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IRTF Events Calendar

August 1, 2026: August 1 Celebration, Fundraiser, and Action
1-3pm EST
Coventry Peace Park 2843 Washington Blvd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Join CH4IR to celebrate, learn, create and build community honoring the contributions of immigrants in our home of Cleveland Heights. Learn from immigration lawyers, activists, and keynote speaker freed formerly detained political prisoner, Ayman Soliman. Create Art in a Community Art build for immigrant Rights. Listen to live music by and for immigrants, celebrating the long held tradition in Cleveland Heights of being the welcoming city we say we are. Take Action collectively. RSVP Below.

to RSVP click here

August 6, 2026: Equal Exchange Webinar Regarding Upcoming Elections
1-2pm EDT
online, register @ https://equalexchange.zoom.us/meeting/register/v1OQ6nbdT5WgqvC5Qgzl5g?_kx=uz5dJVk4HGSuAXBTrLm47iR7A5AFhpOxe6VKSIqlHx8.SyLvAX#/registration

Live Zoom Event

Equal Exchange and the Midterms:
A first in 40 years

The U.S. democratic system is under sustained, ongoing, historical threat from one party that has been captured by a cult of personality. Many of our major institutions (media, political parties, corporations, universities) have shown themselves to be unwilling or unable in the task of defending democracy. Smaller institutions therefore need to do this work.

As a democratic organization of scale, historically and still non-partisan Equal Exchange will engage in this fall’s elections for the first time in our 40-year history. Concretely, we will be engaging our supporters to defeat election deniers—candidates who would seek to deny us our right to vote and be counted.

Please join us for this important webinar to learn what is driving this decision, how we will be engaging, and how you can join our efforts to preserve U.S. Democracy.

Thursday, August 6

1:00pm-2:00pm Eastern

12:00pm-1:00pm Central

10:00am-11:00am Pacific

August 7, 2026: IRTF Summer Solidarity Social
6-8pm
St Paul's Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd, Cleveland 44113

The InterReligious Task Force on Central America & Colombia invites you to our

IRTF Summer Solidarity Social 2026

 

Please share the social media posts for this event

@irtfcleveland

https://www.facebook.com/irtf.cleveland

Join IRTF on Friday, August 7 as we gather lots of IRTF friends at our annual Summer Solidarity Social.  Join us for live music, spoken word, light refreshments, reports from IRTF staff and friends, including updates on local campaigns for liberation.

Special Guest from San Salvador: Leslie Schuld from CIS (Centro de Intercambio y Solidaridad)

Leslie will speak on current challenges to democracy in El Salvador, namely mass incarceration and the suspension of constitutional rights during this fourth consecutive year of the State of Exception (State of Emergency).  Why are human rights and environmental defenders (including church pastors) getting caught up in the dragnet that the government is casting to catch alleged violent criminals? Why are journalists fleeing the country? What is the CECOT? Why is the US deporting people (even those with no criminal records) to that notorious prison? How is the new Foreign Agents Law impacting human rights organizations like the CIS and Cristosal, which made the difficult decision to withdraw all its staff from El Salvador. 

Join us for refreshments. Backyard playground. Fair trade sales. Suggested donation: $10. (If it rains, we'll move inside into the gym.)  This is a family friendly event. All ages welcome! 

 

Friday, August 7, 2026, 6-8pm at

St Paul’s Community Church UCC

4427 Franklin Blvd

Cleveland OH 44113

location: backyard (enter through gate behind church from Franklin Blvd)

rain location: gym

parking: along Franklin Blvd or on W 45th St., both north and south of Franklin Blvd

 

Get tickets via our Zeffy platform https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/irtf-summer-solidarity-social--2026  

Note: You don’t have to pay a processing fee. Although Zeffy will default to 17% fee when you check out, you don’t have to pay it. Instead, scroll down to OTHER, type in $0, and then check out. Neither you nor IRTF will be charged the processing fee. Thanks!

 

Walk-ins also welcome. We’ll accept voluntary contributions at the gate.

September 17, 2026 to September 18, 2026: Muslim Counterpublics Lab Conference on Lessons and Legacies of the Global War on Terror
Elliot School of International Affairs in Washington D.C.

SOURCE and MORE INFORMATION: https://waronterror25.org/

 

Dear Friends,

 

I hope you have been taking care as we continue to grieve the violence and disregard for life by the state. In the face of this violence, MCL remains committed to organizing across local, national, and international struggles. We hold everyone who is grieving, resisting, and surviving close and we know that together we can strengthen our movements, and cultivate communities rooted in solidarity, care, and collective liberation.

 

As many of you may know, this year marks two anniversaries: 25 years on the Global War on Terror as well as 250 years of the American empire. We can never truly quantify or unearth all the levels of harm that have been inflicted. However, we know that memorializing and gathering as a collective is one way we can grapple with how this War on Terror apparatus has reshaped the lives of Muslims, Arabs and other targeted communities in the U.S. and across the globe

 

In response, Muslim Counterpublics Lab is marking this anniversary through our convening: “When Will This War End: Lessons and Legacies of the War on Terror,” on Thursday and Friday, September 17-18, 2026 in Washington D.C. The conference will be held at the Elliott School of International Affairs in partnership with 25+ organizations.

 

We invite all of our partners, allies, organizations and community members to join us for this conference that will feature 12 plenaries and workshops with over 35 speakers over two days. Details such as speakers, session descriptions, the overall schedule and registration can be found on our website: WarOnTerror25.org

 

The goal of this conference is to confront the quarter-century of structural violence that has operated under problematic, violent policies that claim to battle “terrorism” by bringing together scholars, organizers, advocates, survivors, journalists, and community members to examine lessons from the War on Terror, explore what resistance to this framework of state violence has looked like, and ask how we can imagine a future where infrastructure of the War on Terror is finally abolished. Finally, this conference will hold space to mourn and remember survivors and the millions of victims of the War on Terror, as we continue to demand accountability, justice and reparations.

 

If your organization is interested in sponsorship, please fill out this form.  Also, please be on the lookout on @MuslimCounterpublicsLab on socials and our website as we continue to share exciting updates and details of the conference! For any other questions or concerns, please reach out to gwotconference@muslimcounterpublicslab.org.

 

We would also greatly love your support in sharing this far and wide, with your listservs, social media team, partners, community members, staff and all that can benefit from this incredible space we are cultivating together!

October 11, 2026 to October 16, 2026: Join Maryknoll at the Border this October
El Paso Texas

Inspired by Pope Francis’ centering of Indigenous spirituality, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers are hosting “Sacred Border Experience: Indigenous Spirituality and Mission.” This event will explore what it means to be a missionary disciple in a way that honors, rather than erases, Indigenous cultures. Focused on Indigenous wisdom, border reality, reflection, and missionary discipleship, this experience will be October 9-11 at the Columban Center in El Paso, Texas.
Featured presenters include Dr. Yolanda Chávez Leyva, a Chicana/fronteriza historian and writer of Rarámuri descent and Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas at El Paso, and Monsignor Arturo J. Bañuelas, the founder of the Tepeyac Institute and Hope Border Institute, both in El Paso.

Immediately after, Maryknoll is offering an immersion trip at the El Paso/Juarez Border from October 11-16. Spend a week on a transformative pilgrimage retreat to El Paso, Texas, and Juárez, Mexico, which will delve into the complex realities of life for migrants. Experience the human side of migration by engaging directly with immigrants seeking refuge —sharing meals, hearing their powerful stories, and witnessing their resilience. Learn from Church workers and advocates who navigate these critical issues daily.

Rooted in the principles of social justice and spirituality, this journey offers moments of prayer, liturgy, and faith-sharing. Reflect on the Gospel and your beliefs while exploring the impact of U.S. immigration policies, the intricacies of migration, and your role in responding with compassion and action. This is more than a trip—it’s a call to deepen your faith, broaden your understanding, and return home as an advocate for justice. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness, learn, and grow.

to register for the border uimmersion trip click here

October 23, 2026 to October 25, 2026: Why "Beyond Borders" is this year's conference theme
online (zoom)

source: World Beyond Wars 

This October 23-25, World BEYOND War's “#NoWar2026: Beyond Borders” Conference will unpack how the war system drives mass displacement and fuels the militarization of borders worldwide. Sliding-scale tickets start at $5 USD, which covers all 3 days of online sessions. Get your ticket.

Why "Beyond Borders" is this year's conference theme:

✱ Conflict & war fuel displacement. 
At the end of 2025, the number of people displaced by war and violence was estimated at 117.8 million.1

✱ The weapons industry profits twice...from arming conflict to militarizing borders, blocking the movement of people fleeing violence. Lockheed Martin — the world’s biggest weapons company — has received more than $1 billion in U.S. Customs & Border Protection contracts. RTX (formerly Raytheon) has deployed border surveillance & militarization in 24+ countries.2 

✱ Meanwhile, xenophobia and violent crackdowns on migrants are on the rise globally. Earlier this year, the UN Human Rights Chief decried the dehumanizing and unlawful immigration policies enacted by the Trump administration.3 And the EU is ramping up deportations under a new law that mirrors U.S. ICE-style brutal tactics.4

tor register click here