Austin organizer to speak at international peacemaking event


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Elce Redmond will present the opening keynote at the Christian Peacemaker Team’s (CPT) Peacemaker Congress XI –  Re-imaging Partnerships for Peace: A 25th Anniversary Celebration on Thursday night at the Evanston Reba Place Church, 533 Custer Ave.

Redmond has spent the past 25 years working with community groups, both locally and internationally, on issues such as the living wage, displacement of public housing residents, the War in Iraq, disability rights, health care, human rights and more.

What has this Chicago community organizer learned from Palestinian and Iraqi peacemakers?

In 2005 and 2006, Redmond was part of a delegation with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) that visited peacemakers in Iraq and Palestine.

Upon his return, Redmond organized the Austin Peaceforce. This multicultural, multiracial group is composed of parents and community volunteers, trained in non-violent strategies and tactics and deployed to conflicts or potentially violent areas of the community.

Today, Peaceforce members are a regular presence in Austin area schools to help reduce violence and develop relationships with students.

“Daily, we are bombarded with images and stories of violent encounters that have taken the lives of many people,” Redmond said. “What are the alternatives to the incessant stream of devastating armed conflicts plaguing many of our communities? How can we bring peaceful change to our neighborhoods?”

For the past 25 years, CPT has partnered with non-violent movements around the world to transform war and occupation into peace and social justice. CPT currently has long term projects in Iraq, Palestine, Colombia and Canada.

The Peacemaker Congress, which will run through noon Sunday will celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary and explore how to bring this model of nonviolent intervention and partnership with local peacemakers into urban neighborhood conflict zones.

This event is open to the public. More information can be found at www.cpt.org. You can also send an e-mail to timn@cpt.org or call 773-376-0550.

Last year, our partners at The Austin Weekly News reported that Redmond spoke at the United Nations Periodic Review about issues such as joblessness and racial profiling. To read that story, click here.

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