The National Weekend of Faith in Action
The 2004 National Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty (NWFA), coordinated by Amnesty International USA's Program to Abolish the Death Penalty (PADP), took place from October 22-24, 2004. We wanted to give you an update about how the weekend went and how Deadline was involved.
This seventh annual initiative invited faith communities and groups throughout the country to devote the weekend to reflect, discuss, and take action on abolishing the death penalty, using their own faith traditions as a starting point. The Weekend was designed with the specific intent of conducting outreach to faith communities of color in order to support their ongoing abolition efforts.
Approximately 556 faith communities, interfaith groups, state and local coalitions, Amnesty International student and local groups, and individuals participated in the 2004 National Weekend of Faith in Action. Awareness-raising activities and faith-based events centered around the death penalty issue took place in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, and involved a wide variety of faith traditions. Cumulatively, events and activities organized by participating groups
reached over 5,000 people throughout the country.
Media really gives people a vehicle to discuss these issues in a way different than simply having a panel. As part of the weekend, many people hosted screenings of Deadline. Those screenings were:
Solidarity: A Students United For Human Rights Organization at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Steubenville, Ohio), showed the film as part of a week-long series of events focused on the death penaltyUniversity of St. Thomas (Catholic) in Houston, Texas
In Seattle, Washington, the Washington Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Amnesty International, and Freedom Project sponsored a showing of "Deadline" as part of the Meaningful Movies series. The film was followed by a panel discussion with organizing sponsors.
Christ Episcopal Church Justice & Peace Group in Anacortes, Washington also viewed the film and held a follow-up discussion.
Many thanks to all who contributed to the success of the 2004 National Weekend of Faith in Action! If you'd like to participate next year, go to the Amnesty site.
Posted by Angela at 12:27 PM
