USA, Colorado United Nations International Day of Peace - The Ambassadors for Peace of Colorado sponsored a celebration of the United Nations International Day of Peaceon Saturday, September 19th from  2:30-5:00 pm, at the St. Cajetan’s Event center on the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver.

The event began with remarks from UNA representative Gloria Dogan, who explained the meaning of the United Nations International Day of Peace. Peggy Yujiri then offered welcoming remarks representing the Ambassadors for Peace.

The ideal of being "one global family under God" touched the hearts of Virginians again on September 13th, 2009, as many gathered for the 2009 Family Peace Festival at St. Joseph's Villa, Richmond. The setting had an interreligious atmosphere created by Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Bahais, Unificationists and others. The spirit was one promoting peace, service, justice and love. The Family Peace Festival is being conducted in the spirit of the United Nations establishment of an International Day of Peace (IDP) to enhance awareness of the need to constantly work for world peace. In this year's program, we saw an increase in visitors and performers. Channel 6, CBS/WTVR, one of Richmond's local television stations, showed UPF presence at the event on the late night news.

The UPF table buzzed with action. Visitors were particularly keen on how we are tackling the mammoth task of fostering world peace and whether we were having much success. Everyone was accepting to the notion that peace begins in the home. They were constantly reminded that one cannot look for world peace externally, among the nations, if one cannot establish it in one's family.

This year’s Jericho Walk was a resounding success both in the original purpose of the annual walk; “tearing down the walls,” and also in raising awareness of the United Nations-sponsored International Day of Peace. The International Day of Peace was founded as a day when all nations should honor a “ceasefire” in their conflicts as a condition to realize world peace. A diverse group of school, church, and community associations participated in the Jericho Walk this year. Volunteers with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) offered strong support and help as they also promoted the theme, “one family under God”

You might ask yourself, what could be more powerful or moving than a collection of conscious and intentional individuals gathered on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial, all with the singular purpose of meditating for world peace? In recent years, millions of people across the world have recognized that there is a special power in numbers -- if many people focus simultaneously on a desired result that result is more likely to happen.  In other words, we are creators -- let's now create a peaceful world!

This was the intent as nearly a hundred people joined in a silent meditation on the International Day of Peace, September 21, at the Jefferson Memorial.  The sun glistened on the beautiful tidal basin and participants felt deep peace just by the surrounding atmosphere Activities, including musical presentations such as the didgeridoo, flute, and voice began at 10:30 am, with 30 minutes of silent meditation starting promptly at 12:00 noon. 

Ambassadors for Peace and other volunteers in Florida enthusiastically supported the UN's International Day of Peace, organizing events spread across this large and diverse state.  Events from special forums, campus gatherings, and service projects were held in Jacksonville, Tampa, Palm Coast, and Miami.

Miami, Florida

A wonderful International Day of Peace event was put together at the Miami Dade College by Dr. Lenaghan, a professor with the college. A panel representing leaders in the peace making community, sharing about the ideals of peace, and emphasizing that world peace starts within ourselves and our own families. It was a very interesting panel and the presentations stimulated many questions about the role of religion and politics from an audience which was made of up over a hundred students,.

Tampa, Florida

Ambassadors for Peace Association convened a program entitled “Peace Through Building Ideal Families” at the Sun Coast Chamber of Commerce on September 23, 2009

The Ambassadors for Peace Association of Anchorage served as the convening sponsor of a coalition of community organizations who presented a program entitled, “Dignity, Unity, and Success” to commemorate the UN International Day of Peace on Monday, September 21^st. Regina Mantefuel, an Ambassador for Peace initiated the project and the many members of the AFP Association helped to make the day very successful. The program was held at Fairview Recreation Center and continued throughout the day from noon to 8:00 pm, providing various workshops and services to the community and particularly for women and youth.

Community leaders in Arkansas commemorated the UN International Day of Peace 2009 with two events. The first program was a peace forum on Thursday evening, September 17^th on the theme "Accessing Education and Resources for Building Communities of Peace." The four featured speakers each approached the topic from a different perspective: government, education, a faith perspective and the final one from the non-profit perspective.

Ambassadors for Peace in the Seattle area marked the UN's International Day of Peace at a number of occasions.  These included:

• A special dinner meeting for Ambassadors for Peace in honor of the International Day of Peace. The International Day of Peace proclamation from the King County Executive was read, as well as additional proclamations from Governor Gregoire and Seattle Mayor Nickels.

On Saturday, September 19th, Ambassadors for Peace and friends gathered on the steps of the Utah Capitol, in support of the United Nations International Day of Peace to engage in “Prayers for Peace”.

Wendy Stovall, the Utah Universal Peace Federation coordinator gave a brief talk on how the United Nations International Day of Peace began.  Pastor Steve Klemz of the Zion Lutheran Church was then invited to offer the first prayer for peace. David Pascoe, a hospice chaplain, and a Methodist, followed him. As part of his prayers, he read a prayer from St. Francis of Assisi “Lord make me an instrument of your peace.” 

An Ambassador for Peace, Glenn Smith, organized a gathering at the Plaza in front of Baltimore’s City Hall to pray for peace in the world. He encouraged folks to pause for a moment of prayer for peace in the world and in our communities. Some people that were contacted were not able to come out to the City Hall, and one man was at his doctor’s at noon and asked his doctor to pray with him. A Muslim organization, “Silence the Violence” paused at noon in their respective work places to pray specifically for peace. At the City Hall, Mr. Smith felt a very special and spiritual moment when the bell tower chimed at noon, as if he were truly connected with the family of God around the world in prayer.

Washington, DC, USA - “Be at home!” was H.E. Ambassador Nathaniel Barnes’ greeting as each guest entered the ambassadorial residence as the sun set on September 23. With his wife, Dawn Barnes, at his side, Ambassador Barnes proceeded to host this special gathering of peacemakers and friends of Liberia, commemorating the UN International Day of Peace.

Every year, September 21st is celebrated around the world as the United Nations International Day of Peace. This year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed the importance of disarmament, and chapters of the Universal Peace Federation have been holding programs to promote this and other important peace goals. Of course, peace is not something that happens “out there” as a process led by international institutions and organizations. UPF recognizes the greater importance of a change in the human heart and mind, reflecting the insight of the UN’s second Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld, that “without a spiritual rebirth, civilization is doomed.” On this day, let us all pause to reflect how we can make a personal and direct contribution to peace.

More on the International Day of Peace

New York, NY - UPF brought a delegation of 25 students from high schools and universities in the New York City area to join hundreds of students assembled from around the world at the United Nations and via telecast in observance of the International Day of Peace.

New York, United States - In his inaugural address four years ago, on September 12, 2005, the UPF Founder Dr. Sun Myung Moon charged the new organization, and the 1100 Ambassadors for Peace present for the founding ceremony, to take on an ambitious role in working for the sake of world peace, in concert with the United Nations. It was a solemn and dignified occasion, since the day before, September 11th, had seen most of these Ambassadors for Peace joining in interfaith observances of the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. Today, one day after the eighth anniversary of 9/11, the UPF pauses to reflect on the challenges and successes of the past four years.

New York, NY, USA - On this day, September 11, many of us, and perhaps especially those of us based in New York, reflect on the darker capacities of human hearts and minds that can drive the most inhumane behavior. The actions of a few on this day eight years ago led to the deaths of thousands along with a wide range of destructive collateral actions. On this day, let us pause to consider not only the evil that may be done by others, but to also consider also the ways in which all of us can do more for peace, for justice, for reconciliation.

I would like to share with the Ambassadors for Peace network one project called the American-Islamic Friendship Project (AIFP). This project seeks to build better relations between the people of America and the Muslim world by collecting messages of peace and friendship from Americans to people in the Muslim world and from people in the Muslim world to Americans.

Once again, UPF will be organizing activities around the world in support of the United Nation's annual International Day of Peace (IDP). UPF-USA has actively participated each year and has organized an amazing array of activities across our nation.

The International Day of Peace is on September 21 of each year, so it is coming soon. Please make plans for celebrating this day with a program or activity in your community, or place of worship. From small and simple to grandiose, please plan something to raise awareness on this day. You can visit the new International Day of Peace website for background information and ideas for activities.

This summer young American Ambassadors for Peace traveled to Gambia for the third time with the service group “Side by Side”, inspiring greater participation of Gambian youth in service and establishing lifelong friendships. Beverly Berndt, a teacher and administrator at New Hope Academy in Landover Hills, Maryland , created “The Gambia Project” out of her love of the African nation of The Gambia. Since 1998, she has been traveling each summer with groups of American youth, to visit, organize service projects and educational programs.

A special gathering of peacemakers explored the theme, “A New Vision for Peace in the 21^st Century,” held at the residence of the Ambassador of Sri Lanka on July 30, 2009 in Washington DC. The Sri Lankan Embassy, partnering with Universal Peace Federation (UPF) International and UPF-USA, presented the core principles and practices that can facilitate movement toward a world in which people of every race, culture and religion can live together in peace.

New York, USA - Young leaders from around the globe spent three days focusing on some of the world’s most demanding problems, ranging from world hunger to protecting the environment. About 700 people from 50 countries took part in the sixth Annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations August 5-7, 2009.