'Peace Necessary for Development,' Malawi Pastor Declares

27 September 2012
group photo

The Blantyre CC, a group dedicated to uniting all Malawians and facilitating peace among people of different faiths,  began its celebration of the International Day of Peace with an interdenominational thanksgiving prayer session at the Malawi Council for the Handicapped weaving factory hall. 

The event brought together local leaders of the Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Seventh-Day Adventist and Muslim faiths.  During the ceremony, Pastor Alex Business Banda of the Blantyre CC declared that without peace, development and unity in Malawi cannot be achieved.  It is for this reason, he said, that URI joined nations, organizations and people throughout the world in commemorating the International Day of Peace.

The celebration continued with poetry recitals, a dancing competition and music, culminating in a football match at the Bangwe community ground between teams from the Naizi Community Day secondary school and the Flying Eagles secondary school.

The events took place in conjunction with the International Day of Peace, an annual holiday celebrated by the United Nations and people throughout the world as a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence.

The theme of this year’s Peace Day – celebrated everywhere on Sept. 21 – was “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future,” in keeping with the recent United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  More information about URI’s celebration of the International Day of Peace is available at uri.org.