Dear  LI Alliance friends,

Please join us at our Annual Commoration of Gandhi’s Legacy of Nonviolence and our celebration of Mike D’Innocenzo’s 55 years at Hofstra and the launch of the Institute for Peace at the Center for Civic Engagement at Hofstra University on October 1st at 7 p.m

After 55 years at Hofstra University, our much beloved and esteemed colleague and LI Alliance board member, Professor Michael D’Innocenzo is officially retiring. However, he will continue to actively work on Center for Civic Engagement projects. Mike’s extraordinary career exemplifies the citizen scholar who has provided continual, outstanding service to the Hofstra community and to those beyond our campus.

In recognition of his enormous contributions and at his request, we are establishing an Institute for Peace Studies at the Center for Civic Engagement. The Institute will make Hofstra a key, active player in constructively transforming local, national and transnational conflicts ranging from hate crimes and gang violence to terrorism and warfare.

To make a contribution to the Institute for Peace Studies endowment, please make out a check to Hofstra University with “IPS-CCE” in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to IPS-CCE Endowment, c/o Development Office, 102 Hofstra Hall, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549.

We will use the occasion of CCE and Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives’ Annual Gandhi Commemoration of the International Day of Nonviolence to celebrate Mike and to formally launch the Institute for Peace Studies. We invite you to attend an evening of poetry and songs that help to “secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence” (UN General Assembly resolution A/Res/61/271). The program will take place on Thursday, October 1^st from 7-8:30pm in the Leo Guthart Cultural Center Theater with a special performance by THE PEACE POETS. This event is free and open to the public, so please join us and encourage your friends to attend.

For information about IPS, contact: Professor Gregory M. Maney, 516-463-6182 or Margaret Melkonian, 516-741-4360.