CHICAGO — The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) will be a hosting a Speak for Peace Tour that will include Raed Jarrar, an Iraqi who was featured in several speaking tours organized by AFSC, as well as Iraq War veteran Patricia McCann, currently a resident of Chicago. They will be talking about their experiences in Iraq, about the “other side of the story that we seldom get from mainstream media, namely the displacement of Iraqi citizens, the experiences of Iraqis and U.S. soldiers exposed to continual violence, and the prospects for a peaceful future in Iraq, according to a press release.

The group says the tour will help lay the foundation for building reconciliation between the American and Iraqi people. “While the U.S. government looks for military solutions to conflicts around the world, citizens must demand that the only way to achieve peace is through dialogue and genuine reconciliation. Only through a better understanding of the experiences of both U.S. soldiers and Iraqis will Americans see the value and possibilities for peace.”

As part of the tour, AFSC will also be offering ways that Americans can assist the Iraqi refugees and offer support to U.S. Iraqi veterans.

The program will be in Detroit on Thursday, February 28, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at University of Detroit Mercy, the  McNichols Campus at 4001 W. McNichols Rd., Life Sciences Building Room 115 in Detroit.

For further information call Jessica Flores, Regional Organizer, AFSC Great Lakes Region at 312.427.2533.