Literary Peace Prize

You’ve heard of the Dayton Peace Accords.  You know it’s a big deal.  But you may not know exactly who, why, and how it all came together right here in Dayton, Ohio to end the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.  November 5th thru 7th, you can join in the commemoration of the fifteenth anniversary and experience fuller understanding of this important turning point through great events featuring distinguished guests.

More information is available here: http://www.daytonliterarypeaceprize.org/accords_update.htm

The commemoration includes a banquet at the Hope Hotel on Friday, Nov. 5 and a public forum in Kennedy Union on Saturday, Nov. 6.  These events will be held in conjunction with the awarding of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize on Sunday, Nov. 7.  These events are being supported by The City of Dayton, Montgomery County, Dayton International Airport, University of Dayton, Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, Central State University, Dayton Literary Peace Prize Committee, and Dayton Sister Cities Committee.

The banquet and forum will feature many distinguished guests, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs for BiH (H. E. Sven Alkalaj), the Mayor of Sarajevo (Dr. Alija Behmen), and the Executive Director of Migration and Refugee Services for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (Amb. Johnny Young).

Please consider attending one or more of these events, and help spread the word about them.  The hosts are particularly interested in having students and community members attend the forum.

Details on the November 5 BANQUET: There will be a banquet on the evening of November 5th for Dayton residents and others to remember the negotiations and the many people we came into contact with during those days and in the last fifteen years. The banquet will be held at the Hope Hotel at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the same place where the Accords were negotiated and initialed in 1995.  Tickets for the banquet ($45) may be purchased on-line at:  http://daytonpeaceaccordsat15.eventbrite.com/.

Details on the November 6 FORUM:

Now, fifteen years later, they are holding a forum (free to attend) on November 6, 2010, at the University of Dayton, with three goals in mind.

1. To discuss the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and take a look at what US policy towards BiH should be now and in the immediate future.
2. To discuss how our experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina has and will change US policy approaches in resolving other conflicts.
3. To hear from those who left Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who now live in Dayton, about their positive and negative experiences here in the US.

The forum at UD on Nov. 6 is free-of-charge, but they request an on-line registration.  People who want to attend the forum can register at http://daytonpeaceaccordsat15.eventbrite.com/.  A buffet lunch will be offered free-of-charge.

Details on the November 7 Authors Event: If you missed getting your tickets to the big reception for the Literary Peace Prize winners (or couldn’t afford them), you can still hear the winners  speak on Sunday, November 7th at 11:30 AM at Books and Co. at the Greene.  Attached are details directly from the Books and Co. event calendar.