Two children plant a tree in honor of IDP 2015 - with members from Interfaith Peace Building on Natural Resources Management CC
See how the URI community throughout the world is celebrating the International Day of Peace 2015. Please check back soon - this page is being updated with stories and photos from all URI International Day of Peace activities as more reports come in! We'd love to hear from you - please send us photos and reports of your own IDP celebrations at [email protected]
Read an International Day of Peace message from URI Executive Director Victor Kazanjian.
Skip directly to IDP 2015 celebrations from:
Southeast Asia and the Pacific
Latin America and the Caribbean
Hear UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message for International Day of Peace.
Join with people throughout the world to add your prayers for peace at 12 noon local time with a Minute of Silence. Then you can send the message --May Peace Prevail on Earth! on #peaceday and #MayPeacePrevailOnEarth
Happy International Day of Peace!
May Peace Prevail on Earth,
Monica Willard
URI United Nations Representative
International Day of Peace (September 21)
NGO Committee, Co-chair
UNITED NATIONS IDP 2015 CELEBRATION
URI Representative to the United Nations Monica Willard shares a report and photos from the UN celebration of the International Day of Peace 2015. See the full report and photos here.
LOCATION: Cambodia
COOPERATION CIRCLE: Interfaith Peace Building on Natural Resources Management
Dear URI friends,
Alliance for Conflict Transformation (ACT) would like to share with your our Interfaith event we conducted on the 16th of September, 2015, in Cambodia.
Theme: Interfaith Peace Walk on International Day of Peace
Action: peace walk, interfaith sharing, tree planting, and interfaith prayer for nature.
The interfaith network in Kampong Chhnang province conducted the Interfaith Peace Walk on the International Day of Peace. It focused on natural resources management through tree planting in Traneam Pech village, Kok Banteay commune, Rolea Pbear district, and Kampong Chhnang province. The program for promoting and raising awareness on interfaith peace building concerned the environment in the local community. The activities aim to: celebrate international peacebuilding incorporating peace and human dignity, promote understanding and building capacity for the community for conflict resolution, promote the importance of natural resource through planting trees in the communities and building relationships between authorities and communities, especially interfaith people living together in communities. There were 100 participants including 27 ladies, the chief of the village, representatives of communes, the chief of community forestry, teachers, monks, youth, police, children, and religious leaders. The community faces issues such as discrimination among diverse faiths (Buddhism, Christian, and Muslim) and deforestation.
Sotheavy Srey, Director, Alliance for Conflict Transformation
Interfaith Peace Building on Natural Resources Management
LOCATION: Bohol, The Philippines
COOPERATION CIRCLE: Bohol Goodwill Volunteers CC
I wish you all a meaningful International Day of Peace! My CC had a joint celebration with members of a few other groups in our small city.
- Ludwig Quirog Regional Coordinator, URI Southeast Asia and the Pacific - Central Zone
LOCATION: Cambodia
Greetings from Cambodia and wishing you all a meaningful International Day of Peace.
URI Cambodia, this year, in partnership with Working Group for Peace and many other interfaith and peace-building organisations, organized a peace reflection workshop.
The whole theater filled with joy and was proud to be part of the solution - not part of the problem.
Sothearwat Seoung, Regional Coordinator for URI Southeast Asia and the Pacific - West Zone
LOCATION: Melbourne, Australia
COOPERATION CIRCLES: Women's Interfaith Network of the URI CC
Over 130 attendees from various religious, faith and human rights groups attended the event. Faith representatives made religious offerings from their faiths. Some touched on the role of education towards peace and initiatives within their faith groups towards world peace.
LOCATION: Seoul, Republic of Korea
COOPERATION CIRCLES: URI Korea and other Korea CCs
Greetings of peace and compassion from Korea! Thank you for reminding and working on IDP events with the UNSG's message.
We URI Korea had held a Peace Forum to commemorate the IDP in downtown Seoul last Tuesday with the message.
I sent my message in Korean with the UNSG's last Saturday to thousands members and friends of URI Korea by e-mails and website.
Yesterday as the eve of IDP, we joined the joint events of GO and NGOs of Korea for IDP at Hangang Park in Seoul, as attached photos shows.
Today on IDP, we had a Minute of Silence with prayer for world peace at noon to take a part in networking around the globe.
May peace prevail on Earth!
Dr. Jinwol Lee, URI Asia's Regional Coordinator for Korea
LOCATION: Matuail, Jatrabari, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
COOPERATION CIRCLE: Deeplaid Religion Society (DRS) of Bangladesh
We are hosting “Health For Peace” for about 300 people on 25 Dec-2015. People of all religions are invited to participate. Ln. Habibur Rahman, Managing Director of Deeplaid Pharmaco Ltd., will be a special guest. Through this event, we want to ensure the health of underprivileged people.
LOCATION: Lahore, Pakistan
COOPERATION CIRCLE: A Better Community for All (ABC4ALL) Pakistan
Congratulations International Day of Peace 2015!
The Celebration of International Day of Peace was held at the Central Cathedral Praying Hand Church, in Lahore, Pakistan on the 20th of September 2015, Sunday Service. My family and Cooperation Circle members attended the celebration. Mr. Aquel Khan, program officer of A Better Community for All (ABC4ALL) Pakistan Cooperation Circle, read the scripture from the Holy Bible.
Peace songs were sung by the choir and congregation. Rev. Emmanuel Khokhar gave a thrilling message on PEACE and the role of creating peace and harmony with other religions, expressing the theme of IDP 2015 - PARTNERSHIPS FOR PEACE - DIGNITY FOR ALL. Prayers were offered for World Peace and Peace in Pakistan.
I shared that we all must share at least One Minute of Silence at 12:00 pm whereever we are, and pray for peace, also expressing the reflections of the IDP 2015 message of Ban-Ki- Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations.
I call all warring parties to lay down their weapons and observe a global ceasefire. To them I say: stop the killings and the destruction, and create space for lasting peace. Ban-Ki-Moon also talked on this topic of GLOBAL UNITY. With the “11 Days 11 Themes” project, as started from September 2015 for a peaceful society around you, all congregation appreciated the celebration of the International Day of Peace. The theme of Global Unity is to be continued not just on a Peace Day celebration only.
Peace May Peace Prevail in Pakistan!
May Peace Prevail on Earth!
Yuel Bhatti, Executive Secretary, United Religions Initiative Pakistan
See more photos at ABC4ALL Pakistan CC's facebook page.
LOCATION: Lahore, Pakistan
Greetings of peace!
The International Day of Peace was celebrated at Peace Center, Lahore on 28th of September, 2015 (We postponed it from 21st September due to heavy rains). There were around 100 participants from Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Baha'i communities.
The program started with releasing of doves and balloons in the air.
The video message of Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General was read, speeches were made on the challenges of violence, arms races and the lack of interreligious harmony. The speakers admired the message of Ban Ki-moon, peace songs and Video presentations were done. There was also a launching ceremony of the book of Rev. Dr. Marcus Fida called "Shehr-e-Amn" (City of Peace), and there was a distribution of Peace Awards for the outstanding promoters of peace and harmony from different religions and organizations. There was also a candle light ceremony.
All present committed to carry the mission of interfaith dialogue and peace with youth, women’s groups, religious leaders and especially at grassroots levels.
This IDP was presided over by: His Grace Sebastian Shaw, Archbishop of Lahore; and Chief Guest, Mr. Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Provincial Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs.
Guests of Honor included:
Mualana Abdul Khabir Azad, Grand Imam of Badshahi Mosque Lahore; Allama Zubair Abid, Bishop Alwin Samuel, Pir Shafaat Rasoo, Syed Nao Bahar Shah, Dr. Knwal Feroze, and Mr. Sohail Ahmed Raza.
This program was jointly organized by the Peace Center, URI Pakistan, Global Mission Awareness and Catholic Commission for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism.
The hosts were: Fr James Channan OP, Rev. Dr. Marqus Fida, and Mr. Javaid William.
There was a good number of both electronic and press media.
The program ended with supper.
May Peace Prevail On Earth!
In peace,
fr James Channan OP
URI Regional Coordinator Pakistan
Director, Peace Center, Lahore
