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In addition, the festival proâ€" gram has been expanded by 50%, explained Dankowich, from 1:30 Dankowich noted the annual Peace Festival had grown in popuâ€" larity to "becoming one of the major events in Oakville." Last year, about 2,000 attended despite the rain and two years ago it drew its largest crowd ever at 3,500. This year‘s festival, to be held June 5th, is expected to draw an even larger crowd, with four speakers and 13 area bands and artists. The mandate of the ‘for human rights‘ theme includes: the right to live in peace, free from violence, war and political influence and abuse; the right to live in an enviâ€" ronmentally sound bioâ€"region; the right to equal partnership in sociâ€" ety and equal access to society‘s wealth; and the right to participate equally in decision making. At that point, one of the memâ€" bers "glanced toward our window for inspiration," and said: " ‘Why are we making statements ‘against‘ something? We should be looking at what we‘re for, and we‘re for human rights.‘ " The theme ‘for human rights‘ was born. "About 20 peace activists met (at the Community Centre) each being asked to come up with an idea for this year‘s theme," said Dankowich. "There‘s been a lot of concern about the increasing prevalence of racism in society and we felt that issue should be addressed. Then we thought someâ€" thing should be said about discrimâ€" ination in all of its various forms and guises, and the same for poverty and sexism." Over the years, the Coronation Park festival has evolved into a mix of music and speakers focusâ€" ing ona theme of peace. This year‘s focus is ‘for human rights.‘ "People have referred to it as a mini Woodstock," laughs Stephen Dankowich, director of the Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights. It may look like a ‘60s loveâ€"in, complete with tieâ€"dyed Tâ€"shirts and loveâ€"beads, but the Oakville Peace Festival is more than just a rock concert. The festival will also feature 30 booths including such groups as WHAM, the Halton Rape Crisis Centre, ACT for Disarmament, Voice of Women, Peace Magazine, Still involved with the local peace effort, LeFrancois headed the threeâ€"person entertainment committee and put the word out to local and area musicians to submit demo tapes and their comments and any music they had written with a peace theme. Of the 20 requests to perform, 14 were selected ranging from classic rock to reggae and Irish folk. Each music set will be 20 minutes. "Now the peace festival is makâ€" ing a statement for our community. About threeâ€"quarters of those who come are young people. There‘s no booze and no drugs, and the kids stay and have a wonderful time. What they want in their lives is peace, a clean environment . . . we should be listening to the message they are giving to the adults." "About 10 years ago we orgaâ€" nized the Mothers Day Peace Walk, and 50 to 100 of us would walk carrying banners," she said. "We felt a festival with speakers and music would draw more peoâ€" ple. "Our only hope for change is that everybody feels a responsibiliâ€" ty to make it a better world," comâ€" mented Bev LeFrancois of the Halton Rape Crisis Centre and WHAM (Women of Halton Action Movement) ‘which held the Mother‘s Day Peace Walk before it was changed into a peace festival six years ago â€" with LeFrancois as organizer. Speaking will be Mariam Bhabha of the Bosnianâ€"Canadian Relief Association, who in the past 1 1/2 years, has brought food, medical supplies and clothing to refugees; Rita Kohli, a Parkdale community activist who will talk about violence against women and children; Sally Galkezheyongar of the Native Women‘s Resource Centre in Toronto, an Ojibway woman sent away from the reserâ€" vation to boarding school at age 15 who now assists native women in adjusting to urban life. The fourth speaker will be Dankowich himâ€" self, addressing the human rights issue. "We‘re having more issues oriâ€" ented groups, outreach, and more nonâ€"profits groups coming this year," said Dankowich. Representing the 14 local and area bands to be performing at this year‘s Oakville Peace Festival are: Brendan Browne (left), Plaid Daddys; and Chris Brown, Master of Carpets and Legoland; second row from left: Dar Dowlat, Master of Oakville Baha‘is, Greenpeace, There will al Amnesty International, Junior food booths, eve Civitans, Peel Peace Makers, plus gie burgers‘ to ethnic groups. pizza, hot dogs 24â€"4â€"8 9 kg ea bands to be Peace Festival d Daddys; and and Legoland; lat, Master of Plaid Daddys. There will also be a variety of food booths, everything from "vegâ€" gie burgers‘ to ethnic cooking to pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers. And with food in mind, the donaâ€" tions of nonâ€"perishable food will be collected for Oakville FareShare Foodbank. Donations Carpets; Vince Galante, Plaid Daddys; Sara Nagy, Legoland; and Nadia Bhabha, Panacea and Legoland; and at back: Rick Gavin (left), Dead Wait; and Julian Vardy, Dead Wait and (Photo by Riziero Vertolli) will also be collected to help defray costs of staging the festival. The Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights is a nonâ€"profit orgaâ€" nization run by volunteers, includâ€" ing its director. For more informaâ€" tion. call the centre at 849â€"5501. FRIDAY, MAY 21, 1993 PAGE FF13 The Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights is a nonâ€"profit orgaâ€" nization run by volunteers, includâ€" ing its director. For more informaâ€" tion, call the centre at 849â€"5501. Gallery hosts Group of Seven Page 14