The Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum and Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day
In 2005, on the 100th anniversary, local community groups celebrated the "spirit of the Treaty of Portsmouth." Dozens of organizations and hundreds of their volunteers celebrated the theme of a peace treaty reached with ordinary citizens providing a neutral, supporting atmosphere for peace. In 1905 in Portsmouth "an uncommon commitment to peace became a common virtue." In all, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Committee's community groups produced 45 events. Click here to learn more about all of the 100th Anniversary programs.
The Portsmouth Peace Treaty endures in the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum, established in 1994 as an organization committed to exploring diplomatic themes "in the spirit of the Treaty of Portsmouth." The Forum hosts this website, presents lectures and a traveling exhibit (under the auspices of the NH Humanities Council), sponsors special annual events (see Calendar) and presents the Theodore Roosevelt Nobel Peace Prize Commemoration each December. On December 12, 2009 the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum aired a complete and unedited rebroadcast of the Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony, taped December 10th in Oslo. The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate was President Barack Obama. (For the official announcement of the 2009 award click here.) Past guests have included Samantha Power (on citizen engagement in 2008), Dennis Ross (on Statecraft in 2007), Japanese Ambassador Ryozo Kato (who in 2005 on the 100th anniversary said "Diplomats love Portsmouth because here diplomacy actually worked") and Graham Allison, who joined Dr. Kimura and Dr. Sarkisov to present a follow-up to their Beyond Cold War to Trilateral Cooperation report. Click here for transcripts of past Forums.The Forum also supports a Curriculum Guide now in use in schools, an archival record of the 100th anniversary, a bibliography on the topic, and continued research. For details, click here.
Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day in New Hampshire
On August 17, 2010 NH Governor John Lynch signed a bill making September 5th "Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day" throughout New Hampshire in perpetuity. Each year, an official proclamation by the NH Governor will "call on the citizens of New Hampshire to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and acticitives commemorating this importnat piece of New Hampshire history." For the press release, click here.
NH State Senator Martha Fuller Clark with co-sponsors Senators Bob Odell, John Barnes and Maggie Hassan and NH State Representative Robin Read and House co-sponsors Representatives Jacqueline Cali-Pitts, Laura Pantelakos, David Watters and James Splaine introduced a bill (Senate 379) proclaim September 5th of each year as Portsmouth Peace Treaty Day. For the full text, click here.
The NH Senate passed the bill unanimously on January 13, 2010 and the NH House passed it Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Testifying in favor at the House Committee hearing were Secretary of State Bill Gardner, co-sponsors Senator Fuller-Clark and Representative Read; Portsmouth Assistant Mayor Nancy Clayburgh on behalf of Mayor Tom Ferrini; Charles Doleac, chairman of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty Forum; Steve Upton from the Japan-America Society of NH and Russia Society of NH; Sawako Gardner, member of the JASNH Board (by letter); and Don Alusic creator of a documentary about the Treaty.