– Yury Maciel-Andrews, WRNSC
The 6th annual West River Neighborhood Services Corporation International Day of Peace will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011, at the United Nations/New Haven International Peace Garden located at the intersection of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard/Legion Avenue/MLK Boulevard (Frontage Road).
The International Day of Peace (‘Peace Day’) provides individuals, organizations and nations the opportunity to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. This resolution was established by the United Nations in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly, and the first ‘Peace Day’ was celebrated in September 1982. Auspiciously, New Haven was designated as a Peace Messenger City in 1985 and the Peace Garden at West River was established in 2000. This is one of very few places in the world where the United Nations emblem is displayed on land not owned and controlled by the UN.
This annual peace-building event is intended to promote respect and understanding among New Haven residents. It will once again feature local talent and community agencies to bring together New Haven neighborhoods in a celebration of peace and acceptance of our roles in promoting harmony in our neighborhoods and the world through music, crafts, meditation, prayer and fellowship. The objectives of this year’s event are to increase participation by including residents from across the city who are stewards in peace, and to remind the community that we reside in a Peace Messenger City.
Performances include reggae band I.N.I.T.Y., post-rock band From the Ashes, and spoken word artists Noble S. Spell and Monique Coward. There will be a Tai Chi demonstration by Dr. Shiyuan Li and meditation exercises led by The Art of Living.
Our sponsors are The Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, Promoting Enduring Peace, Urban League of Southern Connecticut, City of New Haven Peace Commission, Start Bank and Yale-New Haven Hospital.
A limited number of tables will be provided for peace groups to set up displays and distribute literature. The rain date for the event is Sunday, Sept. 25. For information please contact Stacy Spell at stacy.spell@gmail.com.
