03/01 ­ 08/05
March ­ August, the Association of World Citizens will present an Online Regional Meetings Symposium (in 15 countries) on how world citizens and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can convince or pressure governments to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) they adopted by consensus in 2000. This project is in preparation for the UN Summit in New York in September. "The decisions to be taken there may determine the whole future of the United Nations." - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The project will conclude at the Association of World Citizens conference "Ending War and Organized Violence - The Failure of Global Empire and the Birth of Global Community" at the University of San Francisco, August 2 ­5, 2005. Contact: www.worldcitizens.org or call (415) 541-9610.

05/01 ­ 10/31
May through October. The 2005 Yerba Buena Gardens Festival will feature more than 150 artistic, cultural and community events in Yerba Buena Gardens, on Mission Street between Third and Fourth Streets in San Francisco. The events are all free to the public and include popular and operatic music series, cultural festivals, dance performances, international music concerts, visual art exhibits, theater, spoken word performances, and family and children's programming in the Rooftop Gardens and Carousel Plaza of Yerba Buena Gardens. Contact Linda Lucero, (415) 543-1718 or visit www.ybgf.org.

08/01
In August. The annual Multi-Cultural Poetry Reading and potluck is co-sponsored by Artists Embassy International, Redwood Empire Chinese Association and Poets of the Vineyard each August. Our pick-a-partner is a unique reading where people find a poem they like then pick a partner to read it in another language. Many bilingual books are available as well as original poetry in translation. Contact www.artistsembassy.org or Natica Angilly at naticaaei@aol.com or (415) 681-0618.

09/21
Wednesday, September 21. Pathways To Peace and We The Peoples Initiative (WPI), a UN-designated Peace Messenger Initiative, will be honoring the sixtieth Anniversary of the UN with its 24th Annual Celebration of the United Nations International Day of Peace, and cooperative activities amongst its over 270 international peace building organizations worldwide. Contact Avon Mattison, (415) 461-0500.

10/01
Saturday, October 1, 12:00 noon ­ 4:00 pm at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. Artists Embassy International presents the Dancing Poetry Festival. Ten or more dance troupes and up to 43 poets to perform. Three poems are chosen to be choreographed and danced at this performance. Contact www.artistsembassy.org or Natica Angilly at naticaaei@aol.com or (415) 681-0618.