Excitement mounts as URI Cooperation Circles prepare wonderfully diverse celebrations for International Day of Peace.

International Day of Peace

Preview of URI Participation in 2005
  

Santiago, Chile.  Gerardo Gonzales

The "Spiritual Forum of Santiago for Peace" (CC), based in the capital city of Chile, is calling to celebrate with interfaith prayers the UN International Day of Peace.  As in 2002, 2003, and 2004 this activity will take several days. This year the celebration is being organized also at provincial level along the country, focusing on three main urban areas besides Santiago, which are Valparaiso/Viña del Mar, on the cost; Temuco, at the center of the traditional territories of the Mapuche indigenous people; and Punta Arenas, in the extreme south of the country.

From Thursday 15 through Wednesday 21, communities belonging to various religions and spiritual traditions active in Chile will host local community meetings in their own places (churches, temples, synagogues, mosques, etc.) to pray from their own faith for peace in the world, aware that other communities, built upon other faiths and spiritual traditions, will be doing the same in other places of our country and the world.

On the 21st many schools -- most of them linked to the Catholic Church-will celebrate with prayers the International Day of Peace.  On the evening of the 20th a Central Ceremony of Interfaith prayers for Peace in the World will be carried out at a huge hall in Santiago. Representatives from thirteen religions and spiritual traditions (including Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddhists, Sikhs, Sufis, Bahá'ís, Mapuches, Ayamaras and BKs) will pray for peace using their own sacred languages, songs and rituals. They will be seating in a circle at the center of the hall, surrounded by a multi-religious audience. The event will end with all the participants reading in loud voice a Declaration for Peace in the World and singing for peace.

Cebu City, Philippines.  Sr. Sandra Clemente, RSCJ Tentatively we in the Kalinaw CC Cebu City will have the following activities on September 18, from 5 to 8pm - Prayers of CC members at the Ayala Mall garden.  This place is a mall with a beautiful garden where people can join the CC members in our 2-hour vigil. Each religion will have a 10-15 minutes slot to say their preprared prayers and a silent reflection at the end of every prayer.