In honor of International Peace Day in September, we ask your help to bring Palestinian children from villages at risk of demolition in the West Bank, a refugee camp, and from Gaza to present their Pinwheels for Peace to Congress. This is our fourth #ICareAboutPeace children's delegation. Congress' intervention is needed more than ever to keep their communities standing, to keep children safe, and to assure a better future. Children need to know that Americans care & that Congress is listening
Challenge
The Gov't of Israel is warning Palestinian communities, including 44 schools, that they will be demolished for lack of unattainable building permits. This is a man-made disaster. When policymakers intervene to assure human rights, they build peace. Congress promises to help constituents resolve urgent issues with U.S. agencies, but constituents must know to ask for assistance (not lobbying). Your support will bring children to Congress and also ask constituents to urge Congress to meet them.
Solution
The children's speeches on International Peace Day have been the most effective advocacy we've seen of the over 300 briefings with Congressional staff, in person & over the phone, that Rebuilding Alliance has held on this issue. We've brought children from Susiya & neighboring Umm al Kheir to speak to Congress three times with their visions of peace, we've brought experts to meet with the State Dept. and the NSC, & we've shared what we learned with sister organizations to keep villages standing.
Long-Term Impact
When children make Pinwheels for Peace with parents or teachers, especially in times of crisis, the children are deeply reassured. Adults find this life-changing... it reminds them of their responsibility to help make the children's dreams real. The long-term impact of bringing the children and their pinwheels to Congress will be to keep these villages standing, assuring thriving communities, measured in the health of their children, the ease of the parents, and a growing economy.