United
Nations
(2004
World Peace Prayer Society Report)
UNITED
NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, New York City
Annual
Student Observance 2004
This year, the World Peace Prayer Society, the
United Religions Initiative and Pathways to Peace joined together
as NGO hosts of the Dept. of Public Information annual observance
of the International Day of Peace for school children, held on Friday,
Sept. 17 at United Nations headquarters. This year’s theme was Peace
Through Sport, highlighting the Olympics and the upcoming 2005 International
Year for Sport and Physical Education. Young people in New
York were linked via satellite
to youth and athletes hosted by the UN Peacekeeping Missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Sierra Leone.
After a song by Gemma, the program was introduced by Mr. Shashi Tharoor,
Under Secretary-General for the Dept. of Public Information. Next
came a welcome from annual guest, Mrs. Nana Annan, wife of the Secretary-General.
Speakers by satellite included Mr. Adolf Ogi, Special Adviser of the
Secretary-General for Sport, Development and Peace (speaking from
the Athens Olympic
site), and Mr. Johann Olav Koss, Olympic gold medal skier and UNICEF
Goodwill Ambassador, from Canada. Mr. Ogi made the compelling case for sports as the best training-ground
for peace. Guests in New York
included Ms. Anna Cataldi, Italian author, journalist and Messenger
of Peace, and Ms. Audrey Kitagawa of the Office of the Secretary-General
for Children and Armed Conflict.
Monica Willard of the United Religions Initiative,
Mrs. Annan and Ms. Cataldi called on some young people to participate
in the 12 noon ringing of a Peace Bell made from recycled weapons
of war.
Students heard from young people and athletes at the UN peacekeeping
missions in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Kosovo (UNMIK) and Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).
The New York students were especially
moved to hear about the girls of Afghanistan participating fully in sports.
The event continued the tradition of a World Peace
Flag Ceremony in which the youth at all the sites presented each nation’s
flag and all together sent to every UN Member State the message “May
Peace Prevail on Earth.”
Deborah Moldow, Director
The World Peace Prayer Society
www.worldpeace.org
2004
World Peace Prayer Society Compilation
PICTORAL
ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS PEACE DAY EVENTS
May
Peace Prevail
On Earth
