Join the IFCO/Pastors for Peace 18th Friendshipment Caravan to Cuba

July 2007

In July 2007 the 18th Friendshipment will travel on 14 different routes to visit more than 120 US and Canadian cities. We will travel in school buses, trucks, and cars to Cuba via Mexico with medical and educational supplies collected from groups across the US and Canada as a collective challenge to the blockade and travel ban.

The US government says you can't go to Cuba and see things for yourself. We say you should! Our Friendshipment Caravans to Cuba call domestic and international attention to the cruel and immoral US economic blockade by delivering humanitarian aid to our sisters and brothers in Cuba without asking permission for a US Treasury Department license.

In November 2006, the United Nations once again voted overwhelmingly (183-4) to condemn the US blockade. We know that many members of Congress are deeply unhappy with the policy. Meanwhile the Bush administration and its "Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba" continue desperately to look for more ways to starve the Cuban people into surrendering to US domination. We think that the tide is turning in the US against the blockade, but this issue cannot be left to the politicians – we must take the lead and challenge them by implementing a People to People Foreign Policy that calls for an end to this insidious and immoral policy.

How you can get involved:

 Come as a caravanista - get in touch with us to get an application form

 Recruit other caravanistas - get them to request an application form

 Get involved locally - host a caravan event in your community – email us to find out your local contact - and if there isn't one you or your organization can take the initiative to host the caravan!

 Collect material aid - let us know so we can send you the aid information packet.

 Help out as a volunteer in the IFCO office.

 Make a financial donation. Checks or money orders should be made out to IFCO and mailed to our New York office. To make a credit card donation simply click on the donate-now button on this page and follow the instructions, or you can call our office (212-926-5757). Donations are tax-deductible!

Caravan schedule

 JULY 1-12 Caravan routes with educational presentations and aid collections throughout the US and Canada.

 JULY 13-16 Participant orientation in Texas.

 JULY 17-18 Border crossing into Mexico — Travel to Tampico — load material aid onto cargo ship

 JULY 19-26 Fly to Havana for Caravan educational program in Cuba.

 JULY 27 Return to Tampico, Mexico and travel to Mexico/US border.

 JULY 28 Reverse Challenge, cross back into Texas.

JOIN US!

You can join the caravan as a caravan vehicle passes through your community starting July 1st. Many past caravanistas say that the time traveling through the US, meeting and staying with local community activists across the country, is as important a part of the experience as the time in Cuba. But if your time is limited you also have the option of making your own way down to join us in Texas on July 13th.

If you would like to travel with us or are interested in hosting the caravan please contact:

IFCO/Pastors for Peace

418 W. 145th St., New York, NY 10031

Ph: 212-926-5757 Fax: 212-926-5842

Email: cucaravan@igc.org