The City of Akron, Ohio, voted 13-0 on Sept. 22 in favor of a resolution supporting 2020 A Year Without War at the City Council meeting.
The City of Akron joins the California cities of Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Carpinteria as cities with proclamations and resolutions supporting 2020 AYWW, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit group dedicated to ending war in 2020.
Akron is the first city east of the Rocky Mountains to pass a resolution.
The resolution, offered by Councilman Jeff Fusco and council President Garry Moneypenny, stated that this is “an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, safety and welfare.”
“We not only have residents, but we have city employees serving in the military,” Moneypenny said during the meeting. “There would be money savings, as well as the avoidance of mental anguish, physical disabilities and deaths.”
The resolution stated, “Council hereby supports the efforts of the global, social movement 2020 A Year Without War and urges the City of Akron’s Sister Cities and the members cities of the Mayors for Peace to join in support.”
Mayor Plusquellic is a founding member and vice president of Mayors for Peace, a global conference that seeks to raise international public awareness regarding the need to abolish nuclear weapons.
Professor Joe White, founder of 2020 AYWW, expressed appreciation to the City Council for their support.
“2020 AYWW is honored by the visionary leadership of Akron, City of Invention, with its Proclamation of Support,” he said. “We hope to work with Akron civic leaders to bring sister cities, Chemnitz, Germany, and Kiryat Ekron, Israel, and member cities of the Mayors for Peace, into the 2020 AYWW global movement. The foresight, hope and speed of your support is truly inspirational.”
Professor White is currently the chair of the Department of Philosophy at Santa Barbara City College.
The organization is actively seeking proclamations from all governments, all churches, and all related peace groups from around the world through the year 2020.
2020 AYWW currently has more than 25,000 supporters in 125 countries. The nonprofit group is nonpartisan, nonreligious, nonpacifist, not anti-military and not a peace organization. The group is endorsed by Veterans for Peace, the Center for Global Dialogue, Santa Barbara City College Foundation, The Humanist Society, MINDS THAT MATTER radio on AM1290, The National Veterans’ Association, Peace Crane Project, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and Beacon of Hope for Afghan Children’s Society.
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— Luella Engelhart is a public relations coordinator for 2020 A Year Without War.