United for Peace and Justice

United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) is a coalition of local and national groups opposed to the war in Iraq. On October 25, 2002, more than 70 groups dedicated to peace and justice met in Washington, D.C., and formed the organization. This coalition is composed of more than 1,300 local and national organizations, all dedicated to protecting civil liberties, constitutional rights, peace, and justice in a united front.

In June 2003, more than 325 local activist groups sent members to Chicago for a UFPJ strategy and planning conference to decide on strategies for protests and the internal structure for UFPJ to adopt.

Since the foundation of UFPJ, members have instigated hundreds of protests around the United States. These protests have been some of the largest ones [Page 1414]against the Iraq war. They included members from Military Families Speak Out, Gold Star Families for Peace, and Code Pink. UFPJ also cosponsored a large rally in Washington, D.C., with Act Now Stop War End Racism (ANSWER) on September 24, 2005. Often UFPJ members have faced the possibility of arrest for protesting without permits, as in February 2003, when UFPJ was denied a permit to march in New York.

UFPJ has organized marches corresponding with prominent events such as World Trade Organization (WTO) meetings and the Republican National Convention. Local and national sections of UFPJ work to provide grassroots training at various protests and marches and focus on effective strategies. Teach-ins are one strategy employed and advocated by UFPJ. Prominent speakers and supporters have played a significant role in UFPJ, some of whom are Arundhati Roy, Howard Zinn, Edward Said, and Cindy Sheehan.

UFPJ members also promote anti-military-recruitment activity. UFPJ and other groups such as Veterans for Peace provide supplies and volunteers to bolster the anti-military-recruitment campaigns in schools around the nation. The national chapter of UFPJ has engaged in judicial actions, such as its lawsuit against the FBI to release the records of people and groups monitored for involvement in anti-war demonstrations.

Information about these and other actions is available on the UFPJ website. The UFPJ website allows local groups to post information about anti-war activities, a strategy to improve attendance. The site is an effective tool for dissemination of information and for fundraising. The UFPJ's site also serves as a model for other grassroots organizations. Local church and labor groups often use this website to post daily activities.