The 100 Day Countdown to the International Day of Peace, June 13

Dear friends of the UN International Day of Peace,

This week begins the 100-Day Countdown to the UN International Day of Peace, starting on Thursday, June 13th. This is a wonderful opportunity to let people know what you’re planning for September 21st – and to invite them to get on board with the Day and the 2013 theme, Education for Peace. (See the UN poster attached.)

Global Telesummit – Thursday, June 13th at 9 am Pacific/12 noon Eastern

The International Day of Peace NGO Committee will celebrate the “lift off” with a global telesummit on the Shift Network.

Webcast Link: http://attendthisevent.com/?eventid=41927286 (No pre-registration necessary). Local call-in numbers include: (415) 671-4335 (San Francisco), (215) 606-1815 (Philadelphia), and 718 290-9983 (New York). A complete list of local access numbers is at:http://instantteleseminar.com/local After calling in, use this Access Code: 862166#

Join leaders of the International Day of Peace NGO Committee at the United Nations including our Honorary Chair, Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury (former UN Under Secretary-General), Nathalie Leroy (UN Dept of Public Information), Deborah Moldow (World Peace Prayer Society),Shawn Sweeney (Jane Goodall Institute), Michael Johnson (Pathways To Peace), Monica Willard (United Religions Initiative), Dot Maver (National Peace Academy), Jean Trudel (Cercle de Paix), Rick Ulfik (We, The World), and special guest Avon Mattison (Pathways To Peace).

New Websites Debut June 13th

Both the United Nations and Pathways To Peace are targeting the start of the 100-Day Countdown for their new, updated websites at www.un.org/peaceday and www.internationaldayofpeace.org. The UN site will offer downloads of the poster in various formats and languages, as well as information on the theme and more. The NGO site, developed in collaboration with the peaceday.tv team, will connect social media components, including the Culture of Peace Newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Peace Teams – Join One Now!

This year, our subcommittees called Peace Teams are doing amazing work networking and building community around various ways to observe the International Day of Peace. Here are a few sample updates:

Education Peace Team. This year’s Education Peace Team is key to the success of our 2013 theme, Education for Peace. Headed by Dot Maver of the National Peace Academy and Yasmine Charara of Cercle de Paix, this team is collecting peace education resources from around the world. Contact:educationpeaceteam@gmail.com.

Media/Marketing/Communications Peace Team. The team leaders, Bill McCarthy, Laurien Towers and Jean Trudel, are working to bring a new level of visibility to our collective efforts. Please send your stories and ideas to Jean Trudel <jean@cercledepaix.ca>.

Global March for Peace & Unity Peace Team. 93 U.S. cities are already signed up to be part of this youth-driven grassroots effort! Audri Scott Williams of the Trail of Dreams World Peace Walkers is coming on board as co-chair to bring her “Footprints Around the World” project – all focused on September 21st. Join their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/notes/global-march-for-peace-unity-on-september-21-2013/list-of-us-cities/453833431376215 .

Religions/Interfaith Peace Team. Team leader Monica Willard of the United Religions Initiative <mbwillard@aol.com> invites you to co-create a global wave of peace prayers to embrace the planet! Ask places of worship to observe the International Day of Peace, contact your religious leaders, add it to bulletins and church signs. Encourage planting Peace Poles or trees. Two programs you can partner with are the World Council of Churches at www.overcomingviolence.org/en/decade-to-overcome-violence/about-dov/international-day-of-prayer-for-peace.html and Peace One Day’s new coalition for faith communities at http://peaceoneday.org/faith-coalition/ .

Youth Peace Team. Calling all young peace builders! Please contact Faraz Kayani <farazkayani@gmail.com> to be part of this newly-organized team – or jump on the next call Thursday, June 13th at 7:00 pm Eastern. Call (424) 203-8400, PIN : 876944#

Sports Peace Team. This group is also re-forming, under the leadership of former Olympic athlete, Marilyn King <olympianmk@gmail.com>.

Minute of Silence Peace Team. For the heart of the International Day of Peace, the 12 Noon Minute of Silence, contact co-chairs Michael Johnson of Pathways to Peace <peaceday.johnson@gmail.com> and Jean Trudel.

Music Peace Team. Yes, the International Day of Peace falls on a Saturday this year! Contact Aliza Hava <ahava@peacedaylive.org> of Peace Day Live.

Cities Peace Team. Still our flagship Peace Team, headed by Lisa Parker and Jean Trudel, with outstanding projects that span the globe. SEE THEIR GIFT BELOW!

Best of all, we have a new Peace Team Coordinator – the one and only Jean Trudel <jean@cercledepaix.ca>, who is giving so much of his time and energy to supporting all of the teams, while also doing outreach to large groups like Rotary International and Mayors for Peace. He is also collecting your stories for the Culture of Peace Newsletter, so please contact him with your questions and your news.

A Gift from Lisa Parker, Co-Chair of the Cities Peace Team

Attached please find a 100 DAY COUNTDOWN PRESS RELEASE that was collaboratively written by the Cities Peace Team with their sister Peace Teams — the Education Peace Team and the Media/Marketing/Communications Peace Team.

All you need to do is:

1) Add your contact information at the top
2) Add your city to the list of cities, if your initiative will be actively working with this year’s theme “Education for Peace”
3) Edit as you see fit
4) Adjust contact and resource information at the bottom as you see fit.

We urge you to use the 100-Day Countdown Press Release as a powerful tool to actively raise awareness and visibility of IDP, and your efforts, in these important lead-up months! PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR LOCAL AND GLOBAL NETWORKS!

(See Lisa’s spectacular IDP work in Philadelphia at www.peacedayphilly.org.)

Submit Your Video!

You are all invited to submit a video for the Peace Day Global Broadcast. This annual broadcast streams live from the United Nations and on more than 2,000 websites around the world, promoting the work of the UN and its humanitarian agencies and organizations working for peace, the environment, human rights, and social and economic justice.

Submit a 3-5 minute video presentation of your organization’s work by July 15 to EducationPeaceTeam@gmail.com. The Video Selection Committee will then choose the finalists by August 1st. This contest is organized by www.peaceday.tv in collaboration with the Media/Marketing/Communications Peace Team of the IDP NGO Committee!

So, dear friends, it is time! Meet with your team, make your plans, keep us posted – and everything you do will contribute to Education for Peace!

May Peace Prevail on Earth!