United for Peace of Pierce County, WA - We nonviolently oppose the reliance on unilateral military actions rather than cooperative diplomacy.

On Monday the News Tribune (Tacoma, WA) gave prominent coverage and positive treatment to Sunday's Peace Fest in Tacoma's People's Park, which was co-sponsored by United for Peace of Pierce County along with Peace Action Coalition Tacoma and the Tacoma chapter of Veterans for Peace.[1] -- "Peace organizations joined with organic food farmers and solar energy salesmen to promote what they said was the event’s common theme: working toward a better type of democracy," wrote reporter Melissa Santos. -- The story was accompanied by two photographs, one of which featured UFPPC's Xeno Campanoli and his 'Pooches for Peace' project....

[PHOTO CAPTION: Irene Hundley, left, listens to Susan Eidenschink at the League of Women Voters booth Sunday at Peace Fest.]

[PHOTO CAPTION: With their two dogs at home, Marcia and Ed Seymore pick up “Pooches for Peace!” signs from Xeno Campanoli of North Tacoma during Peace Fest on Sunday at People’s Park in Tacoma.]

Fair-trade goods and campaign finance reform got equal play Sunday at the Peace Fest held at People’s Park in Tacoma.

Peace organizations joined with organic food farmers and solar energy salesmen to promote what they said was the event’s common theme: working toward a better type of democracy.

“The idea behind all of this is we want to talk about what kind of other world is possible,” said Tom McCarthy, organizer for the Peace Action Coalition of Tacoma. “Some of this is about peace and the other part is that we wouldn’t have some of these problems with cleaner elections and more sustainable policies.”

Volunteers with Citizens for a Better Ballot, Washington Clean Elections, and other voters groups were on hand to discuss instant runoff voting and reducing the money politicians receive from special interest groups.

Meanwhile, the event’s music stage was powered by energy gathered from a solar panel set on top of a van. Attendees could eat organic bananas, nectarines, and plums while getting their faces painted at a booth set up on the park’s grassy amphitheater.

Tacoma resident Xeno Campanoli brought his dogs Mozart, Harpo, and Little Horse to the event, and sat under a tree distributing homemade placards reading “Pooches for Peace.”

He described the placards, which he made from recycled materials and driftwood, as “conversation pieces.”

“A lot of times I think that if you just start a conversation about issues you can work toward better policies,” said Campanoli, who volunteers with United for Peace of Pierce County. The Tacoma chapter of Veterans for Peace also sponsored the event.

Nearby, volunteers with the First United Methodist Church’s Micah Project sold fair-trade jewelry, coffee, and chocolate.

Church members formed the Micah Project in 2001 to fight for peace and social justice issues, said member Cathy Collier. The group now operates a fair-trade store, which sells goods that return higher profits to their farmers and craftsman.

A puppet show by the street theater group the Tacoma Puppetistas highlighted the event’s themes of increasing sustainable energy use and ending spending on Iraq, McCarthy said.

The puppeteers performed a sketch acting out the lyrics “John Barleycorn,” an old English song that describes the growth and harvesting of barley.

A University of Washington Tacoma student, Heather Minnella, 23, said she thought the event provided a staging ground for progressive groups to unite and work together.

“It’s neat to get out here and see that there are people with a common interest,” Minnella said. “It’s important for the community to get out here and communicate. Organization is the key to progression.”