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Announcing     2008 Peace and Global Citizenship Fair May 10, 2008 (the day before Mother’s Day) Noon until 8:00 p.m. Grounds of BCTC, 470 Cooper Drive, Lexington, KY   This campus is directly north of Commonwealth Stadium. Bus routes #3, 33, 34, and 35 come by the campus or close to it.    Purpose: To educate about cultures around the world and to energize/inform about sustainable living, in an atmosphere of fun and joy.   This year’s theme: Human Rights (in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).     The Bluegrass of Kentucky shares common challenges with communities around the United States, and the world. Many struggle with less than living wages, intolerance of the “other” is common, access to health care is problematic for many, traffic congestion and pollution are ubiquitous, sprawl is eating into our farmland, the Kentucky River is polluted with biological and other wastes, and so on. On the other hand, Lexington was recently rated as the 25th “greenest” city in the U.S. The City/County Council unanimously approved a resolution on global climate change, we have a new “yellow bike” program, we have nice parks in all parts of town, community gardens are springing up, a 2040 visioning process is underway, and many other initiatives are at various stages of implementation. Throughout the Bluegrass, momentum seems to be building for our communities to stop, consider, and create a future built on living in an ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable manner.   As one step in moving our communities toward a future that we choose, a future based upon community, sustainability, justice, and tolerance, the PJC is for the third year organizing the Peace and Global Citizenship Fair. Started in 2006, the annual fair aims to help teach members of the community – young and old alike – about living in an ecologically and socially sustainable manner. A second goal of the fair is to increase our collective knowledge and understanding of cultures around the world. This year the theme will be human rights, as 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The idea is to create an atmosphere of joy and fun, in which to learn and experience. The venue is a surprisingly pretty place – the grounds of Bluegrass Community and Technical College.   A snapshot of the 2008 fair: ·         This year’s poster will incorporate one of the lovely community paintings facilitated by CitizensCreate! ·         Music will be provided by the Big Maracas, Water, the Lexington Children’s Drum Choir, Lost Dog, Jen Rose and the Kentucky Bootleggers, Wes Houp and High Bridge, What Happened When, and Pangaea Drums. ·         Food to be provided by Terrapin Hill Farm and Slow Food Bluegrass. ·         Colorful Children for Peace banners will decorate the grounds. ·         Activities in the areas of alternative transportation, food and gardening, environment and the Bluegrass bioregion, peace, spirituality, global cultures, health and well-being, youth, Mother’s Day, social justice, and art are planned. ·         Organized by BCTC’s Peace and Justice Coalition. Co-sponsors are Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Kentucky Commission for Human Rights, Open Ground, Sierra Club, Sustainable Communities Network, and Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice. ·         New this year is an area for storytelling and dance. Expect to see jugglers, Falun Gong practitioners, Tai Qi demonstrations, and even a miniature golf course constructed of recycled materials. ·         Surprises, of course!   You are invited to participate…   We would like for you/your group to have a booth at the fair. There is no charge for participation. The booths may be set up between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m. and taken down at 8:00 p.m.     We want people to come to the fair and find it so energizing, informative, and fun that they stay most (if not all) day. To engage people in such a way, we would like for all of the participants to plan one (or more) activity for the day. The activity doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just informative and enjoyable. Activities run the gamut from quizzing on eco-knowledge, working with medicinal plants, designing productive urban gardens, creating collages about peace, leading tree ID tours, training small groups about how to get involved in promoting social justice issues in Kentucky, … to teaching people how to knit or mix non-toxic cleaners to … selling farm products, native plants, or fair trade items, and lots in between. For those who plan to sell something at the fair, we ask that it be some combination of local, organic/ecologically sound, handmade in a sustainable manner, fairly traded, and educational and that a portion of the proceeds be earmarked for local farmers or for a community non-profit that does good works. It would be nice to post the name of the beneficiary at your booth. Due to severe budget constraints, we ask that you bring your own pop-up canopy and chairs, if at all possible. If you cannot, we can provide a covering, one table, and two chairs per group.  For more information: Call Rebecca Glasscock at 859.246.6319 or email rebecca.glasscock@kctcs.edu. Our webpage: www.peace2day.org.     Announcing the 2008 Peace Art Contest   For the third year, Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s (BCTC) Peace and Justice Coalition is hosting the Children for Peace contest. All K-8 classrooms and groups (scout, church, and activity) are eligible to participate.   There will be four $50 prizes, awarded to the classrooms or groups from which the winning entries come. This year’s theme is Human Rights (read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/lang/eng.htm).   We are inviting students to design and create banners (approximately 24” X 30”) on the theme of human rights. The banners should be of cloth (the good edges of an old sheet is fine). Acrylic paints, permanent markers, cloth, beads, or other materials can be used in the creation of the banners.   Banners should be mailed or delivered to: BCTC, attn: Rebecca Glasscock, 221 Moloney Building, 470 Cooper Drive, Lexington, KY 40506 by 4:00 p.m. on April 22, 2008. Please be sure to include information to identify the classroom or group, including the teacher/group leader and school or group name, address, and telephone number.   Winners will be announced and the banners flown on May 10 (noon until 8 pm) at the 2008 Peace and Global Citizenship Fair, BCTC Cooper Campus Grounds, Lexington. If your school or group is interested in having an activity at this event (which is focused on ecological and social sustainability, global understanding and human rights), just let us know.   Please call or email Rebecca Glasscock (859.246.6319; rebecca.glasscock@kctcs.edu) for more information. Thank you!     ______Yes, I/we plan to participate in the 2008 Peace and Global Citizenship Fair Contact Person:____________________________________________________ Name of Group: ___________________________________________________ Mailing address: ___________________________________________________ Preferred mode of contact (email or phone): ________________________   Category under which your activity/group fits: __alternative transportation   __art   ___environment   ___food/gardens __global cultures   __health/well-being   ___peace   ___social justice ___spirituality   ___youth & Mother’s Day   ___Other:__________________   I can bring: __pop-up canopy (or tent)   __chairs   __table   I need: __cover   __2 chairs   __1 table There will be no electricity, except for the sound system.   _____ No, I/we will be unable to participate this year.       text