March 19, 2010 marks the end of the 7th year of the US War in Iraq and the beginning of the 8th year.

"ENOUGH!"

PEACE Iowa will be sponsoring a PEACE VIGIL on FRIDAY MARCH 19.
Please join us EARLY 7:00-8:00 AM and/or LATE 7:00-8:00 PM.
CLINTON STREET & IOWA AVENUE, on the Clinton St. sidewalk in front of Old Capitol.
Downtown Iowa City

You are welcome to bring your own sign or banner focused on ending the Iraq War or mourning those who have died. Signs will also be available at the vigil, as well as candles in the evening. President Obama has promised that all US "combat" troops will be home by August 31 of this year. All US troops are to be home by December 31, 2011, with no US bases remaining in Iraq. There must be no backsliding on these commitments, despite pressure from others to keep combat troops in Iraq even longer.

For more information, reply to this message or contact Ed Flaherty at 621-6766.

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Dr. Alexia Nibona of Burundi speaks on
"Restoring Health, Hope, Peace: Reflections from a Grassroots Doctor in Burundi"
Wednesday March 31, 7:00 pm
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A

Sponsored by PEACE Iowa, Physicians for Social Responsibility, other local organizations, and Friends Peace Teams African Great Lakes Region.

Health is a human right. When this right is truly respected, there is hope for long-term sustainable peace in Burundi.

After 13 years of civil war, Burundi is working to heal itself and move towards a more peaceful future. Yet healing from such devastating violence cannot just take place at the political level, efforts to heal and rebuild must take place at the grassroots because that is where violence was most often experienced.

In this talk, Dr. Alexia Nibona reflects on growing up in Kamenge, Burundi—one of Burundi’s deadliest warzones and an area which has the country’s highest HIV/AIDS rate—and her decision to pursue her medical degree so that she could return to work with women, HIV+ people, and trauma survivors in her community. She argues that health, which is not just the absence of physical disease, but the whole wellbeing of body, mind, and spirit, is the basis of peace. Thus to achieve peace, you must also achieve health. And the achievement of health requires access to quality and dignified healthcare, clean water, nutritious food, shelter, and trauma healing. Dr. Nibona then tells the story of the Friends Women’s Association and their work to provide comprehensive community-based health care to women and their families, especially those women who are HIV-positive, to reinforce women’s capacities to achieve their wellbeing, and to work towards the recovery of peace and health in Burundi.

About Dr. Alexia Nibona

Dr. Alexia Nibona is the medical and executive director of the Friends Women’s Association, a grassroots women’s clinic focused on HIV/AIDS, sexual violence, and post-genocide trauma in Kamenge, Burundi. Being from Kamenge herself, Dr. Nibona grew up knowing the devastating effects of war, poverty, and HIV/AIDS on her family and community. This inspired her to pursue her medical degree at the University of Burundi where she specialized in the psychoses (trauma) resulting from the 1993-2006 Crisis (the term Burundians use to describe the 13-year civil war that followed the death of President Melchoir Ndadaye). She is also certified in HIV/AIDS physical and psychosocial care, trauma healing and conflict mediation, and community-based development. Dr. Nibona is a member of the Kamenge Friends Church, where she recently served as clerk.

Peace by Piece—a program broadcast Thursdays at 7pm in Iowa City on PATV, Cable Channel 18—features interviews dealing with current events and peace issues. For a broadcast schedule please visit www.peace-by-piece.org.