World Peace Prayer Society - 2003 compilation

NEW YORK, USA
(2003 World Peace Prayer Society Report)

Amenia, New York

WORLD PEACE PRAYER SOCIETY Five thousand gathered at the World Peace Sanctuary two hours north of New York City for the 13th annual World Peace Festival. The day's theme was "Celebrating the International Day of Peace," with many activities and stirring musical performances for all faiths and all ages. The high point was the World Peace Prayer Ceremony, sending a prayer for peace to every country of the world as its flag was raised. ("WE THE PEOPLES" INITIATIVE Participant) AMENIA, NEW YORK, USA

What a magnificent International Day of Peace, celebrated across the globe!

The World Peace Festival was a great success. We had almost 5,000 people in attendance (which is very good for a corn field two hours from New York City, while 100,000 were listening to the Dalai Lama in Central Park!). It was a perfect day, with many joyful things to see and do, stirring music by great performers, creative activities, and people of all ages and backgrounds coming together in peace. More than 40 nonprofit peace, justice, spiritual and environmental groups joined us.

The United Religions Initiative had excellent representation, with the URI of the Hudson Valley led by Betsy Stang organizing a beautiful interfaith celebration in the Sacred Grove, featuring URI executive director, Rev. Charles Gibbs.

There was spectacular music all day long, headlined by the legendary Odetta and by Brazilian Eumir Deodato, who performed his famous dance version of "2001: A Space Odyssey." Other performers included Joseph FireCrow, Soñando and the Peace Project, along with a special group of "Women Making Music for Peace." There were crafts, food, Peace Pals activities for children, a Japanese Pavilion and a teepee village.

The highlight of the day was a glorious World Peace Flag Ceremony with prayers for every country and a rousing musical refrain of "May Peace Prevail on Earth." There was a special procession of Native

American flags honoring the first peoples as well. At the end of the ceremony, a boy from the Middle East came on stage with the flag of Palestine, and a girl from Israel carrying her flag rushed on next to him, and they embraced. Everyone was weeping with the real hope of peace!

Both of these young people were from the Share the Spirit of Peace Youth Summit, which brought together young peacemakers from more than 20 countries. The Summit began at the UN on Friday, as Secretary-General Kofi Annan rang the Peace Bell, and continued with peace-building workshops all day on Saturday before the Festival celebration on Sunday.

Another special aspect of the Flag Ceremony was the presentation of the indigenous flags of 32 Native American nations, creating a great sense of healing with the land and its first peoples.

In so many countries on September 21st, we all had an unforgettable experience of peace - a building block for the Culture of Peace we are manifesting together around the world. Warm thanks to all WPPS and URI friends who participated, whether by organizing a special event in your part of the world or simply by holding a prayer for peace in your heart.

May Peace Prevail on Earth!

Deborah Moldow, Director
The World Peace Prayer Society

Brooklyn, New York, USA

At The Church of Gethsemane, 1012 8th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215, at 1:30pm, September 21, we held an Inter-faith Service including Buddhist, Catholic, Ethical Culture, Islam, Jewish, Hindu, and Protestant traditions to celebrate the International Peace Day and gave 8 minutes to the uplifting of The United Religious Initiative.

May Peace Prevail on Earth,
Martha Gallahue

Endicott, New York, USA

At Central United Methodist Church, two portions of our service spanned the generations. A vital 99-yea-old (Reva) selected and read peace Scriptures and an accomplished 18 year-old young woman (Tiffany), danced in candle light, to Bobby McFerrin's 23rd Psalm, a tribute to his mother. 19 of us were in a small circle for a meaningful hour, which was our church’s first International Day of Peace observance.

Peace,

MaryBelle Mitten

Huntington, New York, USA

The Congregational Church of Huntington on Long Island held special prayers during its regularly scheduled service of worship. The Church School encouraged the youth to take a personal peace pledge and use it to decorate the paper doves they made to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

May Peace Prevail on Earth
Monica Willard

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
THE AQUARIAN AGE COMMUNITY organized a talk by Nickolai Parker of The World Peace Prayer Society at the Quest Book Shop, New York City, entitled "The International Day of Peace: Becoming the Change we Seek." Attendees were encouraged to bring candles so that the World Peace Flame (created in 1999) could be lit after the talk, helping the network of over ten million people who have lit their candles from the original flame, to grow. This world peace flame is a reflection of and a symbol for the eternal spiritual essence at the heart of each individual.
("WE THE PEOPLES" INITIATIVE Participant)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
THE LIFEBRIDGE FOUNDATION, long a supporter of global peace building efforts, publishes a semi annual newsletter, The Bridging Tree, which reaches about 8,000 people, among them NGO's registered with the United Nations. The most recent issue, Summer/Fall, 2003, was dedicated exclusively to the International Day of Peace. It featured articles by well known peace builders and activists such as, U.S. Congressman, Dennis Kucinich, Louise Diamond, Cora Weiss, David Krieiger, Richard Falk, Avon Mattison, Deborah Moldow and others. Organizations represented by these articles include, Pathways to Peace, The World Peace Prayer Society, Share the Spirit of Peace Youth Summit, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, The Hague Appeal for Peace and The Peace Company. The proposed U.S. Department of Peace was also supported.

This issue also published an extensive list of various global peace prayer vigils, peace pledges, proclamations, and sample letters with information on how to participate and spread the news about this important international observance. The newsletter can be viewed at the Lifebridge Foundation website, along with past issues.
("WE THE PEOPLES" INITIATIVE Participant)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
WORLD GOODWILL, Lucis Trust, invites friends and co-workers to observe the International Day of Peace as part of their international program to advance right human relations through community and education.("WE THE PEOPLES" INITIATIVE Participant)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK
WORLD PUJA offered a Global Weblink Connection for the World Peace Festival in Amenia, NY and the International Day of Peace, Central Park, NY. The webcast began with Healing Planetary Tones and ended with a Song for Peace.
("WE THE PEOPLES" INITIATIVE Participant)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA

Central Park: Dalai Lama Preaches Peace
September 21, 2003
NEW YORK -- Sixty-five thousand people gathered in Central Park to listen to the Dalai Lama deliver a message on the importance of compassion and living in harmony.

"We have to make every effort to promote human affection," the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader told the crowd. "While we oppose violence or war, we must show there is another way -- a nonviolent way."

The exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader stressed the importance of compassion and peace. He said war is an outdated concept in a global society, and people should instead learn to communicate.

World Peace Ceremony In Central Park
International Day of Peace - September 21, 2003

The day was off to a perfect start due to the world's most glorious weather. The park was filled with people all around the band shell and in front of the stage area. The crowd would come and go depending on who was on stage. The organizers had offered the space to anyone who had an interest in communicating a peaceful message so the acts varied in talent tremendously. Fortunately there was a chorus of fifty performing the song Imagine before we came out. They were a combination of the (interfaith) New Seminary and others. It was an excellent entrance into the ceremony.

We consisted of 25 singers/musicians and we relied 100% on the volunteers, of friends and family to help organize the ceremony while Fre Atlast and I were on stage. We began the ceremony by singing "We pray for the harmony of all life in every country in the world." We organized the flags in alphabetical order and sang "May Peace Prevail on Earth" after every fifteen or twenty countries. More and more flag bearers joined as the ceremony began. They walked across the back of the stage down one side and across the front. Creating a continuous flow of colors and countries. Many of our family members became flag bearers and were joined by colorful people from all age groups. We had a huge portion of youth (18-24 year olds) some little children and their parents, some middle aged peace keepers along with elders.

At the beginning of the ceremony there were many people dispersed throughout the area, as we continued the people gathered more and more around the stage. The crowd was filled with smiles and strong support. They sang with us boldly and called country names back in perfect rhythm. The crowd built and many of the artists that had performed and all of the organizers participated. We felt as though everyone present was involved in the power and joy of the ceremony.

When we were finished, many people gave us remarkable feedback. We felt certain that the participation level of the ceremony helped to bring the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" to the hearts of many. Many said that we brought the message of the day home, that our ceremony captured the meaning of the celebration entirely. We were very proud to have been there and honored to be given the opportunity.

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH!

Respectfully submitted by:
Victoria Christgau & Fre Atlast

2003 World Peace Prayer Society Compilation

May Peace Prevail On Earth