Fifty students will converge on the nation's capital this weekend with thousands of other activists as part of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's National Mobilization for Global Justice. Organized through student organizations Peace Coalition, Pax Christi, Progressive Student Alliance and Amnesty, the students will be focusing on peace and policy alternatives.

The demonstrations coincide with the spring meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund but organizer Lindsay Updike stresses that peace will overshadow these institutions' meeting as the primary focus.

"Notre Dame students are going to add our voices in concern for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, Afghanistan, South America and all over the world. We want to show our support for peace, economic and social justice and let it be known that we have hope for peace," Updike said in regards to the goals for the weekend.

Student organizer Megan Renner added, "People from all over the country are converging in Washington this weekend to call for a world truly free of terrorism — where peace, social justice and human rights are given top priority."

Students will be going and coming in different shifts throughout the weekend, the first shift leaving Thursday night while another shift will be leaving Friday evening. Several demonstrations will be going on at once, protesting the war on terrorism, U.S. military aid to Israel, U.S. involvement in the war in Colombia, the School of Americas and IMF and World Bank policies. However, the main event will take place Saturday with a peace rally on the National Mall.

Updike says that participants went through nonviolent training that was lead by prominent nonviolent advocate David Cortright, a peace studies professor. The meeting was an attempt to talk about possible situations ahead of time. With 30,000-40,000 people expected to be present there is always a possibility that things may get out of control or the police may get nervous and start spraying tear gas. Participants were taught to stay calm and to refrain from pushing through crowds as well as preventing violent protester from attacking the dignity of the movement.

In preparation for the rallies students had the opportunity to attend several "teach-ins" led by Notre Dame professors to discuss some of the debates at the upcoming protests. The teach-ins were an opportunity for professors to provide historical background and a forum for issues to be raised in order for students to decide on issues they felt strongly about and to prepare them for debate.

"The teach-ins are basic training for students to discuss pressing issues in an intellectual, sophisticated way. It provides a link between what they have learned in the class and relating that to the world," said David Ruccio, an associate Economics professor, who last week addressed the IMF/WB programs.

Ruccio commented that in the last five years he noticed a new generation of economic activists at Notre Dame looking to integrate their class experiences with the Catholic faith and in the end raise critical issues instead of ignoring events outside Notre Dame.

Greg Downey, an assistant professor of Anthropology, enlightened students on the negative image many countries have of the U.S. He used the recent crisis in Argentina as an example in which the IMF, a financial institution dominated by U.S. leadership and thinking, as playing a significant role in the unraveling of the country. Downey sees these discussions as necessary to students who are entering the workforce because many do not recognize the other points of view in the international world.

"The Notre Dame student body is incredibly, ethically motivated but they sometimes don't recognize the connection between the clothes they wear, the shoes they buy and the politicians they vote for. They disconnect their daily lives with these issues and become unwitting participants of extreme, unfair, destructive and immoral systems without being aware," Downey said.

Ruccio expressed concern that this year's rally is not as focused as in years past, protesting a "laundry list" of grievances, but he admits that the protest could surprise the organizations much like past rallies in Seattle, Wash. and Genoa, Italy.

Downey said that after Sept. 11, there was a "muting of objectivity" in protests against the IMF and other financial institutions. But he insists that people "can't not protest. Many would like things to remain as business as usual but we must speak up."

The Washington Post reported that police are also training not only for the demonstrators but also for possible terrorists who may attack the demonstrators. Participants have expressed some concern that radical anarchists might be present but they are more worried that the term "terrorist" will be equivocated to mean demonstrators.

There will be a send-off rally on Thursday in front of Rep. Tim Roemer's office in South Bend before the first bus heads to Washington, D.C. at 8:30 p.m.

There is still room for additional participants. However, anyone planning on going must attend a mandatory meeting at the Center for Social Concerns from 4:30-6 p.m. The group is asking $15 per person to cover van costs.

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