During the fall of 2004, Religions for Peace-USA participated in the sponsorship of The People Speak programs across the U.S.. Dozens of you responded and faith communities engaged in dialogue with the broader public on issues which affect all of us.

Now in 2006, The People Speak will bring balanced discussion through a whole new medium with an interactive webpage featuring webscasts, podcasts, blogs, and other resources to help you engage in dialogue on a vital foreign policy topic: The Role of the United States in the World.

The History

The People Speak project was launched in October 2003 to raise the level of national dialogue about America's role in the world. The project was made possible by a non-partisan coalition of non-profit organizations committed to fostering open-minded discussion on critical global issues. Religions for Peace - USA brings religious communities and interfaith organizations to join in the discussion.

In 2003, there were 2,200 community events in all 50 states taking place in universities, high schools, congregations, libraries, and family living rooms. There were also thirteen "marquee" events in major media markets across the country, in which high-profile political and academic figures had an interactive discussion with diverse audiences.

Held during a five-week span, the 2004 series saw more than 4,000 public events in all 50 states-at a rate of more than 100 events a day! These events ranged from town hall meetings and student debates organized by the National Forensic League, to parliamentary debates pairing prison inmates and university debaters in Oregon, to videoconference events pairing midwestern university students with students at universities in the Middle East and Europe, through a partnership with Americans for Informed Democracy.

In 2006, The People Speak hopes to reach an even greater and more diverse audience through the use of the internet and information-sharing technology. Together with its six partners, The People Speak is constantly updating its site with interviews of experts in the field, thought-provoking discussion questions, and a calendar of events happening across the nation.

The Mission

The mission of The People Speak is to engage all Americans in the discussion on America's role in the world. From September through November of this year, high schools, colleges, civic and business groups will be asked to organize events around one or more of the following topics:

How to Get Involved

Join The People Speak 2006 and watch webcasts, listen to podcasts, read blogs, and host your own The People Speak discussion!

The goal for each The People Speak forum is to convene a few or a roomful of interested individuals of all ages and backgrounds to discuss one or more of the three official The People Speak 2006 topics in a format of your choosing. Your event can be held at any location in your community.

Your event should be held during September through November around the theme: Working Together with the World: What's in it for the U.S.? Each event should strive to reflect a diversity of opinions and promote an atmosphere of respect and open-mindedness.

It is easy to get involved. Peruse The People Speak website and select a topic, meeting date, and location. Check out the resources available on the TPS site, including topic guides and a TPS toolkit. You can even apply for a mini-grant to help cover the costs of speakers, donuts, or advertising.

Click here to register for The People Speak! Once you've registered, you'll have access to a toolkit, topic guides, and everything else you need to create or attend your own The People Speak event.

If you have any questions about The People Speak or how to get started planning an event, please contact RFP-USA at (212) 338-9140. Alternatively, you may contact the The People Speak directly at (202) 778-3534.