Leavenworth Mother’s Day gathering calls attention to children affected by conflict

LEAVENWORTH — Community members gathered for a Mother’s Day Rally on May 10, calling attention to the loss of children in conflicts and violence around the world during the past 18 months.

The afternoon gathering focused on honoring grieving mothers and raising awareness about the impact of war and gun violence on children and families, said organizers. Organizers added that the gathering was inspired by the origins of Mother’s Day, including the first Mother’s Day proclamation by Julia Ward Howe in 1870.

Howe was an abolitionist, women’s rights advocate, peace activist, and author of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Confronted with the aftermath of the Civil War and the unfolding Franco-Prussian war, Howe called upon mothers to unite in the cause of peace and to honor women who had lost spouses and children to war.

In the spirit of Howe’s proclamation, Upper Valley Indivisible members Kay Lisch, Tom and Judy Derpack, and Georgia Bakke Tulle created a public display honoring mothers grieving the deaths of children caused by war and gun violence.

During the event, speakers cited several statistics during the gathering related to children affected by violence and conflict worldwide. They said recent conflicts involving the United States, Israel and Iran have resulted in the deaths of approximately 340 children. The figure was reported by UNICEF in late March. They also shared UNICEF data indicating that more than 520 million children worldwide live in conflict zones, which they said is more than double the number living in conflict areas during the 1990s. 

The speakers highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, referencing the estimated 20,000 children that have been killed there since October 2023, according to Save the Children. They also addressed gun violence in the U.S., citing a study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which found that firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens nationwide.

Participants said the event was intended to focus on children affected by violence rather than promote a political message.

“We wanted to honor grieving mothers everywhere and remind people that every child lost to violence is a loss to all humanity,” organizers said.