21 September - member activities

The members of UNOY Peacebuilders have organised activities on 21 September all over the world. Here are their stories:

AEI Open Windows

In cooperation with the NCOB (National Christian Organizations in Bethlehem), the AEI-Open Windows organized and celebrated the anniversary of the UN International Day of Prayer for Peace. The celebration took place on Monday 24 September 2007, at the AEI Sumud/ Peace house, which is situated near the Separation Wall, between Rachel's Tomb/ Bilal bin Rabah Mosque and the Israeli terminal to the north of Bethlehem. The celebration started with the National Anthem and a-one minute silence and prayers from the Holy Qura'n read by Hasan Faraj and form the Holy Bible read by Silvana Giacaman. This was followed by speeches of Mr. Nidal Abu Al Zulof, coordinator of the NCOB; Bishop'Atallah Hanna; Shaikh Dr. Tayseer Tamimi; and Mr. Dwin Capstick, ecumenical accompanier. Some youths read wishes and prayers for peace. Then Artas Folkloric center performed Dabkah (Palestinian Folkloric Dance), which was followed by a candle light vigil around the area which is surrounded by walls from different directions. This activity ended with an Iftar meal where some of the participants especially the Moslems were invited together with the Orthodox Bishop and Shaikh Tayseer Tamimi.

Dinamismo Juvenil

Dinamismo Juvenil has developed basketball sport activities with young men, who are stereotyped as 'dangerous'. These activities took place for 2 hours a day from 17 September 17 to 5 October to celebrate and to promote September 21st, in the public space which Dinamismo recuperated for the community.

It is an event where young people from 9-13 and 14-21 years old are expressing themselves with their artistic abilities, sport abilities and dancing abilities. They are going to have little reflections on how to prevent violence among young people between performances with the audience. In these activities our promoter is going to have reflections about how to prevent violence at home with their families, at school and in the community.

Initiative for Peace

In Kosovo, ProPeace has held a campaign that consisted of the distribution of posters, brochures and leaflets during the week preceding 21 September. The message that ProPeace sends out is that the Day of Peace should not be celebrated only one day a year, but:
Every Day is Peace Day!
The moment where the world is today, especially places in conflict and those in post conflict (including Kosovo), do not allow this kind of luxury, that we dedicate to Peace only one day during the year. It is the imperative of time, that in Kosovo, is being thought, worked and invested a lot more than this! This is the duty of everyone of us, and obligation towards the future generations. Hence, ProPeace is asking increase of the civilians’ voice and efficiency of institutional mechanisms against acts that in one or another way risk the process of peace-building in Kosovo.

Initiated and supported by Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst (forumZFD), ProPeace Platform was founded in December 2005 and consists of 13 Kosovan NGOs who work in the field of peace-building.

>Somaliland Youth Development Association (SOYDA)

SOYDA held a debate forum for its Youth Peace Congress on the 21st of September 2007. The forum's theme was How the Youth can become Peace Promoters and What Role the Youth Can Take In Further Developing the Peace? Up to 50 youth participated in the event along with guest speakers, SOYDA members, national and local media and lastly the YPC panel debaters.

The opening speech was provided by the vice secretary to the national parliament of Somaliland Mr. C/nasir Aden Beegsi, well-known for his stance on allowing youth a more pro-active role within the decision-making process of the country. This was followed by a speech from His Honorable Mr. Abdirahman Cismaan Hasan, a member of the upper-house parliament as well as a traditional elder, whose ideals and principles regarding youth have made him an icon within our country. Mr Yuusf Said Qalib, the Executive Director of SOYDA, spoke on youth and SOYDA's active involvement along with the objectives of this Youth Peace Congress. SOYDA then brought forth a youth panel in order to observe the ideas and thoughts of our generation of what peace is and how youth can become peace promoters. This was followed by a minute of silence and the closing of the forum. The forum was considered a success, though what will follow can only be construed by looking at the long-term effects.

YERITAC

In Armenia, YERITAC has organised a classical music concert in collaboration with the Naregatsi art Institute. The Chamber Music Concert was devoted to the International Day of Peace. More information can be found here.