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THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE TO BE OBSERVED WORLDWIDE
Global Observance Planned in Every UN Nation State
Local Events by Season for Interfaith Celebration Task Forces
This year's annual global observance of the International Day of Peace, September
21 is capturing the attention of people, communities and nations worldwide. Based
on last year's reports, it is estimated that there will be over 10,000 events on the
planet this year, sponsored by thousands of organizations, and that over 200
million people will participate. These will range from ceasefires, during which
humanitarian aide is administered, to religious and interfaith services. They will
include educational activities and volunteer programs; government proclamations,
media events, and many types of activities by human rights, environmental,
cultural and civic groups to draw attention to their particular aspect of
'peacebuilding'; there will also be numerous private observances and events by
many businesses and professionals. Noted celebrities as well as religious and
government leaders historically speak out on behalf of this occasion. There will be
vigils, performances, workshops, ceremonies, fundraising events, peace parties,
community service projects, exhibits, walks, films, letter writing campaigns, peace
fairs and much more.
There will be large-scale celebrations in cities such as Sydney, Okinawa,
Amsterdam, Tehran, Geneva, Paris, London, Montreal, Havana, Buenos Aires, San
Francisco, Los Angeles and Honolulu as well as in countries as diverse as Costa
Rica, Dubai, India, Uganda, Lebanon, Turkey, Argentina and The Philippines. In
addition, this year, for the first time ever, hundreds of calendar publishers all over
the world have printed the International Day of Peace on their calendars; this
initiative alone will reach a billion people. Together, these efforts can have both
global impact and historical significance as our children observe 'Peace Day'
annually and incorporate it's meaning into their lives - year round.
Created in 1981 by unanimous resolution of the United Nations, the observance of
the International Day of Peace has grown exponentially in recent years and now
reaches every level of society. One way that anyone can participate is to observe a
minute of silence at noon in all time zones worldwide, as requested by UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon. The UN also arranges ceasefires, during which humanitarian
aide is provided to civilian populations affected by conflicts. There are ceremonies
at UN Headquarters and all facilities worldwide. This year the UN has created the
WMD Campaign to call awareness of the need for reducing weapons of mass
destruction as well as nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. The UN
promotes this occasion via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, YouTube, text
messages, radio, TV, print and public service announcements.
In addition to UN activities, thousands of international and grassroots organizations
create events to promote their particular aspects of peacebuilding - whether they
address human rights, the environment, education, health care, poverty, hunger,
fair trade, or any of a number of other such worthwhile causes. Many of these
organizations work with The Seasons for Peace and Nonviolence initiatives (SPAN).
For more information on SPAN and the Season for Interfaith Celebration, we
maintain the following website: http://www.agnt.org/span. Here you can can learn
more about this occasion; locate events worldwide; and post your own events.
Peace Day Supporters
While there are thousands of organizations worldwide that observe the
International Day of Peace every year, there are some that promote Peace Day
among their members and encourage participation, to an extent that it results in
large scale events and impact. Look for events at:
http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org
Thank you, Seasons for Peace and Nonviolence Participants, for your dedication to
building a better future for the next generations on Peace Day and every day.
Peace and Blessings!
SPAN Conveners: The Association for Global New Thought
President: Michael Bernard Beckwith
Project Director: Dr. Barbara E. Fields
The Association for Global New Thought
220 Santa Anita Rd
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Tel 805-563-7343
Fax 805-563-7344
span@agnt.org www.agnt.org