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Press Conference to announce the launch of a
national student anti-war movement; UK representatives will participate

Press Contacts: Snehal Shingavi - UC Berkeley - 510-484-5242 (cell) Lauren Ciszak - George Washington University Æ 202-302-7335 (cell)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHO: Student anti-war activists representing over 60 high schools, colleges and universities

WHAT: Press Conference to announce the launch of a national student anti-war movement

WHERE: The George Washington University Amphitheater located on The George Washington University campus in the Marvin Center (800 21St Street NW) 3rd Floor

WHEN: January 17, 2002, 2:30 PM Joint conferences announce the creation of a national student anti-war Network. Meetings bring together college and university anti-war activists from across the country. Washington, DC - Student anti-war activists will hold a press conference to announce the creation of a national student anti-war network.

Joint student organizing conferences - held at George

Washington University and San Francisco State - will bring together student anti-war activists on the eve of the national anti-war demonstrations. These conferences will serve to create a national student run anti-war network, which will represent schools from across the country.

The press conference will serve as a forum to announce the preliminary decisions of the new network, including plans link campus anti-war groups in an attempt to coordinate activities against the war. The Stop the War Coalition in the UK (http://www.stopwar.co.uk) is sending Helen Salmon, a student ambassador to the US student movement. She is a leading organizer with the National Union of Students. Press contact for Stop the War is Andrew Burgin (andrew@burgin.freeserve.co.uk; 07939 242229).

Also in addition to student speakers, Jeremy Corbyn, a Labour Party member of the House of Commons from London and the UK Stop the War Coalition, will be speaking at the press conference to show the International support for the conference, as well as offer a perspective on the prospect of war from an influential member of the UKÍs government. Mr. Corbyn (http://www.northislington.freeserve.co.uk/corbyn/body.htm) is also speaking at the rally in Washington, DC on January 18. His visit to the US is hosted by the Traprock Peace Center (http://trarpockpeace.org) and co-sponsored with the Stop the War Coalition. Press contact for Traprock Peace Center is Charlie Jenks (charlesjenks@gmail.com; 413-773-1633).

The two bicoastal conferences will represent over 60 high schools, colleges and universities, including Columbia University, University of California-Berkeley, University of North Carolina, University of Massachusetts, University of Pennsylvania, University of Utah, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wake Forest University, University of Texas-Austin, Yale and many more. There has already been substantial anti-war organizing happening on several campuses throughout the country as university and college students have begun to question the rationale and the need for war on Iraq. The recent troop movements and the seeming inevitable preemptive war against Iraq, have led increasing numbers of students \to challenge the war and the effects that it will have at home and abroad.

Jessica Jones, a member of George WashingtonÍs Students Against the War in Iraq (SAWI) remarked ñThis conference is the start of a movement that will show the students of this country do not support this war and we will not stay silent while a war, that will kill our peers as well as innocent Iraqis, is waged in our name.î

Rachel Oswald another member of GWSAWI states, ñThis conference is a great starting point to organizing a nationwide student movement to oppose the impending war in Iraq. Meeting with students for across the country is encouraging and invigorating. It is very exciting to be at the beginning of such a broad and powerful movement.î

Members of the press are encouraged to RSVP for the press conference. Press packets will be made available at the press conference. Conference attendees will also be made available to answer specific questions about the conferences and the national, student anti-war movement. Another press release will also follow the completion of the conference to announce any decision made after the press conference.

Page created January 16, 2003 by Charlie Jenks.