GREENFIELD — Local organizers and activists are planning to bring forward a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza to the Greenfield City Council as early as the body’s March meeting.

The resolution’s organizers, who are bringing the matter forward through a change.org petition, are seeking for the council to support calls for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, which they say could help put pressure on state and federal officials, who have the ability to influence foreign policy.

“Our group a month or two ago started talking about the idea of trying to organize local municipal cease-fire resolutions as a strategy to put pressure on state and federal decision-makers, as well as to increase our organizing capacity on the very hyperlocal municipal level,” said Molly Merrett, who launched the petition in partnership with several local activist groups, including Western Mass. Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), Jewish Voice for Peace Western Mass. and Massachusetts Peace Action, among others.

“It makes a statement,” Merrett continued. “It sends a message to state and federal decision-makers that the majority of the American public want a permanent cease-fire and they are not representing us by not calling for this to happen.”

The resolution expected to come before Greenfield’s City Council joins a growing number of similar efforts around the region, state and country — at least 50 cities around the U.S. have approved resolutions calling for some form of peace, according to a Feb. 2 report from Reuters.

In Massachusetts, Cambridge, Somerville and Medford have passed resolutions calling for a cease-fire, while Boston’s City Council withdrew its resolution at this week’s meeting. Locally, resolutions are being brought forward to city councils in Greenfield, Northampton and Easthampton, as well as Amherst’s Town Council.

Paki Wieland, another organizer behind the Greenfield resolution and a longtime activist, said change can start at the local level and it all comes down to making people aware of events, because effective action cannot be taken if people are not informed.

“It’s the closest part of the government to the people, so that’s why it’s important to invite our local government to speak out on issues,” Wieland said. “When we do this, when city councils take these stands, it exposes our larger officials, particularly our senators and congresspeople. That’s what we want; they’re the ones that make the laws.”

While resolutions may not make any concrete change when they are passed, Wieland said they can raise local awareness of issues, leading to change down the line.

“In a sense, resolutions don’t have teeth, but they are an opportunity for moral engagement. … I think it raises consciousness, it raises awareness,” Wieland said. “That’s part of what we all need: to become more aware of the world we live in. That leads us to feel more empowered, to take action, to speak out.”

The resolution is expected to come before the City Council at its March 20 meeting. The cease-fire petition can be viewed at bit.ly/3SYXiwt.

Both Merrett and Wieland encourage folks to continue demonstrating in support of a cease-fire by joining groups like Western Mass. SURJ or joining the weekly Greenfield Common standouts on Saturday mornings from 11 a.m. to noon. Merrett said people can contact her by emailing westernmasssurj@gmail.com.

“We’re doing grassroots organizing in our community in order to build local power. If we pass this, we can move onto the next thing and work on other issues that affect us locally,” Merrett said, adding that people can “push for the changes we need and want to see in Greenfield, Massachusetts and the whole country.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.