Dear
Founding Members and Friends,
In 2024, the United
States continued to bomb Iraq, Syria, and Yemen and provided substantial aid
and support to the Ukrainian military, including cluster munitions, which
are banned in more than 100 countries because they kill children and
other innocent people long after they’re dropped. The U.S. delivered long-range missiles
to Ukraine capable of reaching Russian cities and risking world war.
The U.S. also delivered bombs, other weapons, and
logistical support used to murder tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians while
continuing to impede international efforts toward peace. Research published by US Peace Prize recipient Costs of War concluded that U.S. spending on Israel’s military operations
and related operations in the region total at least $22.76 billion for the 12
months ending September 30, 2024.
The United States continued to add to its
over 800 military bases across at least 80 countries, increase its bloated war budget,
distribute weapons worldwide, and deploy nuclear weapons so close to
Russia that an “accidental” nuclear holocaust and World War
III are more likely than ever. I am incredibly proud of this year’s
US Peace Prize recipient, Friends
Committee on National Legislation, for their efforts to lobby Congress and the administration to Stop Funding War
and Nuclear Weapons.
With U.S.-fueled wars
raging, we must acknowledge, honor, and reinforce those working to end war and
militarism. These are the true American heroes. The
Foundation is the only organization whose sole mission is to celebrate
role models who will inspire other Americans to speak out against
war and work for peace. By advancing our knowledge about and showing appreciation for heroic
U.S. peacemakers, new role models can shape public discourse and education.
Building a national monument to
peacemakers can help achieve that goal. It can change our cultural mindset,
making it no longer acceptable to label those who speak out against U.S.
wars as un-American, anti-military, disloyal, or unpatriotic. With public recognition of our peacemakers – celebrating their actions and
accomplishments and normalizing their societal roles – we can challenge the
social barriers that citizens face when publicly expressing antiwar sentiments.
The US Peace Memorial Foundation, a
tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, does this work by:
·
Publishing the US Peace Registry, which honors and documents
the antiwar activities of people and organizations.
·
Awarding the annual US Peace
Prize
to an individual or organization that has made an exceptional effort to stop
wars and work for peace.
·
Raising funds to build the US
Peace Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In 2024, we added our 500th
Founding Member! If you are already a member,
please make your 2025 contribution today. If not, please join us! For a
$100 donation, you can become a Founding Member. Your name will be included at www.uspeacememorial.org/Donors.htm and, eventually, at
the National Monument we will build in Washington, DC. Your contribution shows you value and support our programs
and demonstrates your commitment to ending the U.S. war culture.
We are inspired by
your support and all you do for peace.
Michael Knox, Ph.D. Chair
BRIEF REVIEW OF THE YEAR
MEASURED PROGRESS
Early on, we set
four benchmarks to achieve before announcing our national campaign to raise the
millions of dollars needed to build the US Peace Memorial as a national
monument. In the press release announcing the
campaign, we want to say that we have one thousand Founding Members
representing all fifty states, have honored one thousand individuals and
organizations in the US Peace Registry who
are working for peace, and have already raised one million dollars in
donations.
This chart shows
how we are doing and where we need your help before we can move forward.
46 States Represented - 92% of our goal.
The Foundation has
achieved 92 percent of its goal of having Founding Members from every state. We now
have Founding Members from forty-six states (plus the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). The five leading states in terms of
membership are Florida (140),
Minnesota (46), California (43), New York (21), and Massachusetts (20). Help
us increase the number of supporters in your state and add our first Founding Members from Delaware, Mississippi,
Nebraska, and South Dakota.
500 Founding Members - 50% of our goal.
We have achieved 50 percent of our goal of one
thousand Founding Members. We must have another 500 Founding Members from
throughout the country. Our Founding Member list includes 453 individuals and 47
organizations/businesses, 13 of which are faith-based. If you are one of the
nearly 5,000 people on our email list who have not yet joined, please take
action today – become a Founding Member. By supporting the
Foundation, you will be working for peace.
The US Peace Memorial
Foundation recognizes the generous contributions of its 500 Founding Members,
categorized into six tiers based on donation levels. Contributions are
cumulative, so Founding Members are recognized at higher donor levels as they
continue their philanthropic support. These tiers reflect the commitment
of individuals and organizations to support our mission:
· $10,000
and above: 4 members
· $5,000 to
$9,999: 6
members
· $2,500 to
$4,999: 4
members
· $1,000 to
$2,499: 22 members
· $500 to
$999: 47
members
· $100 to
$499: 417 members
See who the 500 Founding Members
are at www.uspeacememorial.org/Donors.htm.
293 Registrants - 29% of our
goal.
The US Peace Registry documents
and honors Americans' antiwar efforts. Anyone who has publicly opposed war can
submit a description of their activities and apply for consideration. What
better way to end current U.S. wars than to have more people speak out against
them? There are many ways to make your voice heard. We recognize and honor the
work of 211 people and 82 organizations that are role models for a broad range
of peace and antiwar activities.
Donations -
24% of our goal.
We have received donations totaling $242,946 toward
the $1,000,000 benchmark we must reach before publicly announcing our major
fundraising campaign to build the US Peace Memorial as a national monument. If
you can make a charitable contribution, please consider supporting our goal of
moving the U.S. toward a culture of peace.
US PEACE PRIZE
The
2024 US Peace Prize was awarded to the Friends Committee on National
Legislation (FCNL) “For
Efforts Over 81 Years to Educate, Build Coalitions and Influence Congress to
Stop Funding War and Nuclear Weapons.”
Michael Knox, Chair and Founder of the US Peace
Memorial Foundation, noted, “We greatly appreciate the crucial work that FCNL is doing to end
war, militarism, and nuclear weapons by educating the public, building
coalitions, and lobbying Congress and the administration. For over eight decades, the
Friends Committee has developed an impressive portfolio of antiwar actions.
Most recently, demanding
that the U.S. call for a ceasefire in Palestine and Israel, de-escalation, and
humanitarian access to Gaza. The US Peace Prize is a commendation that will
help call attention to and reinforce your important work for peace.”
The award was accepted by Bridget Moix, General Secretary, who responded, “On behalf
of our board and staff, thousands of advocates around the country persisting
for peace with us, and all those who have been part of FCNL's work over the
years, we are honored and grateful to receive this 2024 US Peace Prize. For
over 80 years, FCNL has sought to be a clear and consistent voice for peace and
justice on Capitol Hill. Receiving this prize is especially significant as
we face escalating war in the Middle East, growing global violence and
authoritarianism, and enormous threats to our own democracy here at home. A
world of justice and peace for all people may seem a distant dream, but our
Quaker faith and the powerful communities with whom we work every day sustain
us in this ongoing struggle for the world we seek.”
Other US Peace Prize nominees in
2024 were Community Peacemaker Teams, Merchants of Death War Crimes
Tribunal, Louis H. Pumphrey, and Ellen Thomas. Read about all
recipients and nominees' antiwar/peace activities in the US Peace
Registry.
See full details at https://www.uspeaceprize.org.
HONORED INDIVIDUALS
and ORGANIZATIONS
This year, the US
Peace Registry recognized and
documented the antiwar work of the following Americans and U.S.
organizations.
You can read about
their specific contributions and activities at www.uspeacememorial.org/Registry.htm.
