You can tune into the Peace with Iran Summit Livestream on https://www.facebook.com/codepinkalert/. 

What: A Day-Long Summit on Peace With Iran

When: 9am-5pm, Saturday, December 1, 2018

Where: First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Cost: $10–$100 Sliding Scale. Make your payment here!

Watch Online

Why Do We Need a Summit on Iran?

The purpose of the Iran Summit is to highlight the Trump administration’s hawkish policies on Iran that could lead us into another war, and examine how to reverse course. We will also have a beautiful Iranian art exhibit provided by Aftab Committee, calligraphy, music, photo booth and other cultural activities. 

The Summit comes at a time where tensions between U.S and Iran are escalating. The reimposition of sanctions following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is causing tremendous hardship for the Iranian people. The Trump administration’s Muslim travel ban is making it difficult for Iranians to travel to the United States, separating thousands of families.

Adding to this uncertainty are terrorist attacks, human rights violations and a strengthening of conservative forces inside Iran, proxy wars raging in the region, and an increased threat of direct confrontation with the United States, Israel and/or Saudi Arabia.

Here in the United States, the Trump administration is building a case for war. We’ve seen it all before with Iraq—high officials distorting information to push their own hawkish agenda that only inflicts pain on the people, not the government. The Summit will bring together experts and activists to examine ways we can support Iranian civil society, push the US media to do a better job covering this crisis, and pressure Congress for a “no sanctions, no war” agenda.

Join us after the summit at Busboys and Poets for An Evening to Celebrate Iranian Culture. We will have poetry recitations, music, dancing, open mic and much more. 

What: An Evening to Celebrate Iranian Culture
When: 6:00pm-8:00pm, Saturday Dec. 1, 2018
Where: Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

RSVP HERE 

Organized by CODEPINK, the cosponsors include: Aboutface, Aftab Committee, Black Alliance for Peace, Campaign for Peace Disarmament and Common Secuirty, Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, FEMENA, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, Institute for People’s Engagement, Institute for Policy Studies, Iranian Law Students Association of UC Hastings, Jewish Voice for Peace, Just Foreign Policy, Lehigh-Pocono Committee of Concern Peace Center, National Iranian American Council, Nonviolence International, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Peace Action, Peaceworkers, Progressive Democrats of America, People Demanding Action, Popular Resistance, RootsAction, United for Peace and Justice, United National Antiwar Coalition, US Labor Against the War, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, WESPAC Foundation, Win Without War, World Beyond War, and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

Speakers (in progress):
See speaker biographies here!

• Jamal Abdi, President, National Iranian American Council
• Niki Akhavan, Associate Professor and Chair of Media Studies, The Catholic University of America 
• Beeta Baghoolizadeh, Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies, Bucknell University
• Phyllis Bennis, author, Institute for Policy Studies
• Tyler Cullis, Associate Attorney at Ferrari & Associates, P.C.
• Samira Damavandi, freelance writer
• Medea Benjamin, Co-founder of CODEPINK
• Fatemeh Keshavarz, Director of Roshan Institute for Persian Studies, University of Maryland
• Mana Kharrazi, Executive Director, Iranian Alliances Across Borders
• Michael Page, Deputy Director Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
• Trita Parsi, founder of National Iranian American Council
• Jasmin Ramsey, Deputy Communications Director, Center for Human Rights in Iran
• Azadeh Shahshahani, Legal & Advocacy Director, Project South
• Barbara Slavin, author, Atlantic Council
• Sussan Tahmasebi, Director, FEMENA
• Sina Toossi, research associate, National Iranian American Council
• Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff of Secretary of State Colin Powell
• Ann Wright, retired US army colonel and US State Department Official 
• Leila Zand, Iranian-American educator and peace activist

Schedule (in progress)

8:00am-9:00am Registration

9:00am-9:30am Opening Session

• Opening remarks by Medea Benjamin and Lily Tajaddini, CODEPINK
• Poem and remarks by Professor Fatemeh Keshavarz, Director, Roshan Institute for Persian Studies, University of Maryland 

9:30am-10:10am Session I: Overview of US-Iranian relations today

• Col. Larry Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff for Secretary of State Colin Powell

10:10am-10:50am Session II: How U.S. policies affect Iranians?

• Mana Kharrazi, Executive Director, Iranian Alliances Across Borders
• Azadeh Shahshahani, Legal & Advocacy Director, Project South
• Tyler Cullis, Associate Attorney at Ferrari & Associates, P.C. 

Moderated by: Samira Damavandi, freelance writer

10:50am-11:00am Break

11:00am-12:00pm Session III:  Human rights and Civil society

• Michael Page, Deputy Director Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
• Jasmin Ramsey, Deputy Communications Director, Center for Human Rights in Iran
• Sussan Tahmasebi, Director, FEMENA

Moderated by: Niki Akhavan, Associated Professor and Chair of Department of Media and Communications Studies, The Catholic University of America

12:00pm-12:30pm Session IV: Update on the Nuclear Deal

• Trita Parsi, founder of National Iranian American Council 

12:30pm-1:30pm Lunch Break provided by Busboys and Poets

1:30pm-2:20pm Session V: Iran’s role in the region: Is it the number one state sponsor of terrorism?

• Barbara Slavin, author, Atlantic Council
  
• Sina Toossi, research associate, National Iranian American Council 
• Phyllis Bennis, author, Institute for Policy Studies

Moderated by: Ann Wright, retired US army colonel and US State Department Official 

2:20pm-3:30pm Session VI: How to stop a war

• Jamal Abdi, President, National Iranian American Council
• Beeta Baghoolizadeh, Assistant Professor of History and Africana Studies, Bucknell University
• Leila Zand, Iranian-American educator and peace activist

Moderated by: Medea Benjamin, co-founder, CODEPINK

3:30pm-4:30pm Special Cultural Event

4:30pm-5:00pm Wrap-up