Global Call for Sustainable Peace on September 21st

Dear friends of the UN International Day of Peace,

Wishing you a happy UN Day today as I listen to UN Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder singing live for peace on the UN webcast from the General Assembly hall of the United Nations. It’s enough to make one believe that peace is at hand!

A big CONGRATULATIONS to all of you for everything you did to create an outstanding wave of peace for the 2012 International

Day of Peace. Reports and photos have been coming in from all over the world, showing a spectacular leap in both recognition and celebration of the day. You did it!

The UN observances went beautifully, thanks to the dedicated team at the UN Department of Public Information. There were inspiring remarks from the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, Messengers of Peace Michael Douglas, Jane Goodall and Elie Weisel, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Forest Whitaker, UN Foundation Girl Up Champion Monique Coleman, and other special guests, plus video messages from Princess Haya and Jeremy Gilley, and live links to Peacekeeping Missions in Liberia and South Sudan. And the 500 students attending brought peace projects to share with one another.

The UN webcast of the Secretary-General’s Peace Bell ceremony is archived at <http://webtv.un.org/watch/peace-bell-ceremony-international-day-of-peace/1853718943001> and the student observance is at <http://webtv.un.org/watch/student-commemoration-of-the-international-day-of-peace/1853893643001/>. See the magic of the students raising the flags of all nations at 2:28:00 when Mrs. Ban rings the bell for the 12 noon Minute of Silence! (I got to watch it live from China at midnight – what a thrill!)Attached please find some inspiring information on the diverse ways that UN Information Centres observed the International Day of Peace around the world.PeaceDay TV has an 18-minute recap of events around the world at <http://www.livestream.com/peacedaytv/video?clipId=flv_72dfcba2-a394-44c0-a30f-8c5983dda0a0>. 150+ countries participated and they caught 30 on video! Note the colorful PeaceDay Live music events in Australia and New Orleans, the wonderful gathering in Hong Kong, an inspiring concert from war-torn Syria, Peace One Day’s Global Truce launch with Elton John, holding hands for peace in Dublin, and much, much more.

Special congratulations to our Cities Peace Team, which brought together a fantastic array of events in cities worldwide, as well as joining forces with Mayors for Peace, Rotary International, the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, and Cities of Peace. Your collective energy put wind under many wings.

Our Peace Teams also did well expanding participation in music, education, media, arts, youth, sustainability, and the Minute of Silence. Some are already making plans for 2013!

Speaking of 2013, UN DPI is already beginning to consider possible themes for next year’s International Day of Peace. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched “Education First” on September 26th, so this may give us a direction. Let us know your ideas.

The 2012 UN International Day of Peace came to life around the world, celebrating “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future.” But even this great success will now serve as the launch pad for next year – we’ll be counting on you!

Infinite love and gratitude to all – and heartfelt thanks to my co-chairs on the International Day of Peace NGO Committee for a job well done.

May Peace Prevail on Earth!

Deborah
The IDP NGO Committee
Amb. Anwarul K. Chowdhury – Honorary Chair
Michael Johnson, Deborah Moldow, Shawn Sweeney, Monica Willard – Co-Chairs