International Day of Peace

The United Nations designated a day to observe an International Day of Peace in 1981.

In 2001, the UN selected September 21st of each year for that purpose. The World Council of Churches, as part of its program the Decade to Overcome Violence (2001 to 2010), selected September 21st (or the previous Sunday), to observe as an International Day of Prayer for Peace. As a result of both celebrations, millions of people around the world are engaged in celebrating and praying for peace.

On September 21, 2008, Kids As Peacemakers inaugurated the first annual Peace in the Park Celebration in honor of the World Council of Churches International Day of Prayer for Peace and the United Nations International Day of Peace. More than 300 people gathered in Waterfront Park in Newburyport, MA, to celebrate through music and community activities. The program was the brainchild of young people who said after the event that they “felt inspired by the chance to plan and participate in an activity that was entirely focused on peace. Sometimes we kids don't feel like we can do a lot about peace, but that day we felt like we made a big difference.”

Five youth bands whose members ranged in age from 7 years to 18 years old played contemporary music, sang praise songs, and led the crowd in African-inspired drum music. Several organizations provided peace activities, including signing a pledge of non-violence, face painting, painting peace signs on rocks, playing peace games, creating mini-peace murals, playing Peace Bingo, and planting pinwheels for peace.

One of the highlights of the day was when the Giant Peace Dove parade took place with kids and adults carrying 20 foot wide dove puppets that were constructed by people from five different churches prior to the event. The idea for the peace doves came from Roots & Shoots, the youth organization of the Jane Goodall Foundation.

We'd love to share with you the resources we discovered for the event as well as how Peace in the Park was organized. Please contact us at KAPINFO@comcast.net