Troy Celebrates Peace Day

What is Peace Day?

The International Day of Peace provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981, and in 2002, the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace. On Tuesday, September 21, 2010, men, women and children from around the world will celebrate this day, also known as "Peace Day." 

Join with others from Troy and around the world to nurture peace
In 2009, a group of Troy residents and business owners came to together to create a day of celebration for Troy in the spirit of the original vision that brought forth the Charter of the United Nations which envisions building a Culture of Peace in the 21st century, uniting the strengths of organizations, businesses, projects and peoples in order to make peace a practical reality.

Banners asking "How can I/we make Peace?" have been hanging all over Troy this month inviting the residents of Troy to write their thoughts about peace. On Peace Day, church bells around the city will ring at noon inviting all to join a moment of silence for peace. There will be opportunities to find peace through yoga or meditation, children will be making art, a Peace Walk  will be held downtown in the evening and there will be a music celebration at The Judges Inn. For more info about events, visit http://troypeace.org/.

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting co-workers, organizations, communities or governments engaged in a large event. Or spending some time volunteering for a local charity or not-for-profit that works everyday to make lives in the community more peaceful by solving problems such as hunger, homelessness, domestic violence and providing a safe place for children after school. Since its inception, Peace Day has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day, with the commitment to peace expressed in diverse and creative ways.

 

Along with being designated by the UN as the International Day of Peace, September 21 is also a day of Global Ceasefire. The cessation of hostilities for 24 hours enables relief workers to reach civilians in need with food, water, and medical supplies in areas that are often unreachable due to heavy fighting. These activities cover various areas of need and contribute towards peace-building and lives being saved: immunization campaigns, water and sanitation programs, the building of homes, gun amnesties, distribution of humanitarian aid, sports activities focused on reconciliation, workshops on human–wildlife conflicts and peace and security issues.

For Peace Day events in Troy visit: http://troypeace.org

Find out more about the International Day of Peace at: http://internationaldayofpeace.org

Find out more about the Culture of Peace Initiative at: http://cultureofpeace.org/

Find out more about Peace One Day at: http://peaceoneday.org

Compiled by Katherine Young