights, justice and a peaceful society. Peacebuilding economies are those that support conversion from war-making production and international trading in nuclear, chemical and traditional weaponry into peaceful, healthy, socially-useful and environmentally protective forms of economic producivity.

History

1983 Greater Bennington Peace and Justice Center founded
1983Actions related to Nuclear Freeze Movement
1983/4 "Bridges For Peace" Soviet citizens visit and hold forum in Bennington
1988 First delegation to Somotillo, Nicaragua in response to Cold War
1991 March on Washington & Peace vigils held at Four Corners in Bennington in response to Gulf War
1992 Cree/Inuit/Innu Native People tour Vermont (in reponse to Hydro-Quebec power plant)
1996 Puppet Workshop on conflict resolution
Public lecture on the International Women's Conference in Beijing
2001 Greater Bennington Peace and Justice Center web site initiated in response to events of September 11
2001 Over 400 donated blankets from the community sent to Afghan refugees in collaboration with the AFSC
2001-2004 Ongoing Saturday peace vigils at Four Corners in Bennington
2002 Vermont Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Project led to the passing of anti-nuclear resolutions in three out of six towns in Bennington County
2002 vermontpeacetrain Action Committee formed
2002-2004 Community participation in anti-war demonstrations in Washington, DC and NYC
2003 Bread & Puppet Theater performance and community fundraising event at Bennington College
2003 Anti-War Demonstration against the war on Iraq in downtown Bennington led to the arrest of 12 community members who participated together in non-violent civil disobedience
2003 Community Peace Flag outreach project initiated
2005 Bread & Puppet Theater performance and community fundraising event at Bennington College
2001-2007 Regular community participation in anti-war demonstrations in Washington, DC and NYC
2007 Participated in Citizens Awareness Walk against nuclear power

Commitment

The Greater Bennington Peace and Justice Center is committed to working cooperatively with its members and other partners to advance peacemaking both locally and globally, build understanding and solidarity among people and support peacebuilding economies.

Peacemaking is to bridge the gaps that divide people, gain understanding through education, encourage non-violent forms of problem solving and promote justice and peace.

Solidarity is supporting people's efforts around the world to achieve their basic human needs, human rights, justice and a peaceful society.

Peacebuilding economies are those that support conversion from war-making production and international trading in nuclear, chemical and traditional weaponry into peaceful, healthy, socially-useful and environmentally protective forms of economic producivity.

We envision a world where all people have reached an understanding and level of skill that enables them to resolve conflict by non-violent means. All families, ethnic, racial and faith groups, and governmental and non-governmental entities are supported by a full array of peace-centered mediation options which are available to resolve differences non-violently.

Bennington's Sister City Project
Somotillo, Nicaragua

The Somotillo-Bennington County Sister City project is a not-for-profit, grassroots partnership to promote social and economic justice through alternative models of sustainable community development and activism.

History:

1988 First delegation from Bennington visits Somotillo in response to US sponsored Contra War

1990 PRC joins with 5 other sister city projects to form Sister City Consortium, which then hires a coordinator to work in Nicaragua

1991 Formation of PRC's partner in Somotillo, the Comision Social (Social Commission), which includes volunteers from various socio-political groups within the town with a view to strengthen reconciliation following the Contra War

1992 Recognition of Sister City by Town of Bennington

2001 PRC leaves the Consortium and establishes a direct link with Somotillo's Social Commission through e-mail. First Social Commission delegation visits Bennington

2004 First High School delegation from Bennington visits Somotillo

2007 The Second delegation from the high school Interact Club visits Somotillo.

Projects (1986-Current)

  • Delegations to strengthen solidarity, to learn, work, teach
  • Scholarships enabling destitute students to attend public school
  • Scholarships to study computer technology
  • Material aid shipments to help the people of Somotillo by sharing needed school and office supplies, medical supplies and equipment, sports equipment, and clothing.
  • Community development projects to construct water pipe systems, dig and repair wells, build a children's nutrition center, school classrooms and a high risk pregnancy center (Sala Materna), gardening, reforestation, fruit tree and chicken project.
  • Revolving Loan Funds for pharmacy project and teachers & healthworkers' bicycle project, tricycle taxi project
  • Emergency aid following Hurricane Mitch
  • Pen Pals correspondence between area schools & Somotillo
  • The Rural Eyeglasses Project, an outgrowth of the Somotillo/Bennington Sister City Project
  • Installation of wells and latrines
  • Completion of neighborhood basketball court

All projects are funded by tax-deductible donations from individuals, churches, school groups, businesses and Rotary Clubs. Please send donations directly to The Greater Bennington Peace and Justice Center.

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