Join with people around the world by observing the International Day of Peace!
People in cities, communities and villages worldwide have engaged in the International Day of Peace in diverse and meaningful ways.
Look for Peace Day activities in your own community and around the world: *Minute of silence at 12 noon (all timezones) *Peace education events *Intercultural and interfaith dialogues *Workshops on the UN Peace Day theme *Meditation and prayer *Planting peace poles *Community gatherings *Vigils *Concerts and festivals *Soccer/football matches in the spirit of peace *Service to others *Feasts for Peace *Writing peace poetry *Yoga *Marches, parades and flag ceremonies *Public programs with government officials *Engaging youth in peace-building activities.
Engaging in Peace Day can take place privately, as part of a group and/or as a participant in an event or program. The pages in this section – Children & Youth, the Arts, Nonviolence, Environment, Health, Social Justice, etc. offer diverse ideas for observing this global day shared with all humanity.
In 1984, in commemoration of the annual International Day of Peace and in solidarity with the United Nations, the NGO Pathways To Peace inaugurated the Minute of Silence at 12:00 Noon in each time zone, resulting in a “Peace Wave” around the world. Individuals, organizations, communities and nations are invited to participate in this shared and practical act of peacebuilding on September 21.
Everyone is invited to join a global Peace Day singalong and dance party to Every Man, Woman, and Child, a musical presentation by Merrill Collins of Spiraling Music. Every Man, Woman, and Child, is a musical celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. An a capella version of this beautiful song, which was originally recorded when Merrill was composer-in-residence at Pathways to Peace in the 1980s, won a Global Peace Song Award last year. This year, new versions of the song are being recorded to engage every audience, from a hip hop reading of the articles to a global meditation, to a West African Highlife! Everyone and all communities are encouraged to use Every Man, Woman, and Child to create their own events and dance videos! Videos and photos will be shared and celebrated on Peace Day on September 21st, 2019. Sign up now to start singing and dancing!
The Peace Wave and Minute of Silence: Merrill Collins of Spiraling Music
This is a project designed for youngsters from 3-6, but can be adapted and applied to any age, with a variable length of lessons for middle school through adult ages. Plan your lessons to culminate on September 21st. In addition, to accompany the Minute of Silence visuals below, Merrill has published a free teaching booklet for teachers, parents, and others who wish to have a simple tool to engage children in the importance of the “Peace Wave”, leading up to Peace Day on Sept. 21st.
Check it out: Minute of Silence with visuals in:
English, Spanish, and French.
Also available: Free teaching booklet with scores dedicated to Avon in English, Spanish, and French
– “May Peace Prevail On Earth!” – Include this universal statement – perhaps around a local Peace Pole – to begin and/or end a program or gathering.
– Global Feast For Peace -Gather people together with food in the spirit of peace – include interfaith or intercultural dialogue if you wish (Global Feast PDF.)
– Roots and Shoots – Each September, Roots & Shoots groups from around the world celebrate Roots & Shoots and honor the International Day of Peace. Dr. Jane has been a UN Messenger of Peace since 2002 and she inspires us all to live in harmony with nature and each other.
– II Days of Global Unity – The 11 Days of Global Unity aims at strengthening the ideals of unity and equality, diversity and oneness, harmony and compassion and, above all, at advancing the culture of peace.
– Compassion Games International – offers fun and creative ways to ignite and catalyze compassionate action in communities around the world.
– Global Mala (Yoga) Project – Unites yoga, service and collective action, forming a “mala around the earth” based upon the sacred cycle of 108 (108 Surya Namaskar, Mantra, Kriya, Meditation).
– Be the Peace – From Sept. 19 – 21, join the synchronized meditation on-line.
– Peace Crane Project – Create and share peace cranes with people in different parts of the world.
– One Day One Goal – Peace One Day’s campaign using the power of sport to bring people together.
Whatever you choose to do, please pause at 12 Noon local time and join people all across the globe in a Minute of Silence/Moment of Peace.