The
NETHERLANDS
(2005
World Peace Prayer Society Report)
Irene Hadjidakis-van Schagen, The Hague
21 September 2005: International Day of Peace
After
24 hours of silence or prayer it is not easy to find the words that
express the experience of commemorating the International Day of Peace
in front of the Peace Palace. Is it enough to say that for many it
will be a day never to forget?
Is
it enough to say that, if it is possible for 100 people to spent the
day in harmony, peace and non-violence, it must be possible for 100
x 100 x 100 x ……………….. people also?
Is
it enough to start understanding that, if we can create one day a
year a global cease-fire, there is hope for the other 364?
I
do not know. But
I do know that there is hope, that there is growth. Where six years
ago a brave lonely candle was resisting the wind in front of the seat
of the International Court of Justice, this year the seventh fire,
a ceremonial fire from the indigenous peoples from north America was
lightening our vigil, attracting about 100 peace workers from all
over the Netherlands that came to stand up for peace and justice in
this world.
We
were sharing our rituals and prayers, our silence and our voices,
affirming peace for all countries during the world peace flag ceremony.
This
year….next year….and next year again…..until there is global peace!
MOGE
VREDE OP AARDE ZIJN!
Shinji Kasema, The Hague
International
Peace Day 05 in The Netherlands
This
year, Irene Hadjidakis got for the first time permission to do the
vigil 24 hours in front of the Peace Place in Den Haag. I felt myself
needing to fully participate. Thank you to Irene, who prepared for
me a blanket to keep me warm in the night.
24 hours
passed us very first with joy of participating many types of spiritual
ceremonies with respect. It was great to share the feeling that all
of us are facing a direction “Peace on Earth”. We had a fire, called
“the 7th fire”, as the centre of our unity of spirit. We
stayed inside of the circle line with the fire. They said as long
as you are in the circle, it was guided in harmony by the fire. Therefore,
all ceremonies happened inside the circle. (It helped us very much
through the day. Thank you.)
Except
the flag ceremony, which ceremony has no inside or outside. Everybody
joined in! The Peace Palace has many tourists visiting every day.
Those visitors, who did not know the International Day of Peace, were
suddenly joining and representing countries, some of which they never
heard of. So often during ceremony people asked, “where is it?” or
“what the name again?” It was more like improvising, rather than a
real big ceremony. Still they were really enjoying seeing the flags
and knowing the countries and said “May Peace Prevail on Earth. May
peace be in (country name)”. It made them happy. And made me happy
to see them having joy with the ceremony.
Peace
exists with abundance of joy, not just because stopping of war. It
is a freedom of humanity. I think we all know about it, however it
is difficult to experience it. I was really a glad to be there. And
the day continued with a lot of singing and dancing until midnight.
2005
World Peace Prayer Society Compilation
PICTORAL
ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS PEACE DAY EVENTS
May
Peace Prevail
On Earth
