Alaska Peace Center Committed to nonviolent conflict resolution, working for peace within ourselves, our community, and our world

The image and story of a Fairbanks public bus with a thought-provoking message is being publicized around the world via World BEYOND War, which includes “Tens of thousands of people in more than 200 countries worldwide who have signed onto World BEYOND War’s Declaration of Peace, including 1000+ organizational pledge signers, [with] 53 chapters in 39 countries and maintain partnerships with 122 affiliates around the world.  Here it is:

Peace Message Has Reached Alaskans on Buses for Seven Years Now

Photo in 2023 by Maia Genaux.

By World BEYOND War, December 30, 2025

For almost seven years now, the Alaska Peace Center has kept an ad on at least one public transit Fairbanks North Star Borough bus, sometimes more, traveling a 60 square mile area.

The ad reads “3% of U.S. military spending could end starvation on earth… alaskapeace.org… Number explained: worldbeyondwar.org/explained ”

According to Heather Koponen, Alaska Peace Center chair, “An example of the impact the sign has had came when a fellow came to the Alaska Peace Center’s annual booth at the 10-day-long Tanana Valley State Fair and proceeded to tell us about the extraordinary human costs incurred by our military budget, including asking us, ‘Did you know that 3% of the U.S. military budget could end starvation on Earth?’

It was evident that he shared this important and shocking information widely! We also have the impression that folks care about the message enough that they are donating to Alaska Peace Center to keep it visible.”

In person at the Peace Center office, or via Zoom, 7 pm

The office is in Suite 203 of the College Mall Building, 3535 College Road, up the stairs at the west end of the building just inside the outer door for the Fuji Steakhouse.

Or connect via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84389719538?pwd=dDdJVnZzSXM5SWdXd0pWcWdpdUtxdz09

Meeting ID: 843 8971 9538 Passcode: 149078

Alaska/Fairbanks Protective Witness whose recent month helping with the olive harvest and bearing witness in Palestine was sponsored by Alaska Peace Center is back. Help welcome them home by bringing food to share, and hear their first-person experience volunteering for Center for Jewish Nonviolence in the West Bank.

Dear Friends of Peace, 

The Alaska Peace Center, North Star Veterans For Peace Chapter 146, and Fairbanks Peace Choir invite you to a celebration of Armistice Day (DRESS WARMLY!)

Tuesday, Nov 11, gathering at 10:45am  at Veterans Memorial Park, 700 Cushman St.

Bring a bell if you have one. Extra bells will be available if you don’t have one to bring. 

In 1918 World War I, “the war to end all wars”, ended with the ringing of bells, celebrating Peace!   

🕊🕊🕊

Peace is needed always. And it is needed now. Armed conflict creates more problems. 

          🌎🕊🌍

Bring your prayers for Peace, bring your vision of Peace and well-being for all. Let us step up in Peace, to peaceably communicate our hopes and fears. And Ring and Sing for Peace! Peace is the Way.

Center: 2022 Armistice Day Bell-Ringing commemoration at Veterans Park.

Bottom: Suzanne Rich Osborne ringing her bell at the 2022 commemoration.

In person at the Peace Center office, or via Zoom, 7 pm

The office is in Suite 203 of the College Mall Building, 3535 College Road, up the stairs at the west end of the building just inside the outer door for the Fuji Steakhouse.

Or connect via Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84389719538?pwd=dDdJVnZzSXM5SWdXd0pWcWdpdUtxdz09

Meeting ID: 843 8971 9538 Passcode: 149078

The main item on the agenda will be finalizing plans for the Armistice Day bell-ringing commemoration at the Veterans Park next Tuesday (November 11).

From Alaska to Palestine

Solidarity Gathering

Friday, October 24, 6:30pm ADT

In-person at: Dené Movement Commons, 526 Gaffney Rd, Suite 204, Fairbanks AK.

And on Zoom: bit.ly/3W3REtM

The focus of this gathering is food sovereignty, its significance, challenges and successes, as experienced by Palestinian and Alaska Native peoples. Hosted by “Fairbanks’ Protective Witness” and Native Movement. Sponsored by Native Movement, Alaska Peace Center and Green Olive Collective. 

Alaska Peace Center Office

Potluck: 6:00 pm, Program: 7:00 pm

Alan Batten will share photos from his trip to Viet Nam last April. For most of the trip he was a run-of-the-mill tourist, but even a tourist gets to see interesting things and meet interesting people. That would include the man on the bus who delivered a 20-minute rant about Donald Trump’s tariff policy. At the end of the trip Alan joined a Veterans For Peace group in Ho Chi Minh City who had been invited to view the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the reunification of the country. Reunification Day, April 30, is a holiday in Viet Nam every year, but the Vietnamese pulled out all the stops for a huge celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary.

The Alaska Peace Center Office is in Suite 203 of the College Mall, 3535 College Road, upstairs above the Fuji Steakhouse. The stairs are at the west end of the building and are accessed through the same exterior door that the restaurant uses.

Alaska Peace Center is a partner organization with WorldBEYONDWar. We enthusiastically encourage Alaskans to sign up for this training: At #NoWar2025, we’re offering abolitionist trainings rooted in history, strategy, and solidarity. Learn how movements to end police, prisons, and war intersect and how collective liberation demands more than reform! https://worldbeyondwar.org/nowar2025/

Join hundreds and thousands of Interior Alaskans joining tens of thousands nationwwide showing our strong objection to autocratic decisions and trends in our country. Dress warmly, bring signs if you have or can make them, and show up along the access road to Pioneer Park (parallel to Airport Way) in Fairbanks 12 noon to 2pm on Saturday, October 18.

Update from No Kings Fairbanks:

The color for our No Kings march is YELLOW. It does not need to be an entire outfit (obviously it is winter here!) – a bandana, a hat, a shirt, a scarf. … For generations people around the world have used color to show collective strength in the face of oppression. Yellow has been a symbol of nonviolent resistance.  

12:00 – 2 pm   SATURDAY    Gather at Pioneer Park where the trailer & microphone for speakers will be.  Parking could be a challenge. Going a bit early might be key to finding a place to park. Last time, I parked at Carlson Center & walked to join the crowd.  

People will be moving from Pioneer Park all the way to IBEW Hall at 2000 Airport Way.  Soup, warm drinks, warm up area, restrooms, available thanks to our electricians who have been quite helpful for sign making. You might wish to hang on to your masterpiece ….just saying..

At each event we target someone in our community who could use a helping hand.  We’ve been asked to bring cold weather gear to donate to our neighbors in need.  Collection points at IBEW & Pioneer Park lot.  Maybe bring a few coins for donations. Alot of effort goes into the planning so don’t be shy about giving a thumbs up in appreciation.

Feel free to forward this to your family of friends

We’re in this together

Alaska Peace Center Monthly Meeting Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 7pm

In-person at the office, Suite 203 of the College Mall Building, 3535 College Road, up the stairs at the west end of the building just inside the outer door for the Fuji Steakhouse. Or connect via Zoom:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84389719538?pwd=dDdJVnZzSXM5SWdXd0pWcWdpdUtxdz09

Meeting ID: 843 8971 9538               Passcode: 149078

Agenda Items will include updates and reviews of recent past activities such as our International Peace Day rally, reports from Alaska Peace Center partners, ongoing campaigns including sponsorship of a tree and plaque at the Veterans Park renovation, Future activities including potential celebration of Armistice Day on Nov.11, and more. All are welcome.