By Lucy Corkhill
20th September 2013
Special activities and celebrations will take place all across the world over the 2013 Peace Day Weekend, including festivals, concerts, a global Peace Wave with moments of silence at noon in every time zone, and much more.
International Day of Peace was founded in 1981 by unanimous vote of the UN General Assembly “to devote a specific time to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States, as well as the whole of mankind, to promoting the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all viable ways.” In 2002 the UN General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent annual date for the International Day of Peace.
Here are ten ways you can celebrate International Day of Peace:
1. Meditate on peace. Extend love and compassion from your heart to the world.
2. Light a candle at noon. People all around the world will be taking part in moments of peace at noon in every time zone.
3. Practise compassion, especially to people who upset you. That person who pushes past you in a queue may have a reason they’re in a hurry and haven’t noticed you – writer and happiness guru Gretchen Rubin describes her response as “cutting people slack”.
4. Clean up your personal relationships. Peace starts at home: start a commitment to peaceful, loving communication on International Peace Day. If you feel like breaking the peace, ask yourself: is it worth an argument?
5. Take responsibility. How much conflict would be resolved if our world leaders took responsibility and apologised when they realised they’d made bad decisions? Start small: take personal responsibility for your actions and apologise if needed.
6. Make a pledge to spread peace in your community. Through small acts of peace, we really can make a difference. Reach out to strangers, help others, act from a place of love rather than fear, and expect the best in people rather than anticipate the worst. Or just spend the whole day smiling at people – it’s contagious!
7. When people get caught up in gossip and conflict, offer compromises and solutions rather than get embroiled in negativity. Though it’s tempting to agree when discussing a common antagonist, such as an aggressive boss, it’s far more constructive to think about ways to make a situation better.
8. Educate children about the importance of peace. The Peace Education Resource Centre has a wide range of educational resources available.
9. International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Write to your MP to remind them of the importance of this day, and why they should be championing it.
10. Visit the International Day of Peace website to find out about events taking place near you.
