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About CPNN Coordinator

Dr David Adams is the coordinator of the Culture of Peace News Network. He retired in 2001 from UNESCO where he was the Director of the Unit for the International Year for the Culture of Peace, proclaimed for the Year 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly. View all posts by CPNN Coordinator →

South America: A ‘sweeping’ win for the oceans that you didn’t hear about

. . SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT . .

A blog by Scott Henderson on the Conservation Blog

Today [September 15] is the first day of the Our Ocean conference, an annual event hosted by the United States to seek commitments for protecting the ocean. The conference comes on the heels of historic commitments made last week from the presidents of Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador, who declared their intention to expand their countries’ pledges to ocean protection. Human Nature sat down with Scott Henderson, vice president of Conservation International (CI)’s Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape program, to discuss the significance of these commitments, which have largely avoided widespread attention so far.

The presidents of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica make their historic announcement. (© Conservation International/photo by Scott Henderson)

Question: What did the presidents of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica announce?

Answer: Ecuador reiterated its commitment to rezoning the Galápagos Marine Reserve, beginning with the creation of a 36,000-square-kilometer (13,900-square-mile) fully protected sanctuary in the northwest of the reserve. Colombia stated their intention to quadruple the size (to more than 27,000 square kilometers, or 10,425 square miles) of the fully protected Malpelo Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. Costa Rica announced their intention to create a 10,000-square-kilometer (3,861-square-mile) fully protected area around Cocos National Park.

Here’s why it matters: These three presidents made sweeping commitments that could transform the way their ocean resources are managed, generating incredible benefits for their people. These commitments were made during a ceremony to celebrate the culmination of nearly 30 years of negotiations to agree on the definitive maritime borders between the three countries. Sitting behind these commitments is the growing recognition that creating marine reserves is not a wasted economic opportunity, but just the opposite: President Rafael Correa of Ecuador emphasized that industrial fishermen have told him they are one of the main beneficiaries of the Galápagos Marine Reserve. Effectively, the reserve has served as a massive fish “bank” that pays out “interest” to those that scoop up the abundant spillover on the reserve boundaries.

Q: What do these announcements mean for ocean conservation and ocean health?

A: President Correa was quick to note the strong ecological connections — uncovered over the past decade through the work of CI and partners — between Galápagos, Malpelo and Cocos Island. Together they make up the world’s densest cluster of UNESCO Marine World Heritage Sites along with Panama’s Coiba National Park. He emphasized three critical factors that national leaders have often failed to heed and act on. First, small areas provide protection for highly mobile species, especially large pelagic species such as sharks, turtles, rays, whales, seabirds, tuna and billfish. Second, strong protection in just one big area is not enough because these species spend different parts of their life cycles in different places. Third, big reserves in the middle of the ocean don’t do enough — these species often breed, feed or rest in coastal areas that are being lost to development or degraded by pollution.

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Question for this article:

If we can connect up the planet through Internet, can’t we agree to preserve the planet?

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To give you a sense of the import of this announcement: President Luis Solís of Costa Rica called it “transcendental,” and President Correa emphasized that it is one of the best moments in history for these three nations to cooperate to achieve shared goals. This historic announcement is nothing less than the declaration of a new sustainable development model that puts ocean management at the forefront of national strategies to improve the livelihoods of millions of people. These Latin American leaders have risen to the front of the global pack to act on their belief that marine conservation is a wise investment, not an economic drain.

Q: Describe the biodiversity of this region.

A: The Galápagos Marine Reserve, Malpelo Sanctuary, Cocos Island National Park and Coiba National Park are the crown jewels of the ETPS — the marine version of Africa’s Serengeti. As in the case of the Serengeti where vast herds of large migratory mammals and dependent predators follow seasonal changes, in the ETPS vast populations of iconic migratory marine species — sharks, turtles, rays, whales, seabirds, tuna and billfish — surge back and forth in response to seasonal changes in water temperature and food availability. In fact, these protected areas have registered the highest density of sharks recorded anywhere on Earth and some of the highest fish biomass (total weight per unit area) ever recorded. Cocos is world-renowned for its massive groups of hammerhead sharks and tiger sharks. Coiba is home to the region’s largest coral formations and numerous turtle nesting beaches. Malpelo’s large schools of silky sharks are a major attraction for divers and underwater photographers. Galápagos is home to rare and endemic marine species such as Galápagos penguins and sea lions, as well as more than a third of the world’s whales and dolphin species.

The marine “highways” that connect these sites are some of the world’s great tuna fishing grounds. The coasts that border the ETPS are covered with mangroves, which serve as nurseries for many of these iconic species, and the beaches are nesting grounds for sea turtles.

Q: What are the challenges to making these new protections happen?

A: To make the most of this opportunity three key things must happen. First, the three leaders need to garner support from key constituencies in their countries, especially industrial fishermen and related businesses. Second, these leaders and the full range of ministries that create and implement marine policy in these countries — Environment, Fisheries, Defense, Foreign Relations, Finance and Tourism — will have to all pull in the same direction towards a shared vision of building prosperity around marine conservation and management. Third, the international community will have to be prepared to respond with funding to help overcome the barriers that currently stand in the way of the ETPS becoming an outstanding example of ocean-based development.

There has never been a more promising moment in this region’s marine history.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

October 2, 2016Latin America, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTLatin AmericaCPNN Coordinator

India: Buddhist nuns bike Himalayas to oppose human trafficking

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article by Nita Bhalla for Nonviolent Conflict News with credit to Thomson Reuters Foundation,

– Clad in black sweatpants, red jackets and white helmets, the hundreds of cyclists pedaling the treacherously steep, narrow mountain passes to India from Nepal could be mistaken for a Himalayan version of the Tour de France. The similarity, however, ends there. This journey is longer and tougher, the prize has no financial value or global recognition and the participants are not professional cyclists but Buddhist nuns from India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

Five hundred nuns from the Buddhist sect known as the Drukpa Order, on Saturday complete a 4,000-km (2,485 mile) bicycle trek from Nepal’s Kathmandu to the northern city of Leh in India to raise awareness about human trafficking in the remote region.

Photo Credit: Live To Love International / Handout via Reuters

“When we were doing relief work in Nepal after the earthquakes last year, we heard how girls from poor families were being sold because their parents could not afford to keep them anymore,” 22-year-old nun Jigme Konchok Lhamo told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“We wanted to do something to change this attitude that girls are less than boys and that it’s okay to sell them,” she said, adding that the bicycle trek shows “women have power and strength like men.”

South Asia may boast women leaders and be home to cultures that revere motherhood and worship female deities, but many girls and women live with the threat of violence and without many basic rights.

From honor killings in Pakistan to foeticide in India and child marriage in Nepal, women face a barrage of threats, although growing awareness, better laws and economic empowerment are bringing a slow change in attitudes.

“KUNG FU” NUNS

The bicycle trek, from Nepal into India, is nothing new for the Drukpa nuns.

This is the fourth such journey they have made, meeting local people, government officials and religious leaders to spread messages of gender equality, peaceful co-existence and respect for the environment.

They also deliver food to the poor, help villagers get medical care and are dubbed the “Kung Fu nuns” due to their training in martial arts.

Led by the Gyalwang Drukpa, head of the Drukpa Order, the nuns raise eyebrows, especially among Buddhists for their unorthodox activities.

“Traditionally Buddhist nuns are treated very differently from monks. They cook and clean and are not allowed to exercise. But his Holiness thought this was nonsense and decided to buck the trend,” said Carrie Lee, president of Live to Love International, a charity which works with the Drukpa nuns to support marginalised Himalayan communities.

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Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

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“Among other things, he gave them leadership roles and even introduced Kung Fu classes for the nuns after they faced harassment and violence from the general public who were disturbed by the growing shift of power dynamics,” she said.

Over the last 12 years, the number of Drukpa nuns has grown to 500 from 30, said Lee, largely due to the progressive attitudes of the 53-year-old Gyalwang Drukpa, who was inspired by his mother to become an advocate for gender equality.

The Gyalwang Drukpa also participates in the bicycle journeys, riding with the nuns as they pedal through treacherous terrain and hostile weather and camp out in the open.

“PRAYING IS NOT ENOUGH”

The Drukpa nuns say they believe they are helping to change attitudes.

“Most of the people, when they see us on our bikes, think we are boys,” said 18-year-old nun Jigme Wangchuk Lhamo.

“Then they get shocked when we stop and tell them that not only are we girls, but we are also Buddhist nuns,” she said. “I think this helps change their attitudes about women and maybe value them as equals.”

South Asia, with India at its centre, is also one of the fastest growing regions for human trafficking in the world.

Gangs dupe impoverished villagers into bonded labour or rent them to work as slaves in urban homes, restaurants, shops and hotels. Many girls and women are sold into brothels.

Experts say post-disaster trafficking has become common in South Asia as an increase in extreme events caused by global warming, as well as earthquakes, leave the poor more vulnerable.

The breakdown of social institutions in devastated areas creates difficulties securing food and supplies, leaving women and children at risk of kidnapping, sexual exploitation and trafficking.

Twin earthquakes that struck Nepal in April and May 2015, which killed almost 9,000 people, left hundreds of thousands of families homeless and many without any means of income, led to an increase in children and women being trafficked.

More than 40,000 children lost their parents, were injured or were placed in precarious situations following the disaster, according to Nepali officials.

The Drukpa nuns said the earthquakes were a turning point in their understanding of human trafficking and that they felt a need to do more than travel to disaster-hit mountain villages with rice on their backs.

“People think that because we are nuns, we are supposed to stay in the temples and pray all the time. But praying is not enough,” said Jigme Konchok Lhamo.

“His Holiness teaches us that we have go out and act on the words that we pray. After all, actions speak louder than words,” she said.

(Thank you to Janet Hudgins, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

October 2, 2016East Asia, WOMEN'S EQUALITYEast AsiaCPNN Coordinator

Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue sparks ‘young energy’

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from China.org

Twenty-three years after Samuel Huntington’s popular book “The Clash of Civilizations” was published and aroused calls for dialogue between different civilizations, it is still as relevant as ever in the current era of regional confrontations and inter-religious mistrust. In this context, and through an initiative with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Chinese Ministry of Education, the first Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue opened on Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, in the southwestern city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

Around 200 young delegates from 46 countries of the Asia-Pacific region gathered to discuss how to build a nexus between Asia Pacific civilizations, cultures, social cohesion, respect for diversity and peace building, as well as engaging with the youth as agents of change and custodians of the future regionally and internationally.

The initiative coincides with the call of the country’s policymakers to boost regional cooperation and development as President Xi Jinping proposed in a speech last year at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). This, he said, could act as a platform to enhance interactions among young people, local communities and the media and to form a network of cooperation.

Dr. Marielza Oliveira, director and UNESCO representative to the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea, said at the opening ceremony, “The youth delegates here are chosen from thousands of applicants and represent the best, the brightest and the most committed who come together to discuss what needs to be done to defend the dignity of all human beings.”

She called for young people to act on the domestic and international problems they face, citing the fact that British youth might be the hardest hit by the Brexit scenario due to their inaction before and during the referendum.

Robert H. Xiao, CEO of Perfect World Co., Ltd., China’s online gaming giant and sponsor of the event, highlighted three keywords, i.e. communication, hope and responsibility, as his expectations for the young people.

“Communication is the foundation on which Asian young people can build mutual understanding, find mutual benefits and grow together,” said Xiao. “Communication among Asian countries and among young people in particular, is an important source of confidence and recognition of Asian civilization.”

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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“It is also the basis for Asian people to build mutual understanding and benefits, and achieve joint development.”

When asked about his expectation for the event, Andrew Lesa, a youth delegate and also a diplomat from New Zealand told China.org.cn he wanted to see actions in earnest following the event.

“At a lot of meetings, all we do is talk.” He hoped that after the meeting and when everyone had returned home, there could be tangible projects and activities staged in their respective countries on the important agenda items of the event so as to “make a difference on the ground.”

Hoe Wee Kiat, a youth delegate from Singapore, told China.org.cn the event could enable them to learn about each other’s culture and civilization. “Youth can be agents of change, and they should be more proactive and take the initiative in making a positive difference.”

The three-day event is envisioned as a dynamic and participatory event utilizing a combination of plenary lectures and workshops organized both thematically and sub-regionally, and fun activities to provide learning and networking opportunities for the youth.

According to the organizer, the initiative is a follow-up to discussions on Young Global Citizens for a Sustainable Planet in 2015 and leads up to the 2017 Asian Civilization Dialogue Forum in China.

October 2, 2016East Asia, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATIONEast AsiaCPNN Coordinator

English bulletin October 1, 2016

. . . PEACE DAY 2016 . . .

There are indications that millions of people took part in this year’s International Day of Peace. For example, in the United States, Campaign Nonviolence mobilized more than 600 actions in all 50 states. Last year, according to Peace One Day “an estimated 1.5 billion people were exposed to Peace Day messages through activities ranging from dances to media campaigns.”

These mobilizations carry on an important tradition. At the beginning of this century, UNESCO and the United Nations mobilized 75 million people to sign the “Manifesto 2000” as part of the International Year for the Culture of Peace with the greatest number of signatures in India, Brazil, Colombia and South Korea. In 2005 and again in 2010, there was a mobilization for the UN International Decade for a Culture of Peace and we published reports from a thousand civil society organizations around the globe.

In recent years, the most universal mobilization for peace has been carried out at the local and national level for the International Day of Peace, September 21. During the International Peace Decade, detailed reports were gathered and published by the NGO Pathways to Peace. Their annual report in 2009 described 700+ events. However, in recent years, we have complained that there has not been an adequate survey of its global scope. of Peace Day events.

Therefore, this year CPNN has undertaken such a survey, using the International Day of Peace as the key word for a search in Google News during the week before and after 21 September, and by searching in a wide range of languages, including English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Ukrainian, Portuguese, Italian, and German. We have come up with 182 events in 85 countries.

Looking at the maps generated by this survey, we may remark the following:

1) The celebration is universal. The maps are filled from every region: USA/Canada, Latin America/Caribbean, Western Europe, Africa, Arab States, Russia/Ukraine, and Asia/Pacific. Gaps, such as Scandinavia and Eastern Europe can be explained by our failure to enlarge the search to include all of the national languages in these regions, not to mention the many national languages in Asia.

2) The celebration is especially intense in some of most conflictual regions of the world, such as the Ukraine, Kashmir/India/Pakistan, and Colombia/Venezuela. To this list we may add the United States.

Looking at the events listed from the Ukraine, one is struck by the fact that there is a more or less equal number of celebrations reported in the national language (from the western part of the country) and in Russian (from the eastern part of the country). Many of the articles describe a longing for the shared peace that they had in the past and have lost following the installation of a right-wing government in recent years. For example, from the Lutsk gymnasium №4z in the West Ukraine: “Previously, the streets of our country were peaceful, but the events today in the east of our country are effecting everyone, including students and teachers.” From Kovelchany “Now the concept of peace is more than ever important for our country.” And from Dnipropetrovsk in the East Ukraine: “Every day we help peaceful people affected by the war – displaced and wounded. This is the reality of peace and unity in our country today”

Looking at the events listed for Peace Day from India and Pakistan concerning Kashmir, we find references to recent bloodshed. From Mirpur, Pakistan : “The participants strongly condemned the increased human rights abuses by the Indian occupational forces in occupied Jammu & Kashmir.” And from Doraha, India “The volunteers condemned the attack on Indian soldiers at Uri Brigade Headquarters.”

The news is good from Colombia. . So it is not surprising that there are many positive celebrations of the Day of Peace associated in this country that is emerging from a half century of civil war. For example, in Tunja, Boyaca, Colombia : “To commemorate the international day of peace, the biggest event took place in San Pablo de Borbur where at least 300 young leaders from 14 to 28 years old met to share experiences during the First Meeting of Youth for Peace of Western Boyaca. They are young leaders from the municipalities of Chiquinquirá, Buenavista, Coper, La Victoria, San Miguel de Sema, Pauna, Quípama, Muzo, Briceño, Caldas, Maripí, Otanche, Tununguá, San Pablo de Borbur y Saboya.”

On the other hand, the articles from their neighbor, Venezuela, are divided along the conflict lines. Here is another country which, like the Ukraine, has suffered from America/European support to overthrow a left-wing government. For example, from Maiquetia, Vargas, Venezuela : “The people of Vargas . . . marked the beginning of activities of the International Week of Peace, in response to the guidelines of the President of the Republic, Nicolas Maduro, to reject the intentions of those who, from the right, want to promote the culture of violence to destabilize the country.”

The most extensive mobilization we could find was in the United States. The remarkable mobilization of Campaign Nonviolence is possible because of a growing awareness in that country of what they call an “epidemic of violence ” Participants in one of the day’s events protest the “ongoing US wars, proxy wars and military occupations, armed drones, US war crimes, and the increasing Pentagon budget,”

3) The largest number of events involve children, especially schoolchildren, in every part of the globe. A particularly moving example comes from Colombia where adults will soon vote in a referendum to ratify the peace accords. The rector of one of the schools sponsoring a mobilization of school children for Peace Day in Cartegana explained that ““Adults talk of ‘Yes or No’ because they are the ones who can vote in the plebiscite, but the children were not asked about this although it is they who will inherit a country at war or at peace.” She added that “what we say on this day is that children can also decide about peace.”

In the year 2000, 40% of the population of Colombia signed the Manifesto 2000, promising to promote a culture of peace in their daily lives. Now the people of Colombia are voting to ratify the peace accords and mobilizing their children to decide for peace. May they serve as our example in the gathering struggle to replace the culture of war by a culture of peace.

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION Celebration of the International Day of Peace around the world	WOMEN’S EQUALITY Africa: CEDEAO: Women are called on to establish a durable peace	DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION Mexico: Mancera opens the International Forum of ‘Mayors for Peace’	HUMAN RIGHTS The Elders welcome Myanmar peace conference
TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY United Nations: Inauguration of the Parliamentary Multi Track Initiative Council for the SDG’s and the Culture of Peace	SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT USA: Standoff at Standing Rock: Even Attack Dogs Can’t Stop the Native American Resistance	DISARMAMENT AND SECURITY 600+ Campaign Nonviolence Events Across USA Next Week!	EDUCATION FOR PEACE Snowden: Best Film of the Year

October 1, 2016d-informationenglish bulletinCPNN Coordinator

Celebration of the International Day of Peace around the world

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

We found 182 events in 85 counties for the International Day of Peace listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-24 under the key words for the International Day of Peace in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Ukrainian and Arabic. We may assume that that there were articles in other national languages that are not listed here. For details, click on one of the following seven regions listed after the map.

For details of the map, click here and then enlarge by repeatedly clicking on the “+” sign of the map enlargements.

As you can see from the preceding map, the events were rather evenly spread around the world. For maps by region and details about events, see the following.

From Canada and the United States there were articles about 38 events in 6 Canadian provinces and 30 US states in addition to over 600 actions organized by the Campaign Nonviolence.

From Africa there were articles about 16 events in 15 countries.

From the Arab states there were articles about 14 events in 11 countries.

From Asia there were articles about 22 events in 11 countries.

From Western Europe there were articles about 29 events in 8 countries.

From Russia and the Ukraine there were articles about 24 events.

From Latin America and the Caribbean there were articles about 39 events in 14 countries.

An analysis of the data is provided in this month’s CPNN bulletin.

(Survey continued in right column)

Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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In addition to local and national events, there were major international mobilizations for the International Day of Peace.:

At the United Nations , the Secretary-General celebrated the Day in the Peace Garden at United Nations Headquarters by ringing the Peace Bell and observing a minute of silence. Women Nobel Peace Prize laureates and the United Nations Messengers of Peace were invited to participate in the ceremony. And the United Nations Education Outreach Section hold a global student videoconference.

The African Union represented all of its countries in its campaign for “silencing of the guns” by 2020, while CEDEAO called for the women of West Africa to establish a durable peace in that region.

Choirs with a million singers around the world were said to have taken part in One Day One Choir to send a message of peace and unity on International Day of Peace.

Mayors and activists from around the world took part in an International Forum of ‘Mayors for Peace.‘

September 28, 2016FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, globalglobalCPNN Coordinator

Canada and the United States: The International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

As reported previously in CPNN, Campaign Nonviolence planned more than 600 actions, events, marches and demonstrations in a diverse array of cities and towns in each of the 50 states. As of September 29, links to 65 reports of these actions in the USA were listed on their website. Following up their mobilization as well as a national conference for a World Beyond War, activists engaged in civil disobedience at the Pentagon.

In order to obtain a general survey of events in the USA and Canada, we searched “Google News” for the week of 17-24 September by using the key phrases “International Day of Peace” or “Journée internationale de la paix.” For events elsewhere in the world click here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

As seen on the map above, there were articles about events in 6 provinces of Canada and 30 states of the United States.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Granby, Quebec Canada Peace marched with many faces when over a hundred Granby residents celebrated the International Day of Peace. “Granby is a host city for many immigrants from everywhere. We learn to live together with our differences. We have not all the same color or the same language, but the bottom line is that we learn to know ourselves, to live in peace and love, “said one of the organizers of the march, Brigitte de Souza.

Halifax, Nova Scotia Organizers behind a daylong peace festival held in Halifax on Saturday say the recent gun violence in the city highlights the need for more people to find peace within themselves. Peace Halifax was a free event that featured guest speakers, yoga, art and meditation. The festivities focused on creating inner peace to try and make the world more peaceful.

Edmonton, Alberta At a celebration to mark the International Day of Peace on Wednesday, Nina Delling, president of the Edmonton branch of the United Nations Association in Canada, asked “What are you willing to do for peace?” Following on examples of racist incidents in Edmonton, Taz Bouchier, a First Nations community elder, said. “To us, as indigenous people, it’s not news that people in the streets will call you names, that people will put you down for your skin colour or for your race of for your culture,” Bouchier said. “We pray for them.”

Niagara Falls, Ontario While the musical collective known as The Perpetual Peace Project is well known in the city, the Niagara Falls Public Library has started its own take. Organized by community development and program librarian Carrie Bosco in time for The International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, the Peace Project encourages visitors at all four branches — Victoria Avenue, Chippawa, Stamford and the MacBain Centre — to create origami peace doves.

Regina, Saskatchewan People walking by Regina City Hall will notice a new, but recognizable symbol flying out front today. On Tuesday, the city raised a peace flag to mark United Nations International Day of Peace, also known as World Peace Day. PeaceQuest Regina — which was formed in Kingston, Ont. — made the request to fly the flag in front of city hall. It will stay there until Sept. 22.

Nanaimo, British Columbia In the photo, Diane Bestwick, a member of Unity Church, carries the peace flag during a march along the Harbourfront Walkway at Maffeo Sutton Park as part of the Peace Party on Sunday. There was a multi-faith service, a peace march and ceremonies and entertainment to mark the International Day of Peace.

Austin, Texas Students at Montessori schools in Austin and across the world are going to sing a song to honor the peaceful day. It is called “Light a Candle for Peace.” Mayor Steve Adler, Police Chief Art Acevedo, musician Jackie Venson, and local teen poet Sabeen Noorani will celebrate Peace Day at a conference that will start at 10 a.m. in front of Austin City Hall.

Memphis, Tennessee Students at Cordova Elementary celebrated Wednesday’s International Day of Peace in a fun way. Kids in pre-k through 5th grade wore traditional clothes from other cultures and participated in a multi-cultural fair. Teachers say it’s important for students to be respectful of other cultures. “It’s not too early for them to learn about peace and conflict resolution and to respect others,” says pre-k teacher Chandra Madden. “Even if we’re different, we’re a lot alike.”

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Lisa Parker, of Strafford, started Peace Day Philly in 2010, and it’s grown every year since, becoming a nonprofit in 2013. In the last two years more than 3,500 people took part in PDP. Peace Day Philly events are planned from Sept. 18 to 24, including yoga, meditation, an international-themed festival, an interfaith dialogue, photos by Syrian refuge youth, a film, a concert and the Annual Sing Along for Peace. Peace Day Philly collaborates with some 30 organizations, with some separate events promoted under the Peace Day Philly umbrella, she said.

St Louis, Missouri Students at St. Louis Job Corps Center partnered with students at Harris-Stowe State University to organize a peace walk through the city in celebration of the International Day of Peace. The walk ended in Forest Park where a rally was held. Many residents who participated say they are concerned about the violence around the world and right here in St. Louis. So far, the City of St. Louis police department has investigated 145 murders this year alone. Participates shared their personal stories, dedicated to preventing and reducing violence from Afghanistan to the United States.

Dayton, Ohio Students from the Dayton Job Corps Center hosted a peace walk this morning to celebrate International Day of Peace. The walk was part of the national Job Corps student-led anti-violence initiative Youth 2 Youth: Partners 4 Peace The walk coincided with the Y2Y mission to promote anti-violence initiatives both on- and off-center. Students started Youth 2 Youth, or Y2Y, with three basic aims: to talk about violence and aggression in their communities, to empower one another to prevent violence and aggression, and to share their stories and talk about solutions, according to a release. Founded in the spring of 2015, Y2Y is a violence-prevention initiative created by and led by Job Corps students nationwide.

Richmond, Virgina As a part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Richmond Montessori School students participated in the International Day of Peace Sept. 21. Students gathered in the morning and joined 125,000 students in 65 countries to sing “Light a Candle for Peace.” (Watch their performance at https://youtu.be/j8hxHgZcoos.) “Our students dream about changing the world,” says Grainne Murray, Richmond Montessoris’ head of school. “Like Maria Montessori, we believe in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity, and we must fulfill her her dream by preparing students to live and work in an integrated world and to contribute to improving society.”

South Berwick, Maine The wind cooperated and animated the 390 pinwheels set out in front of Central School Wednesday afternoon. It was the school’s way of celebrating International Day of Peace. “Pinwheels for Peace” was organized by art teacher Brenda Stewart and librarian Michelle Jones. After brainstorming, students wrote a message of peace on one side of a piece of paper and created an art piece on the other side. Their creations were then folded into pinwheels and mounted on sticks. As you plant them, think of peace,” teacher Barbara Childress told her students.

Samoa, California On Wednesday, the Redwood Coast Montessori School held a day of celebration in honor of the United Nations International Day of Peace. It was a day to educate students on the importance of world peace. There was a multitude of events held starting with a parade. Students sang songs about peace, as they walked around the school track. They were holding a large paper dove, which was a representation of peace. Veterans and representatives from the Humboldt Chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom came to join in on the fun.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Children in Cedar Rapids joined kids from across the world to celebrate International Day of Peace. Cedar Valley Montessori School participated in the event called “Sing for Peace.” Children aged three to six years old sang a song titled, “Light A Candle For Peace.” Stacy Cataldo, who is the head of the school, said the event allowed the kids to learn about the meaning of peace. “Genuine connection is the basis of every peaceful relationship,” she said. “So we are trying to connect the children not just with one another, but with children all over the world.”

Tulsa, Oklahoma The students and staff of Tulsa Community College are rallying around the word “peace.” TCC hosted its annual International Day of Peace, but for the TCC community the day couldn’t have come at a better time. “To know that was a classmate amongst us was devastating,” student Nicole Lueker said. Terence Crutcher, 40, was a student at TCC. He told staff he was dedicated to completing his degree and becoming more successful. His dream was cut short five days ago when Crutcher was shot and killed by Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby. The circumstances are still under investigation. “It is very emotional because someone had to lose their life over that,” said Brittany Nunley, a member of the African American Student Association.

Washington, D.C. In honor of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, AU alumni Amanda Brenner and Amanda Molina will host a 24 hour nonviolence kickoff event on campus to benefit D.C. middle and high school students on Sept. 21. The event is targeted at empowering and educating youth from other D.C. wards with lower economic incomes that are racially segregated. Over 400 middle and high school students from the D.C. Public School system are expected to be bussed to AU, and others will arrive on their own, according to Brenner. The event will have a schedule of speakers, information booths and food.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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Denver, Colorado The University of Denver will celebrate International Day of Peace this Wednesday with a variety of events themed around “Many Stories, One DU.” The event is being hosted by the division of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence. While DU has recognized the International Day of Peace in the past, this is the first year the observance has been aligned with so many events on a larger scale, says University Chaplain Gary Brower, who organized the event. After the shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando in June and other shootings that took place this past summer, Brower proposed the larger-scale observance as a way to bring awareness and knowledge to the importance of peace.

Fayetteville, Arkansas Panel made up of six speakers launched the UA celebration of the United Nations International Day of Peace. The panel speakers included speakers of a religious background like, a professor of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, a Rabbi at Temple Shalom and the faculty advisor of the registered student organization Al-Islam. There were also speakers representing different ethnic backgrounds, such as an author and Holocaust survivor, an educator for the Black History Education Program, and the field director for the nonprofit Arkansas United Community Coalition. Panel members first shared their outlook on nonviolence in regards to their personal experiences.

Chicago, Illinois Maddi Jane and Jasmine Babers from the Chicago area were among several “influencers” who UN Assistant Secretary-General Ray Chambers tapped for the job getting the International Day of Peace message out in the Chicago area. The pair launched a Change.org petition for people to pledge 24 hours of non-violence on Wednesday and posted a video encouraging Chicagoans to share images of peace signs they’ve drawn on their hands on social media with the hashtags #HugForPeace, #PeaceDayChallenge and #WagePeace.

Oxford, Mississippi As World Day of Peace was observed around the globe Wednesday (Sept. 21), the University of Mississippi Concert Singers joined their voices as part of a worldwide choral cry for peace that live-streamed on the internet. Led by Don Trott, director of choral activities, the 50-member group participated in a worldwide effort to promote peace through the singing of a South African song titled “Ukuthula,” which translates into “peace.”

Notre Dame, Indiana On Tuesday, several Saint Mary’s students and faculty participated in activities celebrating the International Day of Peace. Campus minister Emily Sipos-Butler said the Day of Peace is a way to commemorate and strengthen acts of peace and nonviolence within the community.

Kealakekua, Hawaii For some students of Konawaena High School, the International Peace Day event Wednesday afternoon was much more than a conceptual celebration. The reason to hold the event was simple enough for Maianna Taylor, who served as one of the MCs and organizers. “What better way to invest your time than in something that celebrates peace?” she asked. “I’m calling it one of the darkest summers we’ve ever had,” she said, as this was a summer of the shooting in Orlando and other violence across the nation.The event included free food, art projects and decorating tiles for the 1001 Cranes mural. The tiles will be added to over the years, Obregon said, until the entire roof and upper walls of the entry hallway are covered.

Gadsden, Alabama “One week, one message, one goal.” As soon as the words left the mouth of Gadsden Job Corps Center Director Juvenel Levros, they were taken up as a cheer from students attending the Youth 2 Youth: Partners 4 Peace rally at the Carver Community Center on Wednesday. More than 250 students marched from the Job Corps center on Valley Street down Tuscaloosa Avenue to the Carver Community Center as part of a violence prevention initiative created and led by Job Corps students nationwide. The march and rally coincided with the International Day of Peace, which was recognized around the world Wednesday.

Hartford, Connecticut For the fourth year in a row, families can do yoga, make art and listen to music in what organizers call a “mini-Woodstock for children.” The International Day of Peace Celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in Elizabeth Park, organized by Music Together centers from around the state. “There are very few opportunities, unfortunately, for our children to see the grown-ups in their lives demonstrate acts of peace and togetherness with all of those around them,” co-organizer Catherine Denmead said. “We wanted to provide a way for people to show up and be present with us and really send that resounding wish into the world together.”

Midland, Michigan Creative 360 in Midland will host an International Day of Peace Family Celebration from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday. The program is open to the public and begins with the Jubileaus Hand Bell Ensemble from Trinity Lutheran Church, which will play a number of songs related to peace. A presentation about the myths and realities of life in Palestine will follow. Children and their families will enjoy decorating peace poles, creating beaded peace bracelets, folding origami peace cranes and helping create mosaic garden art for Creative 360’s wellness pathway The day’s activities will be punctuated with the reading of both original and well-known peace poems. Bobbi Lucas will close the event by leading a Planetary Peace Dance.

Columbia, South Carolina The president of the Carolina Peace Resource Center, David Matos, wanted to make sure people gathered to share goodwill for their neighbor. Matos, along with a dozen other people met at the fountain in Five Points, lighting candles and braving the wind and rain to stand for peace. “We are a very much a nation of unrest,” says Stephanie Palmer-Smith. “We need to let our light shine through even though it’s raining and blowing.” “The most important thing for you to do is find the people that want to make a difference and work with them,” says Matos. Matos hopes their presence can encourage others. “Without justice, there’s no peace.”

Northfield, Minnesota Northfield held its 14th annual International Day of Peace Celebration Tuesday at Carleton College’s Great Hall, handing out its first-ever Arts Peace Awards. Organizers Judith Stoutland and Mar Valdecantos recognized the efforts of children who submitted a drawing, poem or photograph for the newly established award to involve more youth input.

Wilmington, North Carolina It’s the International Day of Peace, and one local organization is working to spread the love here in Wilmington. The Grandmothers of Peace organization held a local event today at Hugh MacRae park. More than dozen people joined together for this 10th annual event. Organizer Lynn Heritage says in light of recent violence in our country and across our state, today is even more important. Supporters listened to music, played the tambourine, belly danced and spoke out about peace.

Boonsboro, Maryland During a Sunday feast to mark this week’s International Day of Peace, the way to harmony was examined through various routes, including reaching out to others and meditation. Organizers wanted a meal that included the traditions of India, Iran, Italy and other countries. The entrees included naan, vegetable samosa and Persian rice. The feast was organized by the Interfaith Coalition of Washington County, which promotes an understanding of various world traditions. It is hoped that through that understanding, a deeper sense of peace will arise, said Sandy Boyer, who was among those attended.

Ashland, Oregon The Ashland Culture of Peace Commission held a concert to finish up its ten days of peace activities since Sept. 11. For the last ten days, a vigil has been held in the Ashland Plaza and talks covering different topics have been held in the afternoon. “This really is a time to contemplate how we have evolved from such aggression and such trouble in the world to being more aware and more conscious,” Ashland Culture of Peace Commission executive director David Wick said. “More, ‘How do we come together to find pathways into greater well-being?'” The event included music, speakers and food.

Freeport, New York In honor of International Day of Peace and Non-Violence Day, the Freeport Public School District’s annual Peace Concert and Art Exhibit will be held at the Freeport High School Performing Arts Center. The evening will showcase the outstanding musical and artistic talents of students from each of the eight Freeport public schools.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin The public was invited to a march and rally at Milwaukee City Hall to mark the International Day of Peace. It was sponsored by the International Day of Peace Coalition and supported by the Coaltion for Justice. Slogans were: “No to racism, violence and attacks on immigrants,”; No more aggressive, illegal or unauthorized wars”; and “Move the money from military to needs at home.”

Jonesborough, Tennessee To mark the International Day of Peace, the United Religions Initiative is holding a candle lighting gathering on the steps of the old Washington County Courthouse in downtown Jonesborough at 7 p.m. Representatives from local Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, and Muslim congregations will speak at the event. Prayers for peace from these diverse religions will be featured, along with the singing of songs together, and readings of the UN and Sister Cities proclamations.

Providence, Rhode Island It might not feel like a world at peace. All the more reason, says Ginny Fox, to celebrate the peacemakers among us, and the good things that are happening in Rhode Island and around the world. “There’s so much negativity in our world. This is a positive event,” she said. Fox is executive director of the Peace Flag Project, which is holding its annual Peace Fest RI from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Burnside Park in downtown Providence. The Peace Fest will include activities such as making peace flags, pinwheels, and face painting. There will be exhibits from a wide variety of Rhode Island nonprofits.

Kirkland, Washington
In honor of the International Day of Peace Sept. 21, 10 women from communities extending from Anacortes to Renton worked together to make a quilt from patches featuring the word in 17 different languages or symbols. Schwender coordinated being able to display the quilt on the Cow and Coyote statue in downtown Kirkland for a week, ending today, Sept. 16. “Peace is at the heart of all people,” Mary Duffy, another member of the group, said. “Our country is a mix of many cultures. Our diversity had drawn me to participate and share.”

September 28, 2016FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, North AmericaNorth AmericaCPNN Coordinator

Russia and Ukraine: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-24 under the titles for the International Day of Peace in Russian (“Международный день мира”) and Ukrainian (“Міжнародний день миру”). For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

As you can see from the preceding map, there were articles about 24 events in these countries.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Lutsk, Ukraine Students and teachers of the Lutsk gymnasium №4 celebrated the International Day of Peace with a flashmob, “We are for peace.”

Kovelchany, Ukraine: In Kovelchany city the audience was told that the International Day of Peace was proclaimed by the General Assembly to perpetuate the ideals of peace both in relations within states and among all nations and peoples. At the end of the children released in sky blue and yellow balloons and pigeons with wishes, hopes and expectations that Ukraine will be a peaceful and happy state .

Kalush, Ukraine: “Let there be peace in our native Ukraine!” Under this slogan, youth celebrated the International Day of Peace at the Kalush branch library. Unfortunately, there is ongoing fighting in eastern Ukraine, Not all schools are open. Some are destroyed, in others there is no one to teach.

Poltava, Ukraine: About a hundred students gathered to mark the International Peace Day in Poltava with a flashmob “Dove of Peace”. Among them were students of Lugansk who fled to Poltova during the war.

Kiev, Ukraine: A peace march was attended by representatives of local government and central government authorities, UN representatives, NGOs veterans, participants in anti-terrorist operations and Kiev Youth. The solemn procession was held from Ukraine memorial to soldiers who fell in Afghanistan, the National Museum of History of Ukraine in World War II. People carried banners with the words: “We vote for peace” as well as flowers.

Pokrovsk, Ukraine: In school №2, an exhibition of drawings “World Without War”, symbolized the right of children to live in joy, love, and friendship under a peaceful sky. Children in primary school and high school students took part in the exhibition.

Kremenchuk, Ukraine: By tradition every year on the Day of Peace, Kremenchuk receives a delegation from Indonesia. The delegation was warmly welcomed by representatives of the Kremenchug city authorities. They were taken to the Peace Park, for the ceremony “Dzvony Gong of the World.”

Berdyansk, Ukraine:
Berdyansk took part in the international project for a mural dedicated to the day of peace. The winner was the work of the photographer-designer Darina Polovets “haven of peace”.

Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine: On the International Day of Peace Dnipropetrovsk held a Regional Roundtable for the “Women for Peace” national platform. Natalia Nacharyan, deputy of Dnipropetrovsk City Council, said, “Women have an inherent nature of diplomacy, and at the same time a strong will. Therefore, today joined forces, we require a national dialogue in order to achieve peace, mutual understanding and social well-being in Ukraine.” The executive director of the Fund” Ukrainian Perspective “Oksana Zhivaga said “Every day we help peaceful people affected by the war – displaced and wounded. This is a real contribution for the peace and unity of our country.”

Sevastopol, Russia/Ukraine: Doves of peace were released In Sevastopol for the International Day of Peace. The head of the Sevastopol Parliament Ekaterina Altabaeva said “This year for our country is special. October marks 75 years since the heroic defense of Sevastopol in the Great Patriotic war. “We must not allow repetition of the terrible tragedies that war brings.”

Brest, Belarus: On the International Day of Peace in Brest, lamps were set adrift on the canal in favor of life without war and violence. Children enjoyed performances of jugglers and magicians. And then the children released white doves into the sky – a symbol of peace.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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Vladivostok, Russia: On Wednesday, September 21, at the sports waterfront Vladivostok held the action “Let there be peace,” in honor of the International Day of Peace, The action was aimed at attracting the attention of citizens to wish to live, and to recall the heroism of their ancestors.

Stavropol, Russia: In the central square of the Alexander village a children’s program “Peaceful fun”, was dedicated to the International Day of Peace. The event was opened by a small group of the choir of the Stavropol Territory.

Kurgan, Russia: The celebration took place in three stages. At first the townspeople gathered pre-formed doves of peace, second they created their own, third – the participants drew “Dove of Peace” by Picasso. All crafts could be taken home or given to someone. Later hand in hand, participants created a large circle as a symbol of friendship and cooperation among peoples.

Volgograd, Russia: Thousands of bells rang out at Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd as students and delegates from 60 regions of Russia, near-abroad countries and the Baltic states voted for peace.

Serov, Russia: International Day of Peace was celebrated in Serov by students of schools of the city at the square in front of leisure center “Rodina”. They carried yellow balloons and hand-written posters such as “No to war!”, “Happy World! Peace one day”, “Let there be happiness on the planet.”

Moscow, Russia: Every year, the school “Promo-M” celebrates the International Day of Peace. This year the them was the “sustainable development goals” of the United Nations. After singing John Lennon’s song «Imagine» each student hit the Peace Bell to commemorate the victims of war and fighting.

Astrakhan, Russia: The social and health center “Zdravushka” showed a film about Peace Day, following which pensioners left messages on the “Tree of Good” in the form of paper doves symbolizing harmony, world peace and friendship. The Narimanov integrated center organized an event “Let there be peace,” for parents and children involved in the social services.

Kazan, Russia: On the International Day of Peace, the Kazan Federal University held a celebration dedicated to the international round table “Prevention of terrorist and extremist behavior of young people in the Internet space: traditional and innovative forms.” The organizer of this event was the Department of Conflictology of the Institute of Social and Philosophical Sciences and Mass Communications.

Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia:
For the 8th time, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District government organized the “Peace in the world” youth festival. This time it was held in August in the Town of Kiten, Republic of Bulgaria. About 170 people between the ages of 18 and 30 from 22 Russian Federation constituencies and countries of the near and far abroad took part in the event. The “Peace Formula” creation was the main focus of the event. The “Formula” will consists of initiatives presented by constituencies or countries and aimed towards achieving Global Peace. All the ideas were refined into a final decision to culminate in a flashmob, event, or contest conducted on September 21, the International Day of Peace.

Biysk, Russia: For the International Day of Peace, students from the Bijskogo State College took part in a flashmob action “dove of peace” releasing white paper doves, tied to balloons, filled with helium.

Magnitogorsk, Russia: The schoolchildren of Chelyabinsk region launched into the sky thousands of white paper doves to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

Murmansk, Russia: Sponsored by the public organization “Murmansk Association of youth” and municipal autonomous institution “House of youth”, citizens of Murmansk will take part in the campaign “Dove of Peace” in the city center on Leningrad Street.

Nekrasovka, Russia: The International Day of Peace was celebrated with a festive program called “Peace and Harmony” including a concert organized by residents of the district. The newspaper “Voice of Nekrasovka” published a photo report from the scene.

September 28, 2016Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATIONEuropeCPNN Coordinator

Asia: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events in Asia were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-14 under “International day of peace.” We may suppose that there were articles in national languages that are not listed here. For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

As seen on the map above, there were articles about 22 events in 11 Asian countries.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

China In Yinchuan, capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, incumbent and former politicians from 33 countries, representatives from NGOs, think tanks and Chinese scholars celebrated the International Day of Peace. In his keynote speech, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao said that society is evolving into a global community of shared destiny where everyone is interdependent, and peaceful development and common prosperity represent the right path to take.

South Korea: Kyung Hee University kicked off the three-day Peace BAR Festival at its Seoul campus to celebrate the International Day of Peace. It has held this festival since 1982 to seek ways to ensure the future of human civilization amid a series of crises including climate change, terrorism, violence, war, human alienation and polarization. This year, the university invited three international academic think tanks, the Club of Rome, the Club of Budapest and the World Academy of Art and Science, to discuss our common future.

Cotabato City, Philippines: The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao led by Governor Mujiv Hataman joined Wednesday the celebration of the International Day of Peace. Hataman said he wished for an everlasting peace not only in the region, but elsewhere in Mindanao where armed conflicts have affected tens of thousands of innocent people.

Cebu, Philippines: The students and teachers of Our Lady of Joy Learning Center joined the celebration of International Day of Peace. The day before, the students prepared paper flowers with peace messages such as “Peace is like a tree that needs to grow.” “Worldwide peace begins in our homes.” “The one who is at peace with heaven brings balance to the world and lives in peace with men and women.” . . . “Blessed are the peace makers; they will be called children of God.”

Manila, Philippines: newsinfo.inquirer.net/818184/students-say-their-piece-for-peace”>
Coinciding with the celebration of the International Day of Peace, around 500 students from Miriam College, Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) and the University of the Philippines held a candlelight vigil in Quezon City, to protest the recent wave of drug-related killings sweeping the country. Jasmin Galace, executive director of Miriam College’s Center for Peace Education, told the Inquirer that they decided to hold the activity to “We will say our piece, we will speak up for peace,” Galace added. Aside from the activity on Wednesday, she also said that Miriam College and other schools were planning to send a statement against extrajudicial killings along with thousands of signatures to President Duterte.

Jakarta, Indonesia: Peace please!: Students of SMA 74 Jakarta high school raised banners in front of the school on Thursday to celebrate the UN sponsored International Day of Peace. The school, which has a history of student bullying and mass brawls, cooperated with the NGO Global Peace Foundation (GPF) to hold the event, advocating “building blocks for peace” as its main theme.

Yangon, Myanmar: Amid ongoing conflict and in the wake of the 21st-century Panglong Conference earlier this month, religious leaders joined members of civil society at a Yangon gathering to offer their prayers for peace. Attendees of the “pre-celebration” for the International Day of Peace – marked on September 21 – said the National League for Democracy’s Panglong initiative marked perhaps the best chance yet to bring peace to a war-weary land.

Fiji: MORE than 200 students from Lautoka who are part of the scouting program gathered at Saru MGM Primary School to take part in celebrations for International Day of Peace. Kailash Pillay of the Fiji Scouts Association said the reception for the event was unprecedented and there were plans to host a bigger event next year

New Zealand: The Royal Commonwealth Society launched The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2017 on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. This year’s topics ask young people to explore a deeper understanding of the meaning of peace and the role of the Commonwealth as a network of and for democracy, human rights and peace.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

(Article continued from the left column)

Tahiti, French Polynesia: A cycle of 7 conference-workshops is being held in Fare Hau on the theme: “I act 1 minute for peace every day.” The first workshop, showing how “the coaching attitude” can be a first step to calm and pacify the world, coincides with the International Day of Peace.

Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Roots Garden schools and Roots IVY schools celebrated ‘World Peace Day’ to express their feelings, ideas and visions of a peaceful world by holding poster competition, poetry competition, essay competition, tableau competition and speech competition on the theme “Citizenship- How can we contribute to make our community better.”

Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan: The Al-Asar Development Organization hosted a ceremony in connection with observance of World Peace Day. A large number of civil society members, students, mediamen, lady health and social workers attended the ceremony.
Addressing the participants, lawmaker Najma Arshad pointed out that terrorism is the biggest threat to the world peace and the dream of having a peaceful society cannot come true without suppressing this menace. She also stressed to eliminate the racial and religious differences which, she termed, fuel terrorism and sectarianism.

Peshawar, Pakistan: Speakers at a function here on Thursday urged government and people to join hands for restoration of sustainable peace in the country to bring a positive change in life of common man. The event was organised by Peace Education and Development Foundation in connection with international peace day

Jamshoro, Pakistan: The International Day of Peace was celebrated at the U.S-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro. The program on “Water & Peace” followed the theme for this year’s Sustainable Development Goals as building blocks of peace.

Sikkim, India: Sikkim today observed the International Day of Peace through the theme of “Yoga for World Peace”in which enthusiastic school children participated. Multi-faith prayers were also organised. A state level function was organised at Paljor Stadium attended by Governor Shriniwas Patil as the Chief Guest and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling as the Guest Of Honour.

Dimapur, India: The Peace Channel in collaboration with North East Institute of Social Science and Research commemorated the International Day of Peace. The programme began with a presentation on the history and background of the International Day of Peace by Akha Richa and Akumnaro Longchar, third semester students of NEISSR.

Urwa, India: When students of Canara High School Association observed World Peace Day on Wednesday, the martyrdom of 18 Indian Army soldiers at Uri was not lost on them. Paying homage to the martyred soldiers by reading out their names, the students and the CHS Association condemned the act of cowardice by the terrorists.

Pilani, Rajasthan, India: At the JMA Pilani school, the Principal Mrs Booma Natarajan read out the message of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon “Let us all work together to help all human beings achieve dignity and equality; to build a greener planet; and to make sure no one is left behind” and urged the students to express their commitment to peace by becoming a champion of the Sustainable Development Goals. Students recited the Sanskrit shloka for peace and did a peace dove formation to prove that Peace is not just yet another 5 letter word but a “divine manifestation which we have to give birth to within ourselves.

Tamil Nadu, India: A procession by over 100 college students marked the International Day of Peace observance here on Wednesday. The students held placards with quotes of Mahatma Gandhi, and Mother Teresa among others.

Doraha, India: Students of Guru Nanak National College, Doraha, today took out a peace march here on the occasion of International Day of Peace. The volunteers condemned the attack on Indian soldiers at Uri Brigade Headquarters. They said revenge was not a solution. They sought a world which was not divided into groups and sections and the people had the freedom to live, love and move about. They also urged the Government to find an immediate solution to the Kashmir issue.

Mirpur, Kashmir: Like rest of the world, International Day of Peace was also observed in Azad Jammu Kashmir with a call for the establishment of peace across the globe especially in the conflict zones of South Asia including Jammu & Kashmir. A special ceremony was held here on Wednesday under the auspices of the local Chapter of Kashmir Watch International, the UK-based Kashmiri Human Rights outfit. The participants strongly condemned the increased human rights abuses by the Indian occupational forces in occupied Jammu & Kashmir. They also prayed for the establishment of permanent and durable peace in the conflict zones.

Teheran, Iran: The fourth term of “Art for Peace” Festival opened at Iranian Artist Forum on 15 September 2016. 140 artists are exhibiting their works in painting, photography, Sculpture, installation, video art, music and performance at various galleries of Iranian House of Artists. A ceremony was held for the commemoration of the International Day of Peace and the presentation of its medal on 20 September.

September 28, 2016East Asia, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, South AsiaEast Asia, South AsiaCPNN Coordinator

Arab states: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-24 for the International day of peace. All but the last three were listed under the arabic script. Although the links below are in English, the articles are in arabic; hence, unless you can read arabic, you will need to use a translation service such as that of google as we have done. For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

(Click on image to enlarge)

As seen on the map above, there were articles about 14 events for the International Day of Peace in 11 Arab states.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

As you can see from the preceding map, there were
Bahrain: The Minister of Labour and Social Development Jamil Humaidan, the United Nations Information Centre for Arab Gulf countries and the Bahrain Assembly of the Baha’i held an event to celebrate the International Day of Peace. Participating in the celebration were a number of officials of the ministry, members of the House of Representatives and the Shura Council and the heads of councils and associations, as well as intellectuals, opinion leaders and clerics of different sects and relligions.

Lebanon: The Organization Media Association for Peace-MAP, in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre in Beirut and the Club “Masterpiece,” held a celebration to display artistic talents within the activities of the Beirut Festival. The celebration saw the participation of talented young people in singing, dancing and playing music, with messages calling for peace and hope through art.

Egypt: The Day of Peace was held on the Greek campus of the American University in Cairo. A workshop discussed the situation of refugees and foreign students in Egypt, in addition to taking the values of accepting the other. Participants included a number of expatriate student leaders and members of the African community living in Egypt, as well as representatives from civil society the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and academic researchers and activists in the field of refugees.

Somalia: The Somali Youth Dialogue Centre organized a ceremony in the capital, Mogadishu, to commemorate the International Day of Peace. Participants included government officials and MPs and civic organizations involved in public affairs, as well as guests of honor, notables and elders of the community. The director of Youth Dialogue Center stressed that Somali youth should be give the opportunity to take the initiative for lasting peace and stability in the country.

Taiz, Yemen: A workshop was held on “Social effects of the conflict in Taiz and ways to promote coexistence and social peace.” The director of the sponsoring foundation, Mohamed Ahmed Haj Amin, called for peace-building in addition to humanitarian aid and support for education in the effort to restore security, peace and stability to the province of Taiz.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

(Article continued from the left column)

Aden, Yemen: The Al Mualla Foundation of Aden sponsored a meeting of women entitled “Open dialogue on peace.” The women concluded that the media should be activated to publish oncepts of peace in schools, universities, and other meetings and gatherings and to achieve a peace free from the partisan and sectarian strife of the ongoing war in Yemen. The meeting was attended by representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, young women and housewives.

Al Diwaniyah, Iraq: A festival of music, theater and fine arts was held in Diwaniyah. A member of the preparatory committee for the festival, Bara Nihad, said that ” a group of young activists and volunteers in the province, agreed to draw a picture of peace in Diwaniyah, a number of art events and exhibitions produced by youth.” She expressed her delight at the large and interactive audience and explained that the festival provides a vision of peace and the desire of citizens for civic life, freedom of opinion and expression unlike the fighting in the fronts to expel Daesh. Hence there was no involvement of any government or party in the events and the young organizers relied only on their own energy and talents.

Hillah, Iraq: Activists in the Babylon tourist Resort (6 km north of the city of Hillah) greeted the World Day of Peace in the spirit of spreading “love, peace and tolerance” among children and displaced people. They sent a message to the world that the Iraqis are keen to achieve “coexistence and national unity.”

Damascus, Syria: On the occasion of the World Day of Peace the chorus of St. Ephrem Syriac Patriarchate and the choir Ohieddith Adonia, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, gave a concert in Damascus. The concert included traditional and popular songs representing Syrian folklore of various kinds with the theme “Blessed are those who seek peace.”

United Arab Emirates: At the association’s headquarters in Dubai the Emirates Association for hostels celebrated the day of peace with the slogan «sleep peacefully» for all the world ‘s youth hostels. The celebration was organized under the patronage of the Minister of culture Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.

Palestine An event in Ramallah drew about a thousand Palestinian school and sent a message of peace to the countries of the world and to the members of the international Quartet. Balloons and white doves were released to express their hopes and dreams for a better future, “we want to live in peace.”

Gaza, Palestine In the old port of Gaza, dozens of Palestinian children from public and private schools manifested their appreciation for international solidarity and their hope that
the ship of women bound for Gaza would be able to break the Israeli blockade . They addressed a message of peace and hope to the entire world: “We, children are the light of Palestine. . . May justice prevail!”

Algeria: On the occasion of the international Day of peace, the wilaya of Mostaganem organized a ceremony for the Emir Abdelkader prize, given to three personalities who contributed to the promotion of peace: Federico Mayor from Spain, Raymond Chretien from Canada and Lakhdar Brahimi from Algeria.

South Sudan: The United Nations’ Funds, Programmes and Agencies, and the peacekeeping mission organized a number of events across the country, in collaboration with the National Platform for Peace and Reconciliation (NPPR) and other non-governmental organisations; alongside the launch of the 100 days of peace activism; a platform for all voices calling for peace, healing, and reconciliation to unite and send powerful messages to leaders and calling for a peaceful resolution to the current crisis.

September 28, 2016FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, MideastMideastCPNN Coordinator

Western Europe: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following events were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 17-14 under the following key words:
“International day of peace”,
“Journée internationale de la paix,”
“Día Internacional de Paz,”
“Dia Internacional da Paz”
“Tag des Friedens”
“Friedenstags”
“Giornata Internazionale della Pace”

(Click on image to enlarge)

No doubt there were articles in other national languages that are not listed here. For events elsewhere in the world, click here.

As seen on the map above, there were articles about 29 events in 8 Western European countries found by this method.

Here are excerpts from the articles.

Assisi, Italy: “Thirst for Peace. “From 18 to 20 September 2016, more than 500 officials from nine major religions converged in Assisi, Italy, for an interreligious meeting organized under the auspices of the Community Santegidio. T hirty years after the historic initiative of John Paul II, Pope Francis celebrated the spirit of peace, with representatives of all other religions. An appeal signed by all participants at the end of the meeting, is reproduced here for the International Day of Peace.

Cervia, Italy: Cervia celebrated the International Day of Peace in cooperation with a Skype connection with the seat of Mayors for Peace in Hiroshima. The recall of the destruction of Hiroshima reverberated with the recent damage from the earthquake in Italy.

Banchette, Torino, Italy: The banner in the colors of Peace was launched into heaven, dragged up by a dozen white balloons, this morning by 200 elementary school students of the Walter Fillak school. The children engaged in the reading of poems and songs by Gianni Rodari, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, stressing the importance of brotherhood and peace.

Ventimiglia, Italy: The pupils of the Nervia Primary school arranged themselves to form the peace symbol. A simple gesture, a representation, a thought, but effective to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

Roma, Italy: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the Austrian Forum of Culture in Rome announced the finalists for the best picture of peace, in the 2016 edition of the Alfred Fried Photography Award which was initiated in 2013 in collaboration with UNESCO.

Bonn, Germany In Bonn therre were many events for peace day, beginning on Tuesday evening with a discussion in the Old Town Hall about how civilian groups can participate better in peace negotiations.

Duisburg, Germany: The Explorado museum of Duisburg is one of five children museums from five countries taking part in an international art project. The project, presented on World Peace Day, includes screens painted by more than 300 children.

Augsburg, Germany: Numerous, people gathered on the Moritzplatz to launch balloons for peace. The idea for the campaign comes from the Catholic German Women’s Federation. “We want to set an example for humanity and peace,” said diocesan Chairman Ulrike Stowasser. “We want to show our solidarity for refugees and their volunteer helpers.”

Bergstadt, Germany: People gathered to mark the International Day of Peace in the marketplace. “We are a small club with 15 members,” said Lisa Interschick from the local peace movement, but she was pleased with the many visitors who had gathered to pray. During the event texts were presented on non-violence and reconciliation, as prayers for peace. All visitors were given a rose.

Hammersmith, England: White balloons bearing messages of peace and happiness were released in Hammersmith to mark the International Day of Peace. The special event, which was attended by school children and Hammersmith and Fulham mayor Mercy Umeh, took place in Lyric Square. Dozens of school kids from Phoenix High school, St Paul’s primary, Normand Croft, Larmenier and Sacred Heart and Brackenbury primary supported the event’s peace pledge by signing tags and attaching them to the balloons.

Lisburn, Northern Ireland: Around 3,500 young people from schools and youth clubs across Northern Ireland are attending an event in Lisburn, to coincide with the United Nations International Day of Peace. The Amazing the Space programme fused musical performances from local young people with messages from international speakers with experience of living in conflict zones. A further 1,500 people will attend similar events at five satellite venues in Ballymena, Londonderry, Enniskillen, Bessbrook and Magherafelt.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2016) for the International Day of Peace?

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Chigwell, England: Children at West Hatch High School in Chigwell took part in assemblies on issues such as the suffering caused by war, and pupils wrote messages on a ‘Tree of Peace’ in the school’s entrance hall to the victims of conflict. Organiser and school counsellor Sarah O’Donnell said: “Peace every day is the goal but focussing on a particular day is helpful for us all: peacefulness is important in our own lives, in our families, at work, in school and in our wider social lives.”

Isle of Wight, England: Doves were released in St Thomas’ Square by Sunrise Vectis Rotary, and a prayer was said by Rev Janet Hallam. Pauline Martin, who was one of those behind the gathering, said: “As the Rotary is an international group, it’s great to mark the day and raise awareness, especially considering events happening in today’s world.”

Oldham, UK: The Oldham Council organized a series of events to engage the public, schools, the community, faith groups and businesses in Oldham. The council became the first local authority in the UK to sign the Pledge to Peace in 2015; a commitment to put in place projects and actions promoting a culture of peace in the borough. Since then 13 local organisations have joined in signing the pledge and formed the Oldham Pledge to Peace Forum.

Portlaoise, Ireland: The Portlaoise Parish parish hosted an interfaith prayer service for members of the Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Baha’i, Bhuddist and Christian faiths.

Marseilles, France: On September 24, the International Day of Peace will resound on the Old Port of Marseilles when a collective of twenty associations state an emergency “march for peace”.

Gennevillers, France: Rainbow rainbow streamers, cardboard doves and optimism. On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, dozens of children from Gennevilliers leisure centers massed on the steps of City Hall. They raised the flag of peace and read messages of hope to send to the children of the sister cities of Gennevilliers.

Gonfreville-l’Orcher, Normandy, France: On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the City of Gonfreville, member of the French Association of municipalities, departments and regions for Peace (AFCDRP) and the global network of Mayors for Peace ( “Mayors for Peace”) , invited the Hiroshima Junior Marimba Ensemble to give a concert for peace.

La Rochelle, France: The La Rochelle collective for diversity offers a day punctuated by meetings and workshops that will demonstrate that talent is stronger than discrimination! We are reminded that diversity and differences when they are accepted, respected and promoted are the force of our Republic and not a handicap.

Caen, France: The Movement for Peace and several associations including Hérouville-Esperanto an Pax Christi, organized 4 hours of discussions for peace in the Caen Memorial with the goal to promote a culture of peace.

Alpes du Sud, France: The Mouvement de la Paix organized for the International Day of Peace, videos, discussions, and an all-day concert.

Molenbeek, Belgium: As part of the International Day of peace, the Foyer Molenbeek produced a video in which children talk about what peace means to them.

Alcobendas, España: Padre Angel, president of Messengers of Peace,and the Mayor of Alcobendas were present at the Peace Day ceremony along with other officials and dignitaries. The Mayor renewed the commitment of Alcobendas “to work for peace and use all means at our disposal to ensure the best horizon for future generations” and ended his words with a quote from Benjamin Franklin: “We must all walk together towards peace or we’ll never find it.”

Tudela, Navarra, España: The Government of Navarra commemorated the International Day of Peace with an official ceremony to recognize the work of forensic anthropologist Paco Etxeberria and the memorialist associations for having developed “an important role in the exhumation of the victims of 1936.”

Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, España: Murals for peace: In the Institute for Secondary Education Fray Diego Tadeo of Ciudad Rodrigo two large panels were made available for all members of the educational community to put sentences or drawings related to peace.

Maspalomas, Canrias, España: This tourist resort celebrated International Day of Peace and its recent nomination as a Rotary Peace City. This award is the first to be granted to a Spanish city, and the fourth in Europe after Jersey (Great Britain), Cannes (France) and Zenna (Serbia).

Posadas, Córdoba, España: Teachers and students from different schools of Posadas made a peace walk. According to Estela Martinez, Director of Misiones Cuatro, “We decided to do this walk for kids to demonstrate the value of peace, a value for we have worked since childhood, for respect, for love, and for fellowship without violence or bullying,

Mealhada, Aveiro, Portugal: On the occasion of the International Peace Day children from the Children’s House and users of the Santa Casa da Misericordia distributed white flowers as a symbol of peace on the local streets and shops of the city of Aveiro.

Almería, Spain: The NGO Movement for Peace was launched today, coinciding with the International Day of Peace. It is a new campaign whose main objective is to commemorate this day remembering that thousands of people around the world pass this day without having the full right to peace. They are launching an initiative for microdonations for the maintenance of a mobile clinic for disabled Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

September 28, 2016Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATIONEuropeCPNN Coordinator