ICUJP 2026 Regas Courageous Peacemaker Awards/Looking Back, Looking Forward

Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace celebrates 25 years of action and advocacy for a kinder and more just world - Join us!
About this Event

2026 George F. Regas Courageous Peacemaker Awards:
Looking Back, Looking Forward: 25 Years of ICUJP

ICUJP exists because of an extraordinary peace advocate - the late Rev. George F. Regas. In the days after 9/11, the former rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena brought together Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Quaker, and other faith leaders and activists in Los Angeles to oppose the forces pressing for war and its devastating consequences. In his honor, every year we have recognized the work of other Peace advocates through the George F. Regas Courageous Peacemaker Awards. Previous recipients have included Rev. Desmond Tutu, the Poor People’s Campaign, Black Lives Matter - Los Angeles, Rev. James Lawson, and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.
Join us for our 2026 George F. Regas Courageous Peacemaker Awards as we honor:
- Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories
- Stephen Rohde, constitutional lawyer, lecturer, writer and political activist.
- Chris Ponnet, Director St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care/LAC+USC Medical Center. (postumously)
- Bishop John Taylor, former Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles
- Rick Steves, travel writer, activist, and host of Rick Steves' Europe on PBS
- Pasadenans For Palestine
As Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace celebrates 25 years of action and advocacy for a kinder and more just world, we want to remember those that were on this journey from the start - the people that came together just after the horrors of September 11th, 2001, and saw that the faith and activist communities needed to speak with one voice, and say that Religious Communities Must Stop Blessing War and Violence.
We hope that you will join us on Sunday, September 27th, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, as we look back to our founding, look forward to the task ahead, and honor courageo peacemakers who keep our struggle for justice and peace alive.
Please join us!
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Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace has been working to end the fearmongering and vengefulness sweeping much of our nation since shortly after September 11th, 2001. When great activists and civic leaders such as Rev. James Lawson, Rabbi Leonard Beerman, Dr. Maher Hathout and many others came together under the vision of Rev. George Regas, the idea that “religious communities must stop blessing war and violence” was considered extreme and confrontational.
Today, there is a new benchmark for being extreme and confrontational - our government and its leaders are actively working towards creating a Fascist America, with the benefit of weak and ineffective push back from the opposition. Every day brings a new political scandal, a new attack on democratic norms, a new reason to panic and just give up.
But through all of it, one thing keeps us steady: our nation has seen much worse, and we will trumph again.
We have endured and spead our message through very trying times - five Presidents, four California Governors, and numerous crises and issues that would shake the resolve of even the most devout and dedicated of activists. But through it all, we go forward in our mission to be the voice for "the least of these", and our determination to create the change we want to see in the world, no matter how vocal and effective the opposition can seem.

For 25 years we have worked for justice and peace, and we don't plan on stopping anytime soon. As our chairperson Steve Rohde says, we are built for this, and we are in this work for the long term.
ICUJP operates as a largely volunteer organization with a small part-time paid staff. We have survived for over twenty years through the generosity of individuals and organizations like you. We are honored to be with you in the struggle for Justice and Peace.

There’s still a long road ahead. But if you’re here reading this, we’re already stronger than they want us to be.

Thank you for being with us. Please consider helping ICUJP in its mission.