WASHINGTON,
DC , USA
(2004
World Peace Prayer Society Report)
Peace
Parade - Monday, September 20th
A local coalition of individuals and groups organized a Peace Parade
on September 20th in honor of the United Nations International Peace
Day, and to coincide with the weeklong celebration of the opening
of the National Museum of the American Indian. The parade assembled
at the Islamic Mosque on Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., where the founder
of the IDP spoke and Gemma sang her inspiring song, We Rise. People
of all ages made their way down Embassy Row. Paula Christine and Ed
Wolf marched with a double-sided banner reading, “May Peace Prevail
on Earth” in English and Lakota. The parade ended at the Mahatma Gandhi
Plaza with a series of speeches, including an interfaith service,
and a videocast address by Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich.
Native
Nations Procession for Museum Opening - Tuesday, September 21st
More than 20,000 representatives of the indigenous
of the Americas gathered in Washington on September 21 as
The Smithsonian Institute celebrated the opening of the National Museum
of the American Indian on the International Day of Peace! From 8 a.m.-12
noon, Native communities and non-Native supporters from throughout
the Western Hemisphere joined in a Native Nations Procession on the
National Mall starting at the Smithsonian Castle. The Procession formed
a highly symbolic journey eastward to the site of the Opening Ceremony,
adjacent to the museum at the foot of the U.S. Capitol building. Thousands
of indigenous peoples from North, Central, and South America, many
in their traditional clothing, walked in unison to the stage of the
Grand Opening ceremony. Once again, Paula Christine and Ed Wolf marched
with hundreds of organizations that came to honor this moment in history.
The double-sided banner that read “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in
Lakota and English, evoked applause and appreciation for many people
along the one-mile route we walked. Some in the crowd even held up
“May Peace Prevail on Earth” stickers as we walked past. These were
being handed out by Global Heart and Global Meditations, two groups
that were walking ahead of us.
May Peace Prevail in All the Indigenous Nations! May Peace
Prevail on Earth!
Paula Christine
The World Peace Prayer Society
We wanted to say that we had a wonderful experience at the
procession. We did receive much applause and an outpouring of gratitude
for carrying the Peace banner. Many, many people took photos of it
and wanted to be photographed with it. We handed out the MPPOE bumper
stickers and people loved them. How funny to hear that they flashed
them back later on to the other Peace Reps!!
Jack and Donna Kassewitz
WPPS Peace Representatives
2004
World Peace Prayer Society Compilation
PICTORAL
ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS PEACE DAY EVENTS
May
Peace Prevail
On Earth
