Sarasota Florida

The team in Sarasota has been has been working with the national Peace Alliance for many years to promote HR 808, the national Department of Peace initiative.We have sent out postcards, been involved with parades for peace (locally), and have aproached our local county commission and local city commission (Sarasota County, Florida, and City of Sarasota, Florida). The county commission has agreed to support resolutions in favor of HR 808 and the City of Sarasota commissioners passed a resolution to support HR 808 on June 1, 2009. Both commissions include statements about the city and county being proclaimed communities of peace and non-violence.

Our school board, local high schools, and other public entities (Sarasota Police and Sarasota Sheriff's office) are also working on increasing curriculum on peace and conflict resolution. In addition they are helping us sponsor Unity days and Challenge days, activities to reduce racism in our schools and in our community. We also had a public forum on racism, diversity, and non-violence on June 25, 2009, at city hall attended by approximately 225 people in a mixed racial crowd. Our mayor is now planning another public forum in September, 2009, after he has met with the Sarasota County School Board and the Sarasota County commissioners. Our group is also working with local churches and synagogues to encourage them to hold small group meetings on these issues since many of them attended the June 25th forum.

Events planned for August include a peace picnic for the community on August 16th. David Woods is also speaking with many groups about starting a peace park for children modeled after the one in Hiroshima, Japan. He is having some interesting meetings and is making headway in garnering support for the peace park project.

A team emmissary who was travelling in Costa Rica recently met with Pedro Leon, one of the members of President Oscar Arias' cabinet, to invite Mr. Arrias to come to Sarasota on a speaking engagement. Pedro Leon then met with Mr. Arias, who expressed interest in making the visit to Sarasota after he leaves office in May, 2010. Our South West Florida Peace Coaliton intends to invite Oscar Arias to come to Sarasota at that time, and we will post details of the event as soon as definite plans can be made.

For more information about events and team activities in Sarasota, please contact Joyce Raby at ttj2@verizon.net.