URI Celebrates Peace Day 2020

The International Day of Peace (IDP, or Peace Day), is designated by the United Nations on September 21 as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Peace Day 2020's theme celebrates Shaping Peace Together: "This year, it has been clearer than ever that we are not each other’s enemies."

See photos and stories of how the global URI community celebrated the International Day of Peace this year.

Use these links to skip directly to celebrations from URI members, regional offices, and Cooperation Circles (CCs) in: 

• Africa

• Asia

• Europe

• Latin America and the Caribbean

• The Middle East and North Africa

• Multiregion

• North America

• Southeast Asia and the Pacific

AFRICA

URI Cooperation Circle: Undugu Family Hope Kibera

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Did you know that today is the International Day of Peace? The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace. The theme for this year’s celebration is *Shaping Peace Together.* Celebrate the International Day of Peace by spreading compassion, kindness and hope in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stand together with the UN against attempts to use the virus to promote discrimination or hatred. Join us so that we can shape peace together. See the Facebook post.

URI Cooperation Circle: House of Hilkiah Foundation

Location: Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

The United Nations' (UN) International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21 each year to recognize the efforts of those who have worked hard to end the conflict and promote peace. The International Day of Peace is also a day of ceasefire – personal or political. The 2020 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Shaping Peace Together.” Let's Celebrate the day by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic. Stand together with the UN and House of Hilkiah Foundation against attempts to use the virus to promote discrimination or hatred. Join us so that we can shape peace together.

Date: September 26, 2020

Time: 3:00 PM West Central Africa

Invitation Link -  Meeting ID: 859 4081 8067 - Passcode: 394737

MEET OUR  SPEAKERS:

• Mehmood (Peter) Bheda; Adjunct Professor; Boston University- School of Hospitality Administration; Principal, PB Global Advisory; 2020 TOP Global Key Influencers; USA
• Henry K. Mngerem; Information Technology Senior Consultant & Technology Architect; Nigeria/USA
• Eva Munsamy; Eduprenuer, Humanitarian, lay Counselor, servant leadership; South Africa

URI Cooperation Circle: Karonga Nthora

Location: Karonga, Malawi

As the world is celebrating the International Day of Peace on the theme "Shaping Peace Together," we at Nthora CC honoured this day by mentoring young girls and boys on perseverance; being the topic. Indeed, we need peace in everything, peace with each other, peace in our community, peace in our family, peace with our mother Earth and peace with our education. For those present, we discussed the importance of education and the need to have good habits. Good or bad habits always deliver results. To do good is a matter of understanding and practicing specific, simple habits that always lead to success. Your habits determine your outcome. Successful people don’t just drift to the top; getting there requires; 1) Focused mind 2) Personal discipline 3) A lot of energy to reject harmful forces. If you practice these habits, you create a bright future. We encouraged the girls and boys to aim high. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by aiming high educationally. Education has so far proven to be a safe place to stand on, as it offers a sustainable, independent life after finishing it. Whatever you want to achieve in life, the hidden secret is hard work to attain your vision. The gateway to doing good is going through the education system. If you are not educated, it doesn’t mean you cannot earn a living; you can, but in a tough way. When you are educated, you provide yourself with life insurance. The journey to finally complete your education will take some good years. This means you have a long way to persevere and stand firm to outwards pressure. In a ladder of success, be prepared to face obstacles to pull you down and when you give up, you are doomed. In whatever your mind conceive and believe, the mind can achieve, you just have to believe and act in accordance with your faith. This was our message for International Day of Peace, as we continue to support the young girls and boys in our community.

ASIA

URI Regional Office: URI West India

Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India    

URI West India honored COVID-19 SHEROES AND HEROES who displayed great courage and compassion during the pandemic. The awardees were students, auto drivers, tempo drivers, community women and men, and social activists who closely worked with the URI West India zonal office. Also, an expert on sustainable, eco-friendly efforts shared with the awardees how they can be a great asset to society. The 45 COVID-19 volunteers will be associating with URI soon and will engage in community-based initiatives like child abuse prevention, youth empowerment, and peacebuilding. About 55 people took part.

URI Cooperation Circle: Zero Limits    

Location: Kollam, Kerala, India    

My Dream of a Peaceful World: #Peaceday2020 International Video Campaign, in conjunction with International Peace Day 2020, is organized by Zero Limits and Heart4Earth Foundation. Be a part of the campaign. Raise your voice, let your voice count. About 1000 people are expected to participate.

We welcome videos in any language. See flier above for submission details.

#peaceday2020 #un75 #10000voices4peace #heart4earth #peacelettercampaign #savetomorrows, #voicesyouth, #voicesforpeace, #globalvoice, #endtonukes #UnitedNations #peace4planet #heart4earthinternational #endnukes #needpeace #Youth4Disarmament #onebillionyouthforpeace #nssmarady #URIZeroLimits

URI Cooperation Circle: COPE Pakistan - Community Organization for People Empowerment

Location: Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

COPE Pakistan CC is celebrating the International Day of Peace 2020,  with the theme of Shaping Peace Together, with the interfaith community in Lahore, Pakistan. Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. This year, it has been clearer than ever that we are not each other’s enemies. Rather, our common enemy is a tireless virus that threatens our health, security and very way of life. COVID-19 has thrown our world into turmoil and forcibly reminded us that what happens in one part of the planet can impact people everywhere. The United Nations invites all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace. About 25 people are expected to take part in the COPE Pakistan Peace Day 2020 celebration.

URI Cooperation Circles: WAKE Women And Kids Education CC, URI Women Wing Pakistan, Bright Future CC

Location: Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

The URI Women Wing Pakistan will celebrate IDP 2020 with the members of youth from Bright Future CC and WAKE CC. It will reflect on the ways to help the volunteers promote interfaith harmony and peace/umang in our present situation. It will also celebrate IDP by displaying a tableau and singing peace songs by the youth members of both URI member groups. Sr Sabina, the coordinator of URI Women Wing, will give a reflection on how to use our time in the best way to spread peace joy and harmony among people of different creeds and religions. This program will be held on 17 September. Another program will be held At Peace Center in Lahore on 20th September. It will include people from different faiths, like Muslims, Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. There will be speeches, peace songs, a message from the Secretary-General, and ways of working together in peace will be reflected. The regional staff of URI Pakistan will host the program along with the URI Regional Coordinator, Rev Fr James Channan OP. Pics will be shared soon after the program. (Written by Sabina Rifat). About 110 people are expected to participate.

URI group: URI members in Faisalabad

Location: Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

"We will crest unity among the peoples of different faiths." 80-100 people are expected to participate in this celebration of peace.

URI Cooperation Circle: Karickam International Public School CC

Location: South India (virtual)

It was great to see seventy-five students presenting poems on world peace yesterday, in connection with our International Day of Peace celebrations 2020. You can watch on the YouTube link. It was also to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations—a compliment for the hard work that has been done by URI Representative to the United Nations Monica Willard all these fruitful years.

- Abraham Karickam, URI Regional Coordinator for South India

URI Cooperation Circle: Chahat Charitable Trust

Location: Rajasthan, Delhi NCR, India

We are performing a role-play on Buddha’s teaching of peacemaking in the world. Eleven students of CHAHAT NGO are going to perform it in front of the peoples of different religions. The main agenda is to understand and respect each and every religion. We are hoping that this inspiring role-play is going to have a good impact on people and they will live with inner and outer peace in the future. See more on the Facebook page.

URI Cooperation Circle: Angel Peace Foundation

Location: West Region, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

We have celebrated International Peace Day in our community. We gathered a small session on peace and we have tried to understand how important peace is in our life. Then we planted trees, with the help of members of the Community Development Committee, in our community park. No one had planted saplings in that park before. We started by planting saplings on this day. Along with this, the Community Development Committee pledged to protect these plants and assured everyone that they will plant more plants.

We also described URI and how it is working for creating peace, and we described the role of URI Cooperation Circles (member groups) in this work. We have held another program of making peace symbols, and we organised a drawing competition with the community children and youth, and gave them refreshment. The purpose of this competition was to instill a sense of peace in children. We made peace symbols with candles. 32 people participated. See more on our Facebook page.

URI group: URI Pakistan

Location: Lahore, Punajb, Pakistan

On the 21st of September, 2020, the International Day of Peace will be celebrated at Peace Center and at the URI Regional Office in Lahore, Pakistan. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will keep this celebration, while keeping the SOPs of COVID-19, to about 50 persons. This gathering will include religious leaders, human rights activists, and promoters of peace and interfaith harmony. There will be several URI Cooperation Circle (member group) coordinators from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Kashmir. There would also be a representation of women and youth as well. There will be a great emphasis on the theme of the UN International Day of Peace, "SHAPING PEACE TOGETHER." Peace messages will be given by the Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Sikh leaders and representatives. We will also play the message of the Secretary-General of the UN, H.E. Antonio Guterres, through multi-media. Peace poems will be recited and songs sung by young people. (Written by Fr James Channan OP, URI Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pakistan.)

URI Cooperation Circle: URI in Bangladesh CC

Location: Dhaka, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh

For International Day of Peace on September 21, we celebrated a dance for peace, shaping peace together, by Umme Habiba. Song: Zulfiqar. Planning: Jannatul Maoa. Video: Khairul Habib Mokin. Edited: Ashraful Shawon, URI Bangladesh Presentation.

We also held an "International Day of Peace Celebrate Art Competition: Shaping Peace Together." organized by URI Bangladesh presentation. (See above images for selected entries.)

URI Cooperation Circle: Pakistan MCC, Bright Future CC, WAKE Women And Kids Education CC, and Community Organization for People Empowerment

Location: Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Celebration of UN International Day of Peace, 2020 with URI Youth Volunteers: 

On 17th September, 2020, URI Women Wing Pakistan organized an International Day of Peace celebration with the theme of UNO for this year, "Shaping Peace Together" along with Bright Future CC, WAKE CC and COPE Pakistan CC, at Bakar Mandi, Lahore, Pakistan.

Mr. Peter Malaki, Coordinator of Bright Future CC (Cooperation Circle, or URI member group), was the host. He arranged the entire program with his CC youth volunteers. Sr. Sabina Rifat, Coordinator of  Women Wing URI Pakistan, was the chief guest. Mr. Asher Nazir, Executive Secretary of URI Pakistan, and one parent of each of the volunteers, were guests of honor. Youth volunteers of Bright Future CC warmly welcomed Sr. Sabina Rifat and Mr. Asher Nazir by presenting them with flowers and with the peace song of Mr. Jhon and Ms. Reshfa Gill. Mr. Peter especially thanked Sr. Sabina for her keen interest in youth empowerment. Ms. Jiya Jamshaid offered a prayer of peace in Urdu and Ms. Malaika Yaqoob said a prayer in English. The participants stood with lighted candles with the aim of spreading light in the world. In this program, 58 youth volunteers participated. Martina Philip, Saba Rehmat and Reshfa Gill shared speeches, songs and testimony on Peace in this program.

Mr. Asher Nazir shared his views that youth can play a major role in this society for the promotion of Peace because they are the important part of society and they can promote peace and harmony in their family, school and university through positive action and connecting like-minded people. "You can create a peaceful society." 

"You can play the role of light in darkness and you can do any positive thing any time when you want." - Mr. Asher Nazir

See more about this event in the full report, submitted by Asher Nazir, Executive Secretary, URI Pakistan

URI Cooperation Circle: Janseva Pratishthan, Vita

Location: Vita, Maharashtra, India

We celebrated the International Day of Peace by arranging a poster presentation session with the prime message of how wars and conflict can harm us, and at the same time, how to get our differences straightened so to avoid disharmony. This also involved conversation with community members and having lecture sessions.

URI Cooperation Circle: Shristi

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India    

The major motivation for the engagement stems from the fact that heart, in addition to acting as a bio-mechanical pump in our body, plays an important role with our head (mind) for being compassionate as well as resilient. The COVID times have made us realise, at different levels, the importance of being loved, being a better human, and of appreciating deeply natural resources. The key message is Head, Heart, and Habit (the 3Hs) are important for achieving peace, well-being and inspiring us for looking at nature from a conservation lens.

Shristi proposes to organise these cohorts through the lenses of science, culture, spiritual awakening and nature conservation, and from a personal to a global journey. Shristi intends to engage school and university teachers, civil society groups, faith groups and representatives from the corporate world for this webinar, as they are important stakeholders.

The expected outcomes from the workshops are: 1. Appreciate the values of inculcating good habits in the context of peace and resilience. 2. Understand the importance of 3Hs for peace and nature conservation. 3. Correlate the 3Hs and identify methods from personal to global levels through a change process. 4. Community of Practice (CoP) Head, Heart, and Habit for Fostering Peace and Nature Conservation - Short Certificate Course.

The workshop brings innovative thinking and practices for educators, managers and youth for deeper connection from a personal level for global change. Happiness, compassion, empathy and cooperation are the four elements which would be covered, along with some fundamental environmental and sustainability concepts. Please go through the launch presentation for key information.

Dates: Orientation - 2nd October; 1st Cohort - 16th October; 2nd Cohort - 30th October.

URI Cooperation Circle: Golden Way Peace Foundation

Location: Faridabad, Haryana, India

"Social Live with Nirvana” is a project which helps in increasing the status of interfaith cooperation and peace within the society and community. This project aims to end religious conflict within the community.

Time of Event: 10 am to 2 pm

Duration of Event: 4 hours.

The ultimate goals of the project are to help: (a) build a harmonious relationship through promoting confidence and trust. (b) foster mutual understanding and mutual respect. The purpose of the project is to serve as a forum for dialogues among faith and community leaders of the regions representing a diverse number of cultures, beliefs, and confessions. One of the goals of the project is to build a harmonious relationship  among all followers of different cultures and confessions in the region through promoting confidence and trust. Confidence and trust are essential elements for human security and economic prosperity of the region. A dialogue involving a wider audience of cultures, faiths, and beliefs in the region is lacking. Such a discourse would be a good opportunity for the cooperation to support commitments made by ministers and leaders to ensure the human and economic prosperity of the region. This project also includes various activities which give entire society a great message from that forum.

Benefits and Outputs: The expected beneficiaries of this project include the youths, civil society, community-based organizations involved with promotion of inter-cultural, inter-faith and inter-civilizational understanding, public officials, academics/researchers, participants in the “Social Live with Nirvana.” A commitment to dialogue between cultures, faiths and civilizations and a set of recommendations for shared commitment to promote understanding and harmony. This process and the translation of the outcome/shared values into actions will benefit the targeted beneficiaries as they serve as the catalyst for a more effective engagement of leaders of culture and faith-based organizations. Advancing the culture of peace and harmony would contribute towards socio-economic and cultural development of  the region. At the end of the day, we establish an interfaith forum which works under the  supervision of the spiritual leaders. The main aim of the forum is aware many people as they can and to promote feeling of harmony. We also keep regularly monitoring on them via direct contact as well as social contact. See more on Facebook.

URI Cooperation Circle: Light Up - Emotions Matter Foundation

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India    

Light Up - Emotions Matter Foundation is a non-profit organisation that builds emotional resilience in children at risk through Social and Emotional Learning workshops. Our projects serve the underserved population in schools, high-risk communities and urban slums. The coronavirus epidemic has wreaked havoc on the whole world, and the worst hit by this crisis are these economically and socially disadvantaged communities. We believe that it’s our responsibility to extend our help to these children and families to fulfill their material, medical, and financial needs at the best of our capability.

As of now, we’ve supported 400+ families for food requirements i.e. 2000+ individuals, 450+ children and women with sanitary napkins and other hygiene needs. Being closely associated with the plight of these marginalised communities, our team at Light Up longed to curate an initiative that provides these families with a basic financial foundation for their livelihood that is the right of every citizen.

In accordance with this year's Peace Day Theme: Shaping Peace Together, our new initiative Mission Bridge (MB) aims to bring about accessibility of long-term sustainability for these families by acting as a bridge between the government and its people by together breaking the structural, mental and accessibility barriers between State Welfare Schemes and its beneficiaries. The project will enable the residents of an urban slum, Sanjay Community in Chanakyapuri, Delhi, to avail their rightful safety nets offered by the government. After witnessing the impact of covid on the livelihoods of the poor section of our society, we learnt the need to adhere to a sustainable model for the welfare of the people.Mission Bridge aims to build this safety net for 2000 lives residing in Sanjay Camp Community.

Final Goal: To help Sanjay Camp members register under the Building and Other Construction Workers Act, for the Labour card schemes.

1. Goal #1: Education of Welfare schemes
2. Goal #2: Community
3. Goal #3: Awareness Drive
4. Goal #4: Screening and Documentation
5. Goal #5 Registrations to Welfare Schemes

URI Cooperation Circle: Sarvodaya Bundelkhand     

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Late Swami Agnivesh, an Indian social activist and the founder of Arya Sabha, quotes that “peace among religions is a precondition for world peace.” Sarvodaya Bundelkhand has a similar idea of peace which reflects on how different religions and faiths can act as instruments for peace where these communities progress from religion to spirituality. The aim of the peace project organised by Sarvodaya Bundelkhand is to make people aware about the general nature of peace in their people’s subjective understanding, and the idea of communal harmony through peace education, sustainable environment, and women's empowerment.

On this International Peace Day, they aspire to work with young peacebuilders from different religions to promote interfaith peace and harmony in society. They have intricately designed the local and culture-bound activities, such as organising prayers at the community level to disseminate the essence of peace to people. Thus, they believe that the world order to be one of peace and justice, it is imperative that a new and proactive spiritual vision be commensurate to the challenges of the emerging world order without delay.

URI Cooperation Circle: Brotherhood of Humanity

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

With peace as the goal, we at “Brotherhood of Humanity” will write a small booklet on  concept of “Friendship and Enmity in Islam.” We will promote it within Muslim youth to counter the extremist narrative that seeks to drive a wedge between Muslims and non-Muslims. The funds will be used to produce a few hundred hard copies for distribution, as well as e-book versions for distribution in soft-copy form. We will also promote the findings through social media. The requested financial help will support a program of countering the false and hate-based narratives of the extremist that aims to increase enmity between Muslims and non-Muslims. The project of writing a small booklet on concept of “Friendship and Enmity in Islam” will be completed within three months. Then the book would be distributed in hard copy as well as e-book versions. The goal of the project would be to build a vision of friendship with other communities and where there is enmity then to sow the question, “How can we turn them into friends?” The success or failure would be measured by requesting feedback and testimonials from as many people as possible. The target audience would be the Muslim youth who are also the target audience of the extremists.

URI Cooperation Circle: Abhigyane Foundation

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Peace Day 2020 activities include: A virtual exhibition of photographs on International Peace. Individual video messages by experts from different communities. A compiled short video from members of Abhigyane Foundation from different countries in their own language. Sharing article write-ups on the role of women in the ongoing peace process. A webinar with guest speakers from different parts of the world.

The International Day of Peace 2020 will be held on the theme “Shaping Peace Together.” To celebrate the day, the world is invited to: spread compassion, kindness and hope in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; and stand together. We are going to celebrate this as Global Peace Week. Global Peace Week, 14-21 September, will have celebrations including peace, education, articles, a virtual art exhibition, webinar session and more! Global Peace week will acknowledge how International Peace Day came into being and for more information on what you can do to help accomplish a global change. We will invite all 11 nations where our foundation is working and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace. See more on our Facebook post.

URI Cooperation Circle: Tronica City

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Tronica City CC aims at providing education to the underprivileged children studying in a small school aided by local residents by sponsoring basic amenities like their fees, school uniforms and course books.

We will sponsor fees, books and uniforms of 2 students. This way, these students will be able to pursue their education without hurdles. The fees of two students for the entire year will be paid altogether to the institution on order to prevent delay. The uniforms and books will be purchased in the beginning of session. See Instagram post.

URI Cooperation Circle: Support for Enlightenment Foundation

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India

The Partnering for Peace Initiative recognizes the need to reach out to children in this especially challenging time. It recognizes the integrative role and social responsibility of religion, and seeks to provide opportunities for religious leaders to help underprivileged children (through education, resources, health kits etc). This initiative, based as it is on interfaith solidarity and social consciousness, aims to promote conciliation, harmony and most importantly, the welfare (both material and mental) of children. See more on the Facebook page.

*Partnering for Peace Initiative*
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted life as we know it, ruining livelihoods and fundamentally altering social relationships. Children form an especially vulnerable group because of the extent of the pandemic's impact on their lives -- because they are no longer allowed to go to school, it has become difficult for them to grow and learn in the company of teachers and friends. For children of underprivileged backgrounds, the problem is even more acute.
The Partnering for Peace Initiative recognizes the need to reach out to children in this especially challenging time. It recognizes the integrative role and social responsibility of religion, and seeks to provide opportunities for religious leaders to help underprivileged children (through education, resources, health kits etc). This initiative, based as it is on interfaith solidarity and social consciousness, aims to promote conciliation, harmony and most importantly, the welfare (both material and mental) of children.

URI Cooperation Circle: Cosmic Community Centre CC

Location: Kollam, Kerala, India

Cosmic Community Centre, in association with the Akhila Kerala Balajana Sakhyam, the biggest union of children in the state, organised a Poetry Competition as part of the IDP. The theme of the program was World Peace. The participants were to compose their own imaginary poetry, either in vernacular language (Malayalam) or in English, and present it online. Eminent Juries selected the best three poems each in Malayalam and in English and gave away cash prize and certificates to the winners. The response was overwhelming. Considering the time slots management, we had to limit the number of participants by closing the entries on a first-come-first-serve basis. The messages conveyed through the poetry were encouraging and to the points on Shaping Peace Together. The event was watched by many URI Cooperation Circle members and they expressed their appreciation to the organizers. Over 200 people were involved (75 participants, their community members, volunteers and organizers.)

URI Cooperation Circle: Sangrur District CC

Location: Sangrur, Punjab, India

As quoted by William Shakespeare, “One touch of nature makes the whole world kind." Sangrur Cooperative Circle similarly believes in the power of nature to bring people together. They title this project as "Herbal Plants: An Enigma To Environment-Friendly Circle Around Us." With great interest and energy, the project aims to plant a sapling. Herbal plants are very necessary for their medicinal properties and other advantages. At the same time, it is our duty to maintain its upkeep and follow its necessary progress, which will induce an eco-friendly atmosphere and healthy environment on the International Day of Peace. They aim to encourage awareness in the public masses about peace through herbal plants which stand for care and enigmatic values which are integral to peace. As the trees give us all shade without any discrimination, similarly, natural herbal plants heal and gives relief to the whole world community without any discrimination. Their prime motive behind this project encourages people from different religions and URI Cooperation Circles to plant these herbal saplings and undertake the responsibility of joint nurturement for healthy growth and later on enlighten the spirit of the use of Herbal Plants Based Ayurvedic items for a sustainable future.

URI Cooperation Circle: Kasturba Balika Vidyalaya

Location: New Delhi, Delhi, India 

Continuing the International Day of Peace celebration, the International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence. The International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, through education and public awareness". The day reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence". The international non-violence day was celebrated by Kasturba CC on 2nd October at Kasturba Balika Vidyalaya Ishwar Nagar New Delhi 65, a school for the education of girl children from lower castes, and works towards inclusive society. All the staff members organized a cleanliness program on the school campus, a meeting followed by prayer organized on this occasion. We memorialized father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversary. We remember the principles of non-violence shaped by Mahatma Gandhi. "I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country, in whose making they have an effective voice" by Mahatma Gandhi."

URI Regional Office: URI Pakistan

Location: Lahore, Pakistan

Peace Center and United Religions Initiative (URI) Pakistan organized the celebration of International Day of Peace on 20th September, 2020 at Peace Center, in Lahore, Pakistan. They invited around 70 religious leaders, promoters of interfaith harmony, and peace ambassadors who are all playing a positive role to bring peace and interfaith harmony to Pakistan and elsewhere.

Read more and see more photos here.

EUROPE

URI Cooperation Circle: URI CC Lienz/Austria

Location: Lienz, Austria    

The Peace Pole of the URI CC Austria got a new place to inspire people: In front of the war memorial and the church of St. Andrew in Lienz, Austria. In the walls behind it are written the names of the men who died in WW1 and WW2 from the villages in the surrounding area. There is a little chapel with pictures from WW1. Also, there are many people around this place throughout the year, because there is also the cemetery from the town here. This was URI CC Austria's contribution for teh UN Day of Peace 2020.

URI Cooperation Circles: Youth for Peace, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Sombor Educational Centre, Udhetim i Lire - Liberi di Viaggiare

URI Region: Europe

Three URI Europe Cooperation Circles (member groups) from the Balkans; Youth for Peace from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sombor Educational Center from Serbia, and Udhetim i Lire from Albania; organized a webinar called "Towards Positive Peace: Countering Hate Speech." The webinar recording can be found on the Youth for Peace Facebook page. Around 100 people have watched this webinar so far. Watch it now.

URI Cooperation Circle: Society for Intercultural Research and Friendship

Location: Ankara, Turkey

Ali Selim Kara from SIRF (Society For Intercultural Research & Friendship), a Cooperation Circle (URI member group) in Ankara, Turkey. This group designed beautiful posters for the International Day of Peace. HAPPY INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY!

URI Cooperation Circle: Udhetim i Lire - Liberi di Viaggiare

Location: Albania

Members of Udhetim i Lire, a URI member group from Albania, translated the URI Charter: PPPs (Preamble, Purpose and Principles) into the Albanian language and used beautiful designs to count down to IDP (Peace Day). All images and the final video can be seen on the URI Europe Facebook page.

URI Cooperation Circle: URI Netherlands CC

Location: The Netherlands    

URI Netherland members came together for the International Day of Peace and they created some beautiful artwork.

URI Cooperation Circle: URI Germany CC (URI Deutschland CC)

Location: Bonn, Germany

URI Germany and the Evangelical community initiated together an action at the Intercultural Week and World-Peace Day 2020 in the city park Bonn-Bad Godesberg. Marianne Horling and Helgard Rehders put together a collection of songs from different cultures and faiths to sing along with the visitors and passers-by. See more.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

URI Cooperation Circle: Quinaroes    

Location: Lagunillas, Mérida, Venezuela    

Quinaroa Cooperation Circle activity for September 21: For this year of celebration for the International Day of La Paz, we will do it in the vicinity of our community. We will try to have in attendance only close members of our Indigenous people, due to infections and quarantine. We always think about sharing with others or the people around us, and during these six months that we have been in quarantine, we have internalized ourselves and sharing has been more familiar. We have returned to our roots. We have proposed to plant fruit trees and endemic plants, and to reorganize our boundaries. This will allow us at the same time to reconnect with our essence. On the day of the 21st, we want the participants to work with thoughts of harmony in nature and harmony in all the humans of this world. We want the light of nature to guide us in this journey that took us out of the routine and changed our lives as we knew it. Many times we do more outside than in our mucu (land). This year, we will be working with the interaction between children and adults, in a day of sharing with ourselves and the connection of the natural world. May future generations practice growing their own food, and as adults, may we not forget to cultivate these customs in our children. About 20 participants are expected.

URI Cooperation Circles: Misiones Unidas (United Missions) and De la UNIDAD, la Reconciliación y la Sanación (Unity, Reconciliation, and Healing)

Location: Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina

The United Missions CC and the Unity, Reconciliation and Healing CC joined other organizations to celebrate the International Day of Peace 2020 via Zoom. In the framework of the 2020 Peace Round, they carried out a playful activity called "Small Inspired Texts," which is a proposal from the San Juan-Mendoza node, on Monday, September 14. About 20 people participated.

This activity is oriented to the common good, peace, and unity. All participating organizations voluntarily commit to spreading hope and believe that peace is possible despite this time of pandemic. See the Facebook page for more details.

URI Cooperation Circle: Samay

Location: Saraguro, Loaja, Ecuador

These program s are organized by the CC-Samay youth group to strengthen the energies of peace for the world. (UN Declaration: September 21 as the International Day of Peace.)

1. Radio program on the morning of the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd in the morning at the four local stations in Saraguro, Ecuador: "La Authentic", "Radio Kipa", "Frontera Sur", and "Alli Michik".
2. Launch of the Campaign "Also is Violence" (In Time of Pandemic) by the different platforms of the digital system, on Sunday 27th Sept. Recording and publishing of educational videos.
3. Participation with the leaders of the FIIS (Interprovincial Federation of Indigenous Saraguros) in the fair exhibition of Andean seeds in this local planting season, as a tribute to Mother Earth who opens her womb to receive the seeds that we sow, which we will harvest after nine months for the sustenance and food of humanity. Kulla Raymi, which means the celebration of a new beginning, the celebration of the beginning of love, the celebration of the beginning of a new agricultural calendar, sowing of ideas, sowing of new dreams, sowing stability to achieve peace.
4. Participate in the ceremony of the "Kulla Raymi" Andean ceremony of initiation of all activity.

URI Cooperation Circle: Círculo Latinoamericano de Músicos    

Location: Mexico, DF

We are holding a virtual event that will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020. Different activities will be carried out around the culture of peace, including music, literature, spirituality, the Amazon, inclusion, and Indigenous and ecological social relations. About 30 people are expected.

URI Cooperation Circle: Círculo Latinoamericano de Músicos 

Location: São Luis do Paraitinga, São Paulo, Brazil    

Moreno Overá is going to record a song from Facundo Cabral, to celebrate de International Peace Day. The video is going to be upload at Moreno's YouTube page.

URI Cooperation Circles: Mukua (Mujeres Kunas Artesanas), Aflaiai (Eterno), Qewna Cooperation Circle

Location: Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá

In the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, a discussion was organized, via Zoom, for Thursday, September 24, 2020. It will begin with an inter-religious prayer and then speak on art in tribute to Indigenous Women. The discussion was organized by URI member groups Aflaiai and Qewña, who invited CC Mukua members to share their Kuna cultural experiences. About 25 people are expected.

URI Cooperation Circle: Mukua (Mujeres Kunas Artesanas)

Location: Panamá, Veracruz, Panamá

A message of love and hope from CC Mukua, Panama: This date is celebrated every September 21 with the aim of strengthening the idea of peace among nations. In response to this call, the members of the Mukua CC of Panama made a video with one of their girls transmitting a beautiful message full of love and hope, since due to physical distancing due to the pandemic, they will not be able to meet to honor this day. (See video above.)

URI Cooperation Circles: Pueblos Indígenas de Argentina (Of the Indigenous People of Argentina) and Comunidad Cósmica CC

Location: Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina    

Program: "Circular Encounter for Peace, and Reflections Dialogues in times of COVID-19." In the framework of the International Day of Peace, September 21, declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations, is dedicated this year to be the year of listening and learning. Our community is following that idea, and in such difficult times of physical social distancing, compulsory isolation, which aggravated the situation of Indigenous Peoples, in recent times, especially in urban areas. That is why we think that today, more than ever, we must not stop celebrating this day. We know that, this year, the celebration will be very different from other years. Therefore, it forces us to take different tools to find ourselves, and thus challenge the critical situation in which we find ourselves. Much of our strength comes from our roots, from spirituality, orality, resilience, the wisdom of old age, the courage of women and the virtuality of young people. In this context and with that framework, we will celebrate peace, inviting our Indigenous and non-Indigenous brothers, that although we cannot be next to each other, but we can still dream together and strengthen a lasting peace for us, Mother Earth. and the world. 

Our goals: Motivate families to talk in their homes how to forge a future of peace in times of a pandemic (COVID-19). Reflect to build new alternatives for peace. Generate deep intra-family dialogues about peace in our communities. Motivate the work of construction of new post-pandemic paradigms.

The activity will take place during the week of September 21-27, ending with a ceremony. During the week, the elderly will be visited to listen to their voices. The meetings will be for the exchange of experiences and proposals on how to overcome this crisis. There will be virtual meetings to celebrate peace with other religions. It will end with an ancestral ceremony in a sacred place, near a river, with no more than 10 people (as allowed by the government.

URI Cooperation Circle: Comunidad de Reflexión y Espiritualidad Ecológica - CREE

Location: Ecuador

In the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, the members of URI Cooperation Circle CREE joined the International Campaign "With Faith and Action Be a Guardian and Guardian of Creation" that will carry out three activities on September 21. There will be a prayer for Mother Earth and her guardians, on September 23. There will be a conversation: Analysis on the economy of extractive dispossession, on Friday, September 25, with the Pastoral Sending to celebrate the campaign. The three activities will be broadcast on Facebook live. About 30 people are expected.

URI Cooperation Circle: Constructores de Puentes (Bridge Builders) 

Location: Buenos Aires, Capital Federal, Argentina

With the financing of the KAICIID Fellow Program, the members of the CC Builders of Bridges designed and are developing three training workshops, with tools to work in the Interreligious Dialogue for young people between 14 and 25 years old. The virtual workshops began yesterday, Wednesday, September 16, with a duration of two hours, and will be held on the third Wednesday of the next months: October and November. These spaces will deepen understanding on Identity, Diversity and Dialogue.

In the first edition, 33 young people from the following traditions participated: Africanist, Agnostic, Buddhist (Sokka Gakkai and Zen), Christianity (Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical), Hinduism, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Islam, Judaism, and Native Peoples, from Argentina, Guatemala and Mexico. The young people were very enthusiastic, as some expressed that they had never been exposed to an inter-religious dialogue. The facilitators were young people who had participated in the program before and who shared their knowledge from their previous experience.

URI Cooperation Circle: CC URI Guanabara

Location: Niterói, Rio de Janeito, Brazil

The Guanabara CC presents a poem to celebrate the International Peace Day. The Cooperation Circle focuses its work on educating people, especially children, into a more conscious relationship with Nature and also among other kinds of religions. 

Click the PDF below to read the poem.

URI Cooperation Circle: Círculo de Cooperação URI Goiás

Location: Goiania, Goias, Brazil    

URI Goiás has invited nine speakers from different traditions to have a conversation about peace on September 24. The event is going to be online.

URI Cooperation Circle: URI Brasilia CC  

Location: Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil

We, URI Brazil, MOGAUMA, and 10x10 Challenge, are celebrating Peace Day 2020. Each participant will have two minutes to share their reflection about which concrete actions bring peace. Also, those who want to share a prayer for peace are welcome. Welcome! About 30 people are expected.

URI Cooperation Circle: Los Descendientes de Guatemaya

Location: Atitlán, Solola, Guatemala

Mayan ceremony on the shore of Lake Atitlán, September 21, 2020: JUN B´ATZ´. JUN means the beginning of life. BATZ means time, spirituality, creator of life and wisdom, it is the beginning of intelligence. It is a day to ask for humanity, for the crops, for the beginning of a job. Food for those in need, health, conscience and more now, ask for the purification of the path of humanity, and that the disease gradually leaves humanity abandoned, and that we can start over and renew our existence. The ceremony will be held on the shores of Lake Atitlan for the purification of life and conscience. It will be celebrated by only 10 people, since due to the pandemic they do not allow crowds, and the rest will be celebrating it in their homes.

URI Cooperation Circle: Campinas CC     

Location: Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

This year, we accepted the challenge to realize the XI Regional Seminar of Promotion of Healthy and Peace Culture online with the theme: Times of Reframing, Resilience and Co-creation. The event is going to happen from September 21st to October 2nd. It is going to be 12 days of different kinds of activities that invite us to think about the challenges of these times; its uncertainty and also its potentialities. Participe, anote as datas e compartilhe. Sua presença é motivo de alegria. (Participate, write down your dates and share your presence and reason for joy.) About 400 people are expected.

How to attend:

• Conferences and dialogue
• Workshops that need prior registration
• International Congress of the International Culture of Peace at Costa Rica: Click here. 
• Daily activities – Meditação, Gotas pela Paz, e Leituras para Sonhar (Meditation, Drops for Peace, and Readings to Dream)

See more details in the PDF below.

URI Cooperation Circle: Circulo De Cooperación para el Diálogo CC (Cooperation Circle for Dialogue)

Location: Caracas, Miranda, Venezuela

September 21 is the International Day of Peace and the members of the Cooperation Circle for Dialogue decided to celebrate it on the Radio Community programming throughout the week of September 21-27. Special programs alluding to the importance of peace will be broadcast. Additionally, the messages of all the members of the URI Leadership Team and Cooperation Circles (member groups) for the region of Latin America and the Caribbean, who were invited to participate from their different countries, will be broadcast. "Forging peace together."

URI Cooperation Circle: URI Borborema

Location: Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil    

The Forum of Religious Diversity - Paraíba, in partnership with the United Religions Initiative (URI) in its member group Borborema, and together with TV UEPB, we invite you: For a live conversation on the International Day of Peace, which this year brings the theme chosen by the UN: Forming Peace Together.

Today: September 21 (Monday). Time: 2:00 PM. In the link of the UEPB channel on YouTube. The virtual meeting will be attended by religious representatives and important social actors, to talk about their socio-cultural work and send a message of peace to the world.

Special guests: Salette Aquino - Representative of URI Brasil and Advisor to URI Latin America and the Caribbean. Manu Alves - Representative of Uri Borborema and Urban Witch. Euclides Franklin - Representative of the Archdiocese of Paraíba at the Religious Diversity Forum-PB; Monk Myōyū Taishin - Representative of the Zen-Buddhist Community Daissen of João Pessoa in the Religious Diversity Forum-PB; Hugo Borges (Hagai Alnakar Ben Avraham) - President of the Israelite Center of Paraíba - CIPB and Nassy of the Kahal Kadosh Shomer Israel Synagogue. Represents the Jewish Community in the Religious Diversity Forum-PB. Yalorixá Verônica Lourenço - Represents Ylê Axé de Oxum and Oya, Rede Sapatá and Terreiro Women at the Diversidade Religiosa-PB Forum. Pr. Willams da Penha Silva Represents the Metropolitan Community Churches in the Section of the Religious Diversity Forum-PB in the city of Cabedelo. High Priest Saulo Gimenez Ferreira Ribeiro - Wicca Representative and General Coordinator at the Religious Diversity Forum-PB, Pastor Wilkens Lenon Andrade - Evangelical Baptist tradition. It is a member of the Ecumenical Center for Biblical Studies - CEBI / PB. Anne Karolynne - Nurse specialist in mental health. Write life stories of people from all over the world through string literature Sanderline Ribeiro - Indigenous Potiguara, Pajé and Educadora. José Augusto Avelar - Representative Bahaì, Existentialist psychologist and representative of URI. Vinicius Castro Vasconcelos - Historian, Yoga instructor, Reikiano III, Karuna Ki II, Tarologist, Dowser.

Programming: Theme development, Messages of Peace, Meditation is peace, Experience (10 minutes of meditation).

URI Cooperation Circle: Comunidad de Reflexión y Espiritualidad Ecológica - CREE

Location: Quito, Ecuador

To celebrate the International Day of Peace, the members of the CC CREE will hold a virtual meeting of all its members in which they will share interreligious prayers and thoughts to honor this celebration. Due to the pandemic, face-to-face meetings are still prohibited, so the best option was to make use of technology and thus maintain the annual tradition of sharing and reinforcing thoughts of peace for all its localities. About 20 people took part.

URI Cooperation Circle: De la UNIDAD, la Reconciliación y la Sanación

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

On Monday, September 21, at 6:00 p.m. in Argentina, the members of the CC De La Unidad, La Sanación and La Reconciliation will work together with other organizations, such as the Peace Council of the Republic of Argentina, that work in favor of peace and unity. They will hold a Zoom meeting to exchange thoughts and prayers that raise the energy frequencies of the world in these uncertain times. May peace prevail on earth!

URI Cooperation Circle: Fraternidad Interespiritual

Location: Mexico DF

The members of the CC (URI member group) Fraternidad Interspiritual de México participated on September 21 and 22 in the II Interreligious Day for Peace convened by the Undersecretariat of Democratic Development, Social Participation and Religious Affairs of the Government of Mexico. It was broadcast live via Facebook, since face-to-face meetings are not allowed due to the pandemic. More than ten panelists and about 160 spectators were present.

THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

URI Cooperation Circle: Together SAFE

Location: Manama, Bahrain

In honoring the International Day of Peace, Together SAFE CC in Bahrain conducted an online webinar on E-Peace, the role of youth to shape peace through technology. Remarkable speakers contributed to discussions on the role of youth in spreading positive messages and reinforcing peace within the community through the means of Information and communication technology.

The webinar stressed the fact that Information and communication technology advance at a very intense pace and have significantly altered how violent- extremism develops and plays out. On the other hand, technology innovation has empowered individuals and impacted how peacebuilders could prevent and counter hateful speeches and behavior.

The webinar achieved the following aims:

• Examined the importance of Information and communication technology in driving international security and shaping peace/ E-Peace.
• Highlighted the important role of Youth as peacebuilders to cultivate a culture of religious freedom and peaceful co-existence within the community by supporting positive social change and promoting cohesive, inclusive, peaceful and tolerant messages through the usage of a variety of information and communication technology.
• Shed light on the importance of Innovation technology to combat violent-extremism and hateful speeches.

See the full recording of the webinar above.

URI Cooperation Circle: Charter for Compassion – Yemen and URI Middle East & North Africa regional office

Location: Sanaa, Yemen

We celebrate the International Day of Peace, and as participation in our community, we always take care of people who have special cases. The current situation in Yemen has increased their suffering. Hence, we performed our activity with autistic children at the Charter for Compassion Yemen Autism Center in Sana'a with the URI team. This is the first time that these children with autism in Yemen have celebrated this occasion.

Thanks to all participants, parents, partners, and supportive organizations: Charter for Compassion, URI MENA, Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC)

URI Cooperation Circle: Sohag Community Development Association for Women and Children's Situations Improvement (ICWA)

Location: Sohag, Egypt

Giving prosthetic devices to young people with disabilities: Volunteers of all religions were invited to celebrate the International Day of Peace and to implement the activity. By counting the needs of young people and children with disabilities, to know their main needs on this day during the celebration, they all agreed to provide help to obtain the service of providing prosthetic devices to them, with the help of their peers, from the volunteer youth. Their requirements were accepted, and the activity was carried out with love and peace of all. The effect of that day on all attendees was positive and satisfied, because the goal of that work has been achieved, which is to spread peace among everyone regardless of our differences.

URI Region: URI MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Office

Location: Amman, Jordan

In celebrating the International Day of Peace, URI MENA organized a special Zoom session dedicated to reflecting on what peace means to URI folks in the MENA region. Also, the participants discussed how we can contribute to peace at local, regional and global levels.

Major takeaways:

• Peace is personal; everyone has his/her own perspective on peace.
• Most participants agreed that Peace means dignity, justice, freedom, security (to live without fear), well-being for all, not just absence of war.
• Peace is being accepted and respected for who you are.
• To achieve peace, prepare for peace, not war.
• Peace begins with inner peace. We can find peace if we start with ourselves.
• Peace needs a collective effort to be coordinated by a strong, unbiased global entity with fair and equal representation of all nations (stronger than the United Nations). The entity should achieve the common vision of a life of dignity, justice and well-being for all.
• Everyone can contribute to peace starting with him/herself. Ordinary people can make a difference. By being just, respecting human rights and helping the needy, you contribute to peace.
• We can contribute to world peace by supporting grassroots peace movements and promoting nonviolent alternatives.
• The occupation of Palestinian land is the major threat of peace in the MENA region.

URI Cooperation Circle: Dialogue for Peace

Location: Morocco    

Dialogue for Peace CC in Morocco organized the World Journey of Peace to celebrate the International Day of Peace. The event included many activities:

1. Entertainment with clowns for the children of a poor neighborhood and children deprived of family. We had a lot of fun with the children and distributed toys and sweets to poor and orphan children.
2. Painting a large mural under the theme "Peace in the world"
3. A workshop about the refugee immigration in north Africa in coordination with the High Commissioner for Refugees
4. A conference on peace education and coexistence between different faiths in Morocco, led by several speakers from civil society in order to understand each other.

THE URI MULTIREGION

URI Cooperation Circle: United Religions Initiative at the United Nations

Location: New York, NY, USA

International Day of Peace Observance at the United Nations: Shaping Peace Together. Join the virtual observance.

Thursday, 17 September, 2020 - 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

This year’s United Nations International Day of Peace Observance will be a virtual event under the theme “Shaping Peace Together”. The online Student Observance will feature United Nations Messengers of Peace, Yo-Yo Ma, and Dr. Jane Goodall, along with young people (including URI members Sarah Oliver and Issac Thomas) addressing the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and the importance of coming together peacefully to turn the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity for peace and inclusivity.

The morning will include the annual Peace Bell Ceremony with United Nations Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly. There will also be a performance by the Universal Hip Hop Museum. Register and join us! http://www.un.org/peaceday

URI Cooperation Circle: URI Global Youth Cooperation Circle            

Location: Philippines    

The URI Global Youth CC is an expansive group of young minds that are pioneers in working on community-based activities in their localities, that are interfaith in nature, that spread the awareness on important societal issues, as well as aid in building bridges of peace. For the IDP this year, we are tapping on the youth from across the globe to create a global word cloud on what IDP means to them. The results of which can be found here. About 50 people participated.

NORTH AMERICA

URI Cooperation Circle: University of Rochester Interfaith Chapel

Location: Rochester, NY, United States    

We held an outdoor, socially-distanced candlelight vigil in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and honoring Daniel Prude, an African American man killed in police custody here in Rochester in March. We combined the International Day of Peace with this vigil to link racial reconciliation with peacemaking and to lift it up as a crucial component of bringing peace to our nation and world. Speakers from different religious traditions offered prayers or reflections and members of the African American community spoke of their own experiences with racial discrimination. One of our African American students played "Lift Every Voice and Sing" on the University carillon at the start of the vigil and another student sang a blessing at the end. See more on our Facebook page.

URI Cooperation Circle: Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County CC

Location: Pleasant Hill, CA, United States    

The Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, the Interfaith Peace Project, and the Social Justice Alliance of ICCCC cosponsor an International Day of Peace program, with song, spoken prayers, and a presentation from David Hartsough, a Quaker peacemaker whose work over decades is almost a chronicle against the Civil Rights Movement and the US War Machine. We thank Father Tom Bonacci and Randy Thomas from IPP and I4C for their words, Dr. Erica Bains from the Sikh Faith for a blessing, and Kristina Martin from SOJA for her welcome and prayer. Despite the technical difficulties, we heard a great encouragement to join the many groups working against the next round of nuclear weapon the US is building despite our treaties against doing so.

URI Cooperation Circle: Interfaith Center at the Presidio    

Location: San Francisco, USA   

In observance of The International Day of Peace, the Interfaith Center at the Presidio presents a virtual concert on ZOOM. Find Peace and Inspiration by joining us for "Classical Interface" featuring Frank Fetta, piano; and Ruslan Biryukov, cello, on Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 4 pm PST.  Music is a language that has the power to heal divisions and bring people together. About 65 people will participate. See more on Facebook.

To receive the ZOOM link for the concert, please email: [email protected]. Admission is free.

URI Cooperation Circle: Interfaith Center at the Presidio    

Location: San Francisco, USA   

International Peace Day focuses on building a peaceful and prosperous future. The exhibition Remembered Light spotlights the McDonald Peace Windows and how one chaplain’s remembrances of destruction were woven into new, imaginative works of art out of the ruins and devastation of war. Remembered Light has traveled the country since 2007, organized by the Interfaith Center at the Presidio, San Francisco, California, where the stained glass art pieces from Remembered Light will be incorporated into and permanently displayed in the planned renovation of the historic Presidio Chapel. See more information here.

URI Cooperation Circle: Camp Anytown Las Vegas

Location: Las Vegas, United States

Anytown Las Vegas is launching a podcast playlist titled "The Peace Series." The podcast is organized by Erin Adarve, an Anytown graduate and member of the Anytown Youth Council, a complete youth-led working board that provides strategic direction to the Anytown program and incorporates perspectives and voices of young people in each element of program planning. This year, we are highlighting 4 young leaders from various faith traditions and spiritual expressions and asking them, "What does your faith or spiritual expression say about PEACE?"

URI Cooperation Circle: S.A.R.A.H. (The Spiritual And Religious Alliance For Hope)    

Location: United States

On September 21st, S.A.R.A.H. is gathering the women, answering the call of what Julia Ward Howe requested in The Mother's Day Proclamation 150 years ago this year. In this declaration, written at the end of the Civil War, she earnestly calls for "a General Congress of Women to address the greater needs of peace". We think it's time.

What's more, we are inviting women leadership from all over the world to take another look at how they organize, how they consider everyone in their decision-making, and then how do we care for one another along the way. Utilizing the Fruit of Life, a pattern found in every living being, our Protocol for Care and Caregiving, and the philosophies of intersectionality and collective impact, we are addressing the greater needs of peace by doing what we do best; coming into circle. We are measuring our impact, and identifying our target areas of the UN Beijing Platform for Change 12 Critical Action Areas of Concern developed for and by women.

Dr. Riane Eisler, Dr. Pam Rajput, Karambu Ringera PhD, Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, and Clare DuBois, with opening and closing blessings offered by Grandmother Flordemayo, will speak to the urgent need for women to rethink old patterns and reconsider what has been with and in us all the time and that as givers and sustainers of life. S.A.R.A.H. Advisory Council Members Sande Hart, Joan Marie (who brought us this vision 4 years ago), Ann Smith and Laura Ava-Tesimale will host our Inaugural Launch call. "   

URI Cooperation Circles: Interfaith Cooperation Circle of Kaua'i, Unity Earth

Location: Lihue, HI, United States

On Sept. 20, 2020, The Interfaith Roundtable of Kaua`i will be celebrating the International Day of Peace as a Zoom meeting from 1:30- 3:30 Hawaii Standard Time. The Zoom ID number is 872 6203 2672. The passcode is: bepeace. We will have a local program of singing, a story read to the youth, and a talk by Sister Jenna of the Brama Kumaris on self-transformation in this time of pandemic. She is an author, speaker, radio, and TV personality, host of the America Meditating Radio Show, and director of the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museums in Washington, DC. There will also be a panel discussion with representatives from various religions on Kaua`i discussing "Hope in a Time of Pandemic." A portion of this year’s event is being presented in collaboration with Peace Weekend 2020. This online extravaganza (Sept. 19-21) is the culmination of a global series of events by Unity Earth that began in 2016 and aims at the realization of unity and peace on Earth. About 100 participants are expected.

SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

URI Cooperation Circle: Pakigdait, Inc. CC

Location: Palao, Iligan City, Philippines

For International Day of Peace 2020, this group hosted "Interfaith Fellowship: Shaping Our Peace stories and Shaping Interfaith Solidarity in Times of Pandemic" together with the International Interfaith Champions. It was streamed live on Facebook video. See the recording.