Peace Day Philly Celebrates Its Seventh Year

Peace Day Philly, the local initiative for the United Nations International Day of Peace (September 21), will take place across the Philadelphia region September 17 through September 23 with a wide range of programs on topics related to personal, local and global peace. Now in its seventh year, Peace Day Philly invites individuals, organizations, government officials and communities to engage in this effort through organizing meaningful peace-related activities in their home, school or community, or by or participating in one of many free Peace Day Philly events. Visit www.peacedayphilly.org/events/ for more information.

Lisa Parker, founder of Peace Day Philly, says: “It is a critical time to cultivate peace and stand against hate and injustice. Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All is this year’s global theme set by the United Nations. Peace Day offers a unique opportunity,” she added, “to join together, in spirit and in action, with people and cities across the city, region, country and world.”

To kick off Peace Day Philly 2017, on September 17 at 3 p.m., the Philadelphia Ethical Society will host The Jost Project in a concert. This highly acclaimed band will perform songs from their upcoming CD “Peace and Love” (Dot Time Records). Vibraphonist Tony Miceli, who created and conceived of this album, hopes to bring back memories of a generation when dialogue and action for peace and love took place everywhere.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Our duty as a human family is to replace fear with kindness.” Peace Day Philly has produced a 2017 video around the global #jointogether campaign set to the song medley “The Waters of March/Get Together” by The Jost Project (http://bit.ly/2tzxKM9).

Mayor Jim Kenney supports Peace Day Philly and said, “Cities are the changemakers in our current climate. If we foster peace within Philadelphia, on all levels, we will be that much closer to obtaining the peace that is so desperately needed across the globe. Peace Day provides an important opportunity for cities around the world to strengthen our communities, celebrate our diversity and take action for a more peaceful world.”

The full list of 2017 events, most free, can be found at www.peacedayphilly.org/events. For more about Peace Day Philly, go to www.peacedayphilly.org.