Students took a break between classes and grabbed a slice at the Pizza and Peace event held by the Tucson chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) on Wednesday, Sept. 17, in the Social Sciences building.
The event was a celebration of the International Day of Peace, which falls annually on Sept. 21. The holiday, recognized by the United Nations since 1981, is meant to promote a global culture of peace and nonviolence. According to the UN, the holiday was additionally designated as a day of ceasefire in 2001.
WILPF is an international non-profit organization founded in 1915 by social activist Jane Addams. There are currently around 40 branches in the U.S., including branches in Phoenix and Tucson. The U.S. WILPF website describes the organization’s goal as “achiev[ing] through peaceful means world disarmament, full rights for women, racial and economic justice, an end to all forms of violence, and to establish those political, social, and psychological conditions which can assure peace, freedom, and justice for all.”
Volunteers are at the core of Tucson’s WILPF branch, allowing the branch to run outreach, fundraising and educational events throughout the year. Volunteer Gloria McMillan stresses that although WILPF is a feminist organization, all are welcome and members can be of any gender identity.
Event organizer Shelby Young explains that since the Tucson branch’s volunteer base is made up of primarily older people, they host events at the University of Arizona like Pizza and Peace with the goal of connecting and having open discussions with students to understand how WILPF can best support them.
“What students can do right now [to support peace] is to find common ground,” Young said, for International Peace Day specifically.
She also encourages young people to continue to call out injustices as they notice them. “One thing I like about [the younger generation] is [they] see it as it is and aren’t afraid to say something about it,” Young said.
Students interested in learning more about WILPF events on campus can reach out to Gloria McMillan via email at scifi200111@gmail.com.
