PEACE AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES COMMITTEE

Increasing Global Awareness

The Peace and International Issues Committee (PIIC) seeks to inform people about, and involve them in, issues related to international concerns. Every March we present a lecture/luncheon series on Tuesdays.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013

"Why We Fear the Other: Theological Reflections on Racism, Immigration, and the Roots of Prejudice The topics covered were:

• Voices of the Community: Dr. Hardeep Ahuja, Azmi Alaeddin, James Causey, and Nancy Flores
• Interfaith Just Peace:  Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Professor of Theology and former president, Chicago Theological Seminary
• Why Don't I Recognize My True Self?:  Tonen O'Connor, Soto Zen Buddhist priest, Milwaukee Zen Center
• An Instrument of Your Peace? How Religion Both Makes and Unmakes Racial Prejudice and Fear:  Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, Professor of Theology, Marquette University.

MARCH 2012

"Standing Up for Democracy: from the Middle East to the Capitol Rotunda." The topics covered were:

• The Complexities of Promoting Democracy Around the World: Rob Ricigliano, Director of the Institute of World Affairs at UW-Milwaukee
• The Resurgence of Democracy - in Wisconsin and Throughout the World:  Ruth Conniff, Political Editor of The Progressive magazine
• Saving Democracy: Getting Our Wisconsin Back:  Mike McCabe, Executive Director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a non-partisan watchdog group
• Responding to Democracy’s Challenges: Spirituality, Hope and Action for People of Faith:  Rev. Linda Lee, United Methodist Bishop of the Wisconsin.

MARCH 2011

"Threats to Peace: Who Will Control What We Need for Life?" The topics covered were:

• Who Will Control What We Need For Life: An Overview: Margaret Swedish, Center for New Creation, author - "Living Beyond the End of the World: A Spirituality of Hope"
• Good to Eat and Good to Think:  Aligning Food Choices with Spirit and Sustainability: Jack Kloppenburg, PHD, UW Environmental and Community Sociology
• Energy Crunch Time; What Is It, and How to Respond to It Ethically: Tom Brandstetter, a founding member of Transition Milwaukee
• Threatening the Human Right to Water: Laurel Phoenix, PHD, UW-Green Bay, Assoc. Prof. Public and Environmental Affairs Dept., Chair of the Geography Department
• Faithful Response for our Time: Robert Pavlik, MU Institute for the Transformation of Learning; Gigi Pomerantz,Youthaiti; Gretchen Mead, Victory Garden Initiative; and Rev. Jamie Washam, pastor, Underwood Memorial Baptist Church.

MARCH 2010

"The Times, They Are a’Changing: Looking Beyond the Headlines." The topics covered were:

• Challenges of the Times: Panel consisting of Claire Anderson, Pastoral Associate at St. Robert’s, Shorewood; Rev. Amy R. Becker, Associate Pastor at Church of the Resurrection, Pewaukee; Bushra Zaibak, Author and Activist; Rev. Dr. Bobbie Groth, Unitarian Universalist Community Minister, SE Wisconsin, Moderator;
• Beyond the Greed Economy: Matt Rothschild, Editor of The Progressive
• Enough to Go Around: Searching for Hope:, Chip Duncan, author and award-winning film maker
• Transitioning War Zone Skills to Home: Understanding Readjustment: Catherine Coppolillo, PhD, Psychologist;  Andrew Hendrickson, RN, Coordinator, OEF/OIF Connection Team,  Zablocki V. A.
• Entering Sacred Digital Space: Richard Thieme, futurist and ethicist.

MARCH 2009

"The March 2009 series was entitled "Sustaining the World, Sustaining Our Souls." The topics covered were:

• Living Beyond the End of the World: with Margaret Swedish, Director, Center for New Creation and author
• Global Warming in the Driver’s Seat: George Stone, Ph. D., Dept of Physical Science, MATC
• Great Lakes Water Woes: The Waukesha Conundrum: John Krezowski, Ph.D., Director, University Safety and Assurances, UW-Milwaukee
• Global Economy: Mary Botari, Director of Global Trade Watch's Harmonization Project
• One Chicken, Two People, Three Meals – An exploration of our food system, how we lost our way, and how we can get back on track: Young Kim, Executive Director of the Fondy Food Center.

MARCH 2008

"Moving Toward a Just and Peaceful World" The topics covered were:

• Resisting Empire: G. Simon Harak, SJ, director of Marquette University’s Center for Peacemaking
• Security, Morality and Realism: The Government’s Response to 9/11: Athan Theoharis, Professor Emeritus of History, Marquette University
• From Soldier to Healer: Transforming the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Dragon from Death to Life: John Zemler, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Theology, Marquette University and Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans.

MARCH 2007

“Violence: Faith Perspectives.” We heard from speakers of four religious traditions:

• Isa Sadlon, Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee
• Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers of the Greater Milwaukee Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Rabbi Ronald Shapiro, Congregation Shalom
• Rev. Tonen O'Connor, resident priest of the Milwaukee Zen Center

MARCH 2006

“United Nations Millennium Goals.”  The topics covered were:

• Microcredit and the Millennium Development Goals
• Reducing Child Mortality, Maternal and Child Health in Africa and Haiti
• Why Investing in Africa's Health is Critical for Achieving Economic Development

MARCH 2005

“United Nations Millennium Goals” The topics covered were:

• Environmental Sustainability, Women & Education: Why Women’s Education is Key
• Poverty’s Long Reach
• Africa’s AIDS Pandemic: A Doctor Reports on His Medical Mission to Kenya
• Jubilee 2000 in 2005 – An Update:  In 2000 all the countries of the UN signed the Millennium Development Goals that by 2015 progress would be made to: “Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger; Achieve Universal Primary Education; Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women; Reduce Child Mortality; Improve Maternal Health; Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases; Ensure Environmental Sustainability; and Develop a Global Partnership for Development.”

MARCH 2004

"Elections, Globalization and the Faith Community" The topics covered were:

• Peace Building and Globalization, Food, Agriculture and Globalization
• Globalization: What is Just?
• Budget Priorities and Globalization
• Widening the Circle" on ways to engage your faith groups: A panel discussion

.MARCH 2003

"Global Leadership: The Many Roles of the United Nations" The topics covered were:

• Why the UN Matters in the 21st Century
• UNICEF: Helping Children Survive and Thrive
• The International Criminal Court: New Era for Justice?
• Ending Hunger in Our Time