On Sunday, January 28th, United for Peace and Justice will have an afternoon training for people joining the Congressional Lobby Day on Monday, Jan. 29th. Click here for details on the Lobby Day and to register to participate.

On that same day, we have made space available for other Organizing Session and Briefings: See list below. Please check back for additions and any changes in timing, etc.

Sunday January 28
At Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
4301 East West Highway
Metro stop: Bethesda (on the Red Line)
Exit station using the main exit, walk 1/2 block north on Wisconsin, turn right on East West Highway -- the school is on your left in about 2 blocks. The main entrance is in the back of the school.

Note: The school won't open to us until 9 a.m. Some workshops and organizing sessions are longer than others, so start times are staggered. Room assignments will be posted at the door, and on the UFPJ website. This is a public school, please respect the classroom teachers and leave their classrooms as you find them. There is NO food allowed in the classrooms or theater.

Morning Workshops -- 9:10 - 11:55
Lunch - on your own -- 12:00 - 12:40; Music in the theater
Lobby Day Training and Meetings -- 12:40 - 4:30

Morning Workshops
9:10 - 10:30

Talking to Your Rep. About Iraq's Oil, U.S. Contractors and Reconstruction in Iraq. Antonia Juhasz, visiting scholar, Institute for Policy Studies and author of The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time.

U.S. Weapons of Terror, the Global Proliferation Crisis, and Paths to Peace, An educational workshop, previewing the forthcoming book: Nuclear Disorder or Cooperative Security? Speakers are contributing authors: Jacqueline Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation and convener of UFPJ's Nuclear Disarmament/Redefining Security working group; Andrew Lichterman, Western States Legal Foundation; and Michael Spies, Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy.

"De-funding the War: Why This Is the Way Forward, And Why Now Is the Time," a workshop led by Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Peace.

10:05 - 10:55
Mobilize for the 40th Anniversary of Israeli Occupation -- A massive protest, teach-in and lobby day on June 10-11, 2007. Get yourself and/or your organization involved!. Josh Ruebner, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

Lobbying 101 -- Tips for an effective lobbying visit, Peace Action

Ending Oil Wars through a Clean Energy Revolution, a workshop by Ted Glick, U.S. Climate Emergency Council

Immigration, civil liberties and civil rights -- building the peace and social justice movement. Lee Siu Hin, National Immigrant Solidarity Network.

10:30 - 11:55
Iraq: an indepth briefing and discussion in preparation for Congressional visits, an opportunity to discuss issues and ask questions. With Rusti Eisenberg, Prof., American Foreign Policy and Raed Jarrar, Iraq Project Director, Global Exchange

Confronting anti-Arab Racism and Islamophobia. The speakers are Bassam Haddad, a professor at St Joseph's university and producer of the documentary "Arabs and Terrorism," and Steven Salaita, author of "Anti Arab Racism in the USA."

Speaking Authentically and Listening with Compassion, training in Nonviolent Communication, will give us the opportunity to uncover and express our own feelings and needs as well as to listen to others' expression in a way that will increase the likelihood that everyone's truth can be heard. Staying rooted in our deepest intention to dialogue, we will role play listening and speaking to lobbyists, exploring how to create social change in the world without falling into enemy images of the people with whom we are in contact. Lynd Morris, Roberta Wall, Inessa Love

Congress: Listen to the Women! In this session, we will focus on how we hold Congress accountable, what are the strategies to influence their vote to end this war, advocate for binding resolutions that could have a very real impact, timetable for withdrawal, and funding issues. Not one single individual in Congress can make this happen; we, the people, need to pressure them to end this and end it NOW. Discussion about investigations on the treatment of women in the military. Workshop by NOW and CodePink.

Investigation - impeachment on the table. With: David Swanson, John Nichols, Antonia Juhasz, Tim Carpenter

11:00 - 11:55

Israeli Apartheid: Is Jimmy Carter Right? This workshop will examine Israel's policies toward the Palestinian people-living under military occupation in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip; as second-class citizens of Israel; and as refugees-using an anti-apartheid frame of reference. Noura Erakat, National Grassroots Organizer/Legal Advocate, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

Cost of War to Local Communities -- Building Peace and Economic Justice. This workshop will provide information on the enormous cost of war to communities and your congressional district, and identify strategies and new groups to work with nationally and in your community to bring this war to an end. National Priorities Project and USAction

Iran Update, a workshop by the National Iranian American Council, Shervin Boloorian

3rd Party Alternatives, workshop by Kevin Zeese, Green Party and John Walsh

Strategy and Organizing Sessions

9:10 - 11:55
GI Resistance: a networking and organizing meeting open to all groups and individuals interested in or already working on supporting soldiers who are actively resisting the war in Iraq. Initial convener is Gordon Clark of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance - please contact him at pledgecoordinator@starpower.net for additional information."

The Occupation Project: how to Organize Direct Action to Defund the War, Voices for Creative Non-Violence and CodePink, facilitated by Jeff Leys, Rae Abileah, and Jodie Evans

Organizing Civil Disobedience for March 16-19, an organizing session with Declaration of Peace

Lobby Training

12:40 - 2:30
Plenary - in the theater

Speakers include Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. Tom Andrews, Phyllis Bennis, Shervin Boloorian, David Swanson, Paul Martin, Gael Murphy, Tim Carpenter, Rusti Eisenberg.

2:40 - 4:30
Meetings by state and congressional district

Meet together with others from your state and congressional district to plan your lobby visits, and to make plans for continued work when you return home.