WHAT:
BCTC's Peace & Justice Coalition presents
2008 Peace & Global Citizenship Fair
2008 Theme: Human Rights
(in recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
WHEN:
Noon - 8 p.m. Saturday
May 10
WHERE:
Bluegrass Community & Technical College - Cooper Campus
Directly North of Commonwealth Stadium
470 Cooper Drive
Lexington
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.
Register your organization today. Click here for the booth registration form.
Registration and the fair are both free & open to all.
DETAILS:
The Bluegrass 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, Kentucky 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.
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.
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 art contest. All K-8 classrooms and groups (scout, church, and activity) are eligible to participate. Click here for details.
SPONSORS:
Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s Peace and Justice Coalition.
Co-sponsors
Central Kentucky Council for Peace and Justice
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth
Sustainable Communities Network
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rebecca Glasscock
(859) 246-6319
