One of the most beautiful things that my daughter does is to wish you "peace" when you leave our home. We have taught her this as a way of blessing those as they go. It's less of a "peace out" thing and more of a "may grace and peace be upon you" thing. She even tries to get her little hands to make a peace sign. It's one of my favorite things in all the world.
In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 36/67 declaring an International Day of Peace. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution 55/282 declaring 21 September of each year as the International Day of Peace.
The resolution: "Declares that the International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, and invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day...
"Invites all Member States, organization of the United Nations system, and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate, in an appropriate manner, the International Day of Peace, including through education and public awareness, and to cooperate with the United Nations in the establishment of the global ceasefire."
You can learn more at The International Day of Peace website.
If you're in the greater Philadelphia area you might want to join Shalom House tonight...consider this your invitation...
Prayer Vigil for Peace
organized by Shalom House
Friday September 21st, 2007
7:00-8:00pm
Germantown Mennonite Historic Meeting House
6121 Germantown Ave.
Shalom House is planning a time of prayer on Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, when people of faith throughout the world will be collectively praying for peace.
We ask all who are weary, hopeful, mournful, greiving, yearning, joyful, numb to come together to pray for the violence that pervades our lives and our world and to pray for the redeeming, transformative power of God to be manifested.
We plan to have a quiet, reflective time with readings, songs, witness, and space for open prayer. It will go for roughly an hour and afterwards we invite you to our "after-vigil" Open House. Light refreshments will be served. In lieu of using disposable cups/mugs we ask that you bring your own; a small gesture that reminds us that we need to tread lightly on God's creation.
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If you do nothing else...
PLEASE PRAY FOR PEACE TODAY.
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