Activist groups in Ames have resurrected a practice of holding weekly vigils in time for the International Day of Peace on Wednesday.

Time for Peace and Alliance for Global Justice, both on-campus student organizations, originally held weekly vigils just after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and after the original invasion of Iraq, but stopped the practice in 2004.

Erin Hughes, member of Time for Peace, said the group decided to organize weekly vigils again this year to keep Americans from losing focus on the war in Iraq.

“We had the vigils a couple years ago because the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan were still fresh in the public’s memory,” said Hughes, junior in anthropology. “We’re doing it again this year to keep the conflict in people’s minds. We can’t let anyone forget that it’s still going.”

The International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations in 1981 to coincide with the opening of its General Assembly that year, is celebrated annually on Sept. 21.

“We’re going to be handing out a bunch of information and some stickers that ask people to observe the day,” said Tamim Mahayni, member of Time for Peace.

“The vigil itself will be held at the corner of Lincoln Way and Welch Avenue Wednesday evening,” said Mahayni, senior in biology. “People will show up with signs or posters in support of peace.”

He said some people oppose the peace vigils, however.

“We’ve made a few enemies doing this kind of thing, but, generally, people appreciate our message,” Mahayni said. “We just want to remind people that the conflict in Iraq is still going on, and peace is still an option.”

He said Time for Peace will try to keep politics out of the vigil as much as possible, choosing instead to focus on worldwide peace.

“I don’t consider this vigil a political thing at all,” Hughes said. “We’re a nonpartisan organization.”

Mahayni said he agreed.

“We don’t appreciate signs that specifically target President Bush or his administration,” Mahayni said. “We try to keep our message positive, and we try to focus on peace.”

Nicole Woodroffe, president of the ISU College Republicans, defended the war in Iraq.

“The Saddam Hussein regime was not a peaceful regime,” said Woodroffe, senior in political science. “They subjected their citizens to monstrous human-rights violations.”

She said on a day celebrating world peace, Americans should realize a world without Hussein is a more peaceful one.

“We’re helping Iraqis live in a more peaceful environment right now,” she said. “No one wants war, but sometimes it has to be a last resort. It’s sad but true.”

Carlie Tartakov, Ames resident and member of Alliance for Global Justice, another group helping to organize the vigil, said this week marks the third vigil held this year.

“We’re having the vigils every Wednesday now, and this will be our third one,” she said. “This one holds special significance because it falls on the International Day of Peace.”

“We feel that our soldiers need to be brought home,” Tartakov said.