International Day of Peace 2013 in Central Park, New York City-USA

September 21st, 2013

The first Vigil For International Peace and Ecology was held on the 21st of September, 2002 to coincide with the U.N. Resolution for the International Day of Peace. It has since been held in the Band Shell in New York’s Central Park on the closest weekend to September 21st. The Vigil has been the vision of U.N. staff member Susana Bastarrica to create an event to celebrate, transform and inspire all peoples to share a peaceful and joyful planet.

This year, the Vigil was held on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 9.00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. http://www.vigil4internationalpeace.org/event.html  Throughout the day, the celebration featured renowned speakers, children’s choirs, international performers, dancers and poets. Representatives and leaders from a variety of local, national, and international organizations also joined the festivities. Susana thanked each performer with the phrase, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” an ongoing theme of the day.

As always, a highlight of the day was the World Peace Flag Ceremony. Deborah Moldow, U.N. Representative for the World Peace Prayer Society, invited everyone who was on stage and those gathered in the park to take the flags of all nations and raise them in turn, calling out the country names. The ceremony closed with everyone saying three times, “May Peace Prevail on Earth!”

Photo by Andrew Kaen – www.andrewkaen.com