On the weekend of November 16-18, thousands will gather at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia for the Vigil and the Nonviolent Direct Action to Close the School of the Americas. Take a Stand for Justice!

The weekend will include a massive rally, nonviolent direct action training, workshops, benefit concerts, puppet shows, teach-ins and more! Please check back soon for schedule changes and updates.

EVENTS: See a detailed schedule of this weekend's many gatherings, teach-ins, films, and concerts in Columbus, Georgia. All events will be printed in the Vigil program - place an ad for your organization in this useful tool! Click here for the workshop registration form and here for information about reserving a table.

DOWNLOAD AND DISTRIBUTE:
Please download the November flier and spread the word about the School of the Americas (SOA/WHINSEC) and upcoming vigil and nonviolent direct action.
Download the flier here:

Version 1

Version 2

Version 2 with space to add local contact information

HOTELS: See a list of hotel and other accomodations in and around Columbus, Georgia. If you are looking for housing, contact Ashley at the Columbus Visitors Bureau to see which hotels have vacancies. Reach the Visitors Bureau at 1-800-999-1613.

MEDIA OUTREACH: Taking a little time to carry out a handful of media-related tasks before you head to Georgia can profoundly impact the number of people in your area who know about the SOA/WHINSEC issue and the number of people who get involved in the work to close it down. Read about how you can work with your local media or contact us in the SOA Watch office at 202-234-3440 or media(at)soaw.org for more information and resources.

TRAVEL: See information on traveling to Columbus, whether by plane, car, bus, train or something more creative.

RIDE BOARD: Need a ride? Have a ride? Want to share a bike/car/van/bus/scooter with other fellow human rights advocates? See our Ride Board where you can post or find a ride to this year's Vigil.

ACCESSIBILITY & INTERPRETATION: ASL and EnglishSpanish interpretation services will be available during the vigil weekend. Find out more about interpretation services, large print and Braille programs and wheelchair accessibility.

PEACEMAKERS NEEDED:SOA Watch is looking for Peacemaker Volunteers to work at the vigil this year. Read more about how you can participate, and how to contact Peacemaker coordinators.

LOCAL GROUPS: Do you know others in your area that are working to close down the School of the Americas? Connect with others now before heading to Georgia. Click here for a listing of SOA Watch local groups. If your group is not listed, please add your contact information.

Don't see a group for your area? Consider starting one! For more information, contact us at info@soaw.org or at 202-234-3440 or contact your regional representative for more information about those in your region working to close the SOA/ WHINSEC.

NOVEMBER ORGANIZING PACKET: The November Organizing Packet is a great resource for you and your community as you spread the word about the SOA/ WHINSEC and as you make plans to attend the November 16-18 Vigil to Close the SOA at Fort Benning, Georgia. In it, you'll find information about what to expect at Ft. Benning, logistical information to assist your trip planning, media, legislative, fundraising and outreach tips and resources, and flyers you can reproduce and use in your community.

Download the 2007 November Organizing Packet

Order a hardcopy of the November Organizing Packet for from SOA Watch, PO Box 4566, Washington, DC, 20017.

Read about past Vigils to Close the School of the Americas.

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New webpage launched
We have launched a webpage for ¡Presente!, the newspaper of the movement to close the SOA. The webpage contains past and current articles, an archive, and videos about the SOA and the campaign to shut it down. The address of the new webpage is www.soaw.org/presente