Help Us Celebrate Armistice Day 2022!
Over one hundred years ago the world celebrated peace as a universal principle. The first World War had just ended and nations mourning their dead collectively called for an end to all wars. Armistice Day was born and was designated as “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated."
After World War II, the U.S. Congress decided to rebrand November 11 as Veterans Day. Honoring the warrior quickly morphed into honoring the military and glorifying war. Armistice Day was flipped from a day for peace into a day for displays of militarism.
Veterans For Peace has taken the lead in lifting up the original intention of November 11th – as a day for peace. As veterans we know that a day that celebrates peace, not war, is the best way to honor the sacrifices of veterans. We want generations after us to never know the destruction war has wrought on people and the earth.
Veterans For Peace has been celebrating Armistice Day almost since the organization's inception, with a few chapters doing yearly events. Since 2008, with the passing of an official Veterans For Peace resolution, it became a VFP national effort. Each year, chapters across the country "Reclaim Armistice Day" by pushing the celebration of peace into the national conversation on Veterans Day.
This year, Armistice Day coincides with world leaders convening in Egypt for the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27). Not only is the US military the largest single institutional emitter of greenhouse gasses, the US military has long been deployed in wars for oil, natural gas, and other resources. The US military is a key player in the climate crisis and the US cannot meaningfully address the ongoing climate crisis without ending its ongoing addiction to war and militarism.
That’s why, as US negotiators head to COP27 to make speeches about the importance of addressing the climate crisis, VFP and allies are taking action to call on the US Government to live up to its rhetoric by disclosing the carbon impacts of military operations and taking meaningful action to address the climate crisis.
This year, Veterans for Peace is reclaiming Armistice Day as a day to stand up for peace, strive to truly end war, and address the climate crisis with bold direct action.
- Fly the VFP flag from your yard. The VFP flag comes in two sizes and has grommets, which can be easily attached to any standard pole. Order your VFP flag from the VFP store by October 30th to ensure delivery in time for November 11th.
- Download & hang the Armistice Day Sign from your window (see image in sidebar): Hang the sign from your front window, or anywhere else you feel it would be most visible to others. Click the in the sidebar to download and print!
- Distribute Armistice Day Materials. Get out in the community and spread the word! Download and print our Armistice Day half pages from the sidebar. If you cannot print them yourself, email samantha@veteransforpeace.org to request a bundle of materials from the VFP office. You can also order an organizer bundle here.
- Host a peace vigil with your local peace groups: Call together your members and supporters by hosting an in-person event or virtual action on Zoom. You can read the proclamation at your vigil and ring 11 bells for peace, as we do most years. Be sure to send us any photos of your action!
- Ring 11 bells for peace: Make it a community effort! Reach out to local churches, community centers, and schools to ring their bells at 11am. Here is a sample outreach letter from Chapter 27.
- Host a car caravan for peace: Pick a route and drive by your capital building or mayor's office: Call your members and supporters out together, decorate your cars and bring your VFP flags to organize a drive-by action celebrating Armistice Day as a day of peace.
- Spread the word on social media. Share the VFP Armistice Day webpage and use the sample tweets from the sidebar to spread the word!
- Send letters to the editor: Write from the heart and tell them why you’re a veteran for peace and why you celebrate Armistice Day. If your OpEd or LTE is featured, please send us the link so we can share it!
- Submit a proclamation to your city council: Reach out to your mayor, city council member, or county supervisor to create city and county proclamations in support of Armistice Day. Click here to view sample proclamation templates.
- Share the Liturgy of the Bells!: The Liturgy of the Bells is a great opportunity to reach out to local houses of worship to commemorate Armistice Day.
- Organize or take part in a nonviolent direct action to raise awareness of the impacts of militarism on climate. Visit our Stop War, Save Climate page to see how you can take action.