?Join Me on the Bridge? peace rally planned Sunday

A ?Join Me on the Bridge? peace rally honoring the resilience of millions of women survivors of war around the world is set for 1 p.m. Sunday on the new trail bridge over Highway 1 north of Fairfield.

Kay Hazen, who is organizing the local event, explained Join Me on the Bridge is a global event organized by Women for Women International to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of International Women?s Day and the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

?On [Monday], this organization will bring women from Rwanda and the Congo together on a bridge between their countries to demand an end to war and to demonstrate that women can build the bridges to peace and development,? said Hazen. ?At the same time, and in solidarity, they are asking that groups be formed around the world to bring both women and men together on bridges, creating a global movement that brings attention to the travesty of war, and in particular, women?s place in helping to heal and prevent that travesty.?

The local celebration will be held Sunday instead of Monday ?as Monday would be a difficult day to get a large group together,? explained Hazen.

Those gathering at the trail bridge will be writing messages of peace on a large banner, hanging it from the bridge and then taking a photo of it to post on the national organization?s Web site.

For the complete article, see the Friday, March 5, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.