PR RELEASE -- Non-Violent Protest of Wall at Israeli Consulate in Chicago, Friday 7-28-04

MEDIA ALERT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2004
Contact: Kryss Chupp, Gene Stoltzfus, 773-277-0253

When: Wed. July 28th, 2004
What: Meeting with Public Affairs Director of Israeli Consulate
Why: To offer prayers for peace and present locks of shaven hair from the nonviolent witness of Friday, 23rd.

Summary of nonviolent witness on Friday July 23rd: To dramatize theeffects of the Israeli Wall, ten peacemakers shaved their heads tosymbolize the destructiveness that Palestinians refer to as "shaving theland." Participants attempted to deliver the shaved hair to the IsraeliConsulate as an act of solidarity with Israeli and Palestinianpeacemakers, but were denied. The head-shaving took place in front of asymbolic wall that transformed into a bridge to affirm that "In reality,the Holy Land doesn’t need walls, but bridges" (Pope John Paul II).

Wed. July 28th: Seven members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams will meetwith the Director of Public Affairs for the Israeli Consulate. The teamhas prepared prayers for peace and will present the director with locks ofhair from the head shaving. This meeting will focus on the spiritualhealth of all the people in the region as it is the sense of CPT thatactions of the Israeli government, (especially the wall) are creating theseeds of violence growing in all the areas of occupied Palestine.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is a faith-based organization thatsupports violence reduction efforts around the world. CPT has roots in theMennonite Church, the Church of the Brethren, and the Religious Society ofFriends, and includes members from Protestant and Catholic traditions.

Christian Peacemaker Teams
P.O. Box 6508
Chicago, IL 60680
Tel. 773-277-0253
Fax 773-277-0291
email: peacemakers@cpt.org

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