Work A Day for Peace 2007
Work a Day for Peace is in its 6th year this fall!
Over the past 5 years supporters who have donated a day's wages, or another amount, have contributed more than $120,000 towards support of our peace work in countries like Sri Lanka, Guatemala and the Philippines. Nonviolent Peaceforce is an ACTIVE alternative to the use of violence in the face of conflict!
Nonviolent Peaceforce's Work a Day for Peace Campaign was created in 2002 to commemorate 9/11/2001 by working positively and actively towards an alternative to violence.
In 2007 we Work A Day for Peace on a global level by celebrating from September 21st to October 2nd. These dates mark significant calls to action and observance by all world citizens who desire a peaceful world.
What does Nonviolent Peaceforce do, and where?
Nonviolent Peaceforce is an active alternative to the use of violence as a response to conflict!
Nonviolent Peaceforce trains unarmed, non-violent civilian peacekeepers for deployment in conflict zones around the world.
In September 2007, NP will include:
- 50 peacekeepers and staff in Sri Lanka
- A full deployment in the Philippines
- A rapid response team in Guatemala
- Exploration of a project in Colombia
- Peacekeeper trainings in Thailand , Kenya , Ecuador , France , Romania and the U.S.
International Day of Peace was a resolution created by the United Nations in 1981 to remind and call all people, organizations and nations to practice acts of peace on the same day. As of 2001, September 21st has been designated as the official date.
The resolution: "Declares that the International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day...
“Invites all Member States, organizations 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.”
International Day of Peace, or Peace Day, can bring together people, cultures and nations to build and act toward peace, despite their differences.
International Day of Non-violence
The idea for a day devoted to non-violence came from the conference of “Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment—Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century” held in January 2007. India's Minister of State for External Relations introduced the resolution to observe an International Day of Non-Violence on October 2nd, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. On June 15th 2007, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously voted to officially recognize this day.
The UN resolution for the International Day of Non-Violence “stresses that non-violence, tolerance, full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for democracy, development, mutual understanding and respect for diversity are interlinked and reinforcing.” It is hoped that this day will serve as another catalyst to help all people to become peacemakers and models of active non-violence.
Mahatma Gandhi is often recognized as the father of non-violence since he helped end the British occupation of India using only nonviolent strategies. Gandhi is an inspiration to many peacemakers such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dorothy Day.
Definition of peace: Freedom from civil disturbance, a state of security, freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. |
How Can you get involved and Work A Day for Peace?
- Give one day's wages online to support unarmed peacekeeping around the world.
- Spread the word in your community and encourage people to visit our website to learn about the work of NP
- Join the MySpace and Facebook Work A Day for Peace Groups online!
- Do a special activity to focus yourself, your friends, your family and co-workers on peace. It can be something simple like a minute of silence or sharing readings about peace and non-violence.
- Recite the Universal prayer: May Peace Prevail on Earth.
We still have a choice today: non-violent coexistence or violent co-annihilation. This may well be mankind's last chance to choose between chaos and community. |
| PEACE FACT: In 1977, President Jimmy Carter issued an unconditional pardon to Vietnam draft resisters. Later, in 2002, Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts and to advance human rights. |