The Rules of War
Humanity in the Midst of War: An Introduction to International Humanitarian Law Workshop
Tuesday, June 18, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
American Red Cross
2916 E. Broadway Blvd.
RSVP by June 14 to Elissa Maish, 318-6861 or email International.SouthernArizona.AZ@redcross.org
After witnessing the aftermath of a battle between French and Austrian armies in Italy in 1859, Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman, argued for change.
In a book titled A Memory of Solferino, Dunant expressed the need for an international treaty among nations to protect people involved in the conflict as well as the need for a neutral organization to tend to the wounded and sick, according to Elissa Maish, program manager of International Services for the Red Cross.
Dunant's efforts gave birth to the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions.
Although the Red Cross movement has reached every country in the world, and nearly all countries have signed on to the Geneva Conventions, many people are not aware of the laws of armed conflict.
Several times a year, the Red Cross educates the public about the rules of war, from international humanitarian law to the Geneva Conventions and the protection of human dignity.
One such rule is that parties involved in a war should be able to distinguish between a civilian and a combatant, Maish said.
"And that's become very challenging, as you can imagine, because it's not like the way it used to be where armies have uniforms and you could tell who your enemy was," Maish said. "There are rules and principles around armed conflict to protect noncombatants."
Maish said she hopes the free workshop will raise awareness, adding that it is very lively and topical.
"What we always hope for is to have a good class with a lot of discussion," said Cris Gumbmann, a volunteer for the Red Cross and an instructor at the workshops. "We try to encourage people to have conversations about these things."—A.D.
Beyond the Backstop
Baseball: Behind the Scenes with the Tucson Padres
5:30 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 19
Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium Press Box
2500 E. Ajo Way
370-0588; featsaz.com
If you have ever wondered how a minor league baseball team operates, an event on Wednesday might be your last chance while Tucson still has a team in town.
"Mike Feder, the general manager of the Tucson Padres, is a wonderful guy and he invited us to come in and is going to host us in the press box. So really it's going to be a behind-the-scenes peek at the management of the Padres," said Mia Hansen of the Festival Event Association of Tucson and Southern Arizona, or FEATSAZ.
The evening will also include a discussion with Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías about what will happen to Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium when the Padres move to El Paso, Texas, next season.
"Anybody is invited to come," Hansen said. "Primarily we are open to the people involved in the event business in any way. It could be people who are in media, people who volunteer at events, food vendors, artists, entertainers."
The event includes a no-host bar and $1 hot dogs.
Because of the size of the press box, attendance will be limited, said Hansen, who estimates the press box can hold about 75 people. "You don't have to preregister, but we are asking people to, just so we have an idea of how many people are showing up."
The cost is $5 for FEATSAZ members and $10 for nonmembers.—D.E.
Something's Growing
The Kino Heritage Fruit Trees Project
Noon, Friday, June 14
Joel D. Valdez Main Library
101 N. Stone Ave.
791-4010; desertmusem.org/center/kinofruittrees.php
Although "citrus" is one of Arizona's five C's, you don't see a lot of fruit trees in Southern Arizona these days. A lecture this week will focus on both the history and future of these plants in the area.
"We have someone coming out from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and essentially what they've been doing is researching about the trees," said Karen Greene, a librarian at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library. "There used to be orchards of fruit trees" in the Tucson area," she said. "And over time a lot of those trees disappeared, but essentially they found original species that Father Kino brought to the Sonoran (Desert). The public can buy them and they've also been planted in the Mission Gardens over by 'A' Mountain. They're re-establishing these trees."
Greene said she first heard a discussion of the Kino heritage trees when she worked at the Green Valley library and said "I'm looking forward to hearing it again. The person that will give the talk has been very involved in this project. A part of the lecture will talk about what happened to these trees and why they're not in Southern Arizona anymore."
Attendance is limited to 40 people, Greene said. You can register either by phone or online. The lecture is free and free parking is available during the lecture.—D.E.
When Cultures Overlap
Tucson's 43rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration; The Dragon Salutes Juneteenth
Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Donna Liggins Recreation Center
2160 N. Sixth Ave.
292-6900 for tour reservations
For the 43rd year in a row, the Tucson community will hold a festival to celebrate Juneteenth, which marks the day when the last African-American slaves were freed in Texas, more than two year after the Emancipation Proclamation.
"We're focusing on how we can educate the public on Juneteenth, and what it represents—the freedom day for African-Americans here in America, and American history," said Esther Sharif, coordinator and chairwoman of the festival.
According to Sharif, both indoor and outdoor activities will be free to the public, including children's activities as well as several live performances and guest speakers, including Mayor Jonathan Rothschild.
"I try to attend Juneteenth every year because it's an important historic date to remember," Rothschild wrote in an email. "People fought for these freedoms and we still struggle for equality. We need to celebrate our historic successes and continue to dedicate ourselves to full equality for all."
In the spirit of Juneteenth, the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center will host a "rolling history" bus tour the same day titled "The Dragon Salutes Juneteenth."
The rolling history tour will begin at 4:30 p.m. and will take participants to neighborhoods where Chinese history overlaps with African-American history, according to Robin Blackwood of the cultural center.
"I think it'll be really fun," Blackwood said. "What's wonderful about Tucson is that the strength of the city, I believe, is in these little historic neighborhoods, and all of these diverse people and cultures that populated them and still populate them."
The Juneteenth festival is free and the Rolling History Party costs $15.—A.D.
