Fairbanks residents share a message of peace on Veterans Day

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTUU/KTVF) - The Alaska Peace Center held its annual event at Veterans Memorial Park on Wednesday, with at least two dozen people gathering in chilly weather to call for peace.

The event began at 11 a.m. with the ringing of bells, a reminder of the end of World War I, which was ended Nov. 11, 1918, with the armistice signing between Germany and the Allied Powers.

Members of Veterans for Peace joined the gathering. Attendees sang, then explained why they came.

Calls for peace

Many of those at the park called for peace as wars continue, including wars that involve the U.S.

Heather Koponen, chair of the Alaska Peace Center, said Nov. 11, 1918, marked the beginning of the armistice that ended World War I. She said people around the world rang bells at 11 a.m. that day and continued to mark Nov. 11 as Armistice Day.

Koponen said that in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower “succumbed to pressure from certain groups” to begin calling the day Veterans Day. She said that changed the focus from celebrating peace to militarism.

The Alaska Peace Center and Veterans for Peace said they want to reclaim Nov. 11 as Armistice Day, a celebration of the end of war.

“It is appropriate to celebrate every ending of war and conflict and work toward making them permanent,” Koponen said.

Remarks from participants

Koponen said people at the event see the world as “pretty shattered.” She said people are “very disappointed and angry,” and that this was reflected in the recent U.S. elections.

Rob Mulford with Veterans for Peace read a poem titled “Protective Presence” to those gathered. He also spoke about the bell ringing.

“We ring bells for remembrance and hope, but some may ring them to celebrate,” Mulford said.

Mulford said he understands “some celebration due to the last election.”

He said voting alone will not end wars.

“Presence, protective presence will, whether it’s on the front lines or whether it’s at home,” Mulford said.

He said that at a borough assembly meeting where officials are deciding on a military expansion in the community, people can use one word: “no.”

Cold does not keep people away

Organizers said the cold did not keep people from sharing a desire for peace, even with relatively warm temperatures this year.

“People have come out when it was 50 below because we’re affected by the opposite of peace every day, and therefore we feel passionately about defending work to change that and make the world more peaceful, less destructive,” Koponen said.

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