We are approaching the 40 day countdown to the International Day of Peace! 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has announced that this year’s Peace Day Theme is “Peace, Youth and Development” under the slogan “Peace = Future”. Watch our new promotional video!

Have you made plans for an event in your community? Please share your event, no matter how small.  Let’s make Peace Day, September 21, a day to remember for future generations.

Share your event on our 2010 calendar or find an event nearby!
For inspiration, see our 2009 CPI Report!

This year, the Culture of Peace Initiative’s (CPI) special 2010 project is “International Positive Week” (September 20 - 26), a celebration and global initiative in conjunction with Celebrate Positive, the Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI) and the United Nation’s International Day of Peace.

This special program focuses on the 2010 UN NGO Positive Peace Awards (The Voting Academy includes Pathways To Peace, Rotary International and Sister Cities International).  The goal of this week is to celebrate and shine the light on the world’s most positive Communities, Athletes, Entertainers, Schools, and Businesses, while promoting the message of World Peace.

Please take a minute to share your nomination for most Positive Community or Business. We invite you to nominate your own!

During International Positive Week, different categories of “Positive Peace” will be highlighted each day during the week-long celebration.

• September 20 (Monday):  Positive Business Day:
• September 21 (Tuesday):  Positive Entertainer Day (International Day of Peace)
• September 22 (Wednesday):  Positive Community Day
• September 23 (Thursday):  Positive School Day
• September 24 - 26 (Friday - Sunday):  Positive Sports Weekend

Want to learn more? Explore the Celebrate Positive website!

Thank you for being a pathway to Peace,
Your dedicated Team at CPI

All works of love are works of peace. — Mother Theresa
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The Joan Kenley show’s latest radio program is called Avatar:  The Meaning and the Message.  The story has so many implications for our world right now. Beyond the issues of right and wrong, good and evil, and choices of all kinds - Avatar also looks at what the deep connection to nature, plants, animals, and one another can mean for mankind.  We encourage you to listen to it!

Dear Culture of Peace Initiative Participants (CPI),

The UN Department of Public Information, along with a number of NGOs around the world, have chosen the theme Youth, Peace and Development for this year’s observance of the International Day of Peace.  The concept behind this is to connect the Millennium Development Goals and the UN International Year of Youth with the International Day of Peace.  The Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) are based upon the premise that development must be for peace.  A summit on the Millennium Development Goals will be held at UN headquarters Sept. 20 - 22; www.un.org/millenniumgoals .  As part of this, the Stand Up Campaign has shifted its three day worldwide mobilization to Sept. 17-19; last year over 100 million people participated in this event. www.standagainstpoverty.org

Due to the MDG summit, the UN ceremonies for the International Day of Peace will take place on Friday, Sept. 17th.  These will include the annual ringing of the Peace Bell by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the student observance, and possibly student participation in the Stand Up Campaign.

100-Day Countdown

The UN’s 100-Day Countdown to the IDP begins on June 13th.  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver a message about the International Day of Peace, during which he will ask all nations and people to prepare for this year’s observance.  Some of the UN Messengers of Peace - celebrities and world leaders - will also be involved.

Will you join us in the 100 Day Countdown?

We are asking member organizations of the Culture of Peace Initiative to conduct their own 100-Day Countdowns in order to engage your networks to also make plans for this occasion.  Among us, all segments of civil society will be involved in this process, including: religious and volunteer groups; NGO’s representating many aspects of Peacebuilding - from care of the environment to promoting human rights; educational institutions; local and grassroots organizations; families and private citizens; businesses and professionals; and the media.

This year marks the close of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace.  Let us use this occasion to set the stage for a more widespread and universal observance of the International Day of Peace in future years - observances that showcase sustainable solutions and create practical acts of Peacebuilding.

2010:  Africa’s Year of Peace and Security

The African Union has asked it’s 53 nation members to observe the International Day of Peace this year - among all nations, cultures and families.  The African Union expects that a day of ceasefire in conflict zones will allow for humanitarian relief, such as vital food, water, mosquito nets and other emergency supplies to be provided to people in those areas.  2010 is Africa’s “Year of Peace and Security” which will culminate on the International Day of Peace, and enable Africans to continue making Peace through education, awareness-raising and empowerment.

Presenting…  the CPI Report on Peace Day 2009!

Michael Johnson of Pathways To Peace presented the 2009 annual report of the Culture of Peace Initiative on the International Day of Peace to the UN in April.  This report is available at www.internationaldayofpeace.org and www.cultureofpeace.org. View the report by regions around the world! http://bit.ly/cpi_reports

CPI Online Community

In the run up to the 100 day countdown, we encourage you to make connections through the CPI online community: http://bit.ly/cpi_group.  The group includes an ever-growing list of more than 500 organization profiles and peacebuilding resources and solutions.  The group map can show you Peacebuilders and organizations from around the world, who are part of the CPI network!  Our community is hosted on WiserEarth.org, now available in French, Spanish and Portuguese!

Please join and make your presence known on - the International Day of Peace Facebook page. Can you help us reach 20,000 people this week?

Michael Johnson represented Pathways To Peace at the recent UN Summit of Indigenous Peoples on April 20 and plans to encourage indigenous cultures worldwide to observe the International Day of Peace.

You are a pathway to Peace!

Dear Culture of Peace Initiative Participants (CPI),

We are at the 6 month countdown to Peace Day 2010!

Here is our idea to help you start thinking about Peace Day in your community! On the weekend of May 1-2, let’s begin by simply connecting with local neighbors and residents, to prepare for Peace Day on the week of September 21. Start meeting new people who are interested in Peace issues, by organizing a group meeting or event.  Ask friends or fellow co-workers to help.  Here are 9 ways to get the ball rolling:

1.  Have coffee… or tea.
2.  Host a film screening.
3.  Invite a guest speaker.
4.  Setup a volunteer event.
5.  Pass around a contact sheet for those interested in Peace Day, at events, crowds or classrooms.
6.  Invite local nonprofits who work on “Peace” issues in your community.
7.  Meet at a home, school, office, church, bookstore, bar, yoga studio or cafe!
8.  Call the event/meet-up “Peace in (your city/town)”.
9.  Organize a monthly “Peace” themed event.

Suggestion:  Create a new Facebook page to promote meeting(s) and the build-up to Peace Day 2010.  For example:  ”Peace Day in (city/town)“.  Share with us your page if you do!  We’ll link to your page, to help others find you!

CPI will continue to share ideas, updates and highlights of the build-up to Peace Day online and through our newsletters.  By the way, our Facebook page has nearly 19,000 participants! www.facebook.com/peaceday.

UN Observances and theme:  Representatives from organizations within CPI are working with the United Nations Deptartment of Public Information on this year’s theme for the International Day of Peace.  Human rights, environmental sustainability and the Millennium Development Goals are all being considered.  We will keep everyone informed when a theme is announced.

Peace Day Global Broadcast:  The Unity Foundation is seeking submissions for the 2nd annual Peace Day Global Broadcast, subtitled: Building Peace Through Sustainability.  This year’s focus will be on the Millennium Development Goals.  To learn more go to www.peaceday.tv.

The Music4Peace Initiative and Tour aims to educate, empower, and improve the world, by striving to eradicate hunger and violence while providing clean water.  The first events announced for the 2010 tour include: a Hip Hop Summit in South Africa during the FIFA World Cup in June, and the Gandhi Tour in Brazil on the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21st.  Music4Peace has also announced the launch of a Film 4 Peace Contest.  Visit www.music4peacetour.com for more details.

You are a pathway to Peace,
Your dedicated Team at CPI

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” - Gandhi

Did you attend a Peace Day event? If so, please take a few minutes to let us know how it went:  http://bit.ly/peaceday_09

Your response will assist our efforts in producing a comprehensive 2009 Peace Day report which will be presented to the UN and published online.  We invite your participation.

Thank you Peacebuilders!

May Peace Prevail On Earth!

“Pathways to Peace:  Peacebuilding locally and globally for over 25 years.”

Dear Culture of Peace Initiative Participants (CPI),

During this holiday season, every one of us has the opportunity to be a Peacebuilder!  To engage in the tangible work of making Peace a practical reality, both locally and globally, you are invited to participate as a Peacebuilder by offering your financial support.  Your continued support for Pathways To Peace is making an impact during this challenging economic climate.  Here is how your financial support assisted Peacebuilders in 2009:

For this 27th annual International Day of Peace, the Internet played an increasingly key role in our outreach efforts.  This year, the Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI)* quickly amassed more than 16,000 Facebook followers on the International Day of Peace page at facebook.com/peaceday.  In September, about a 100,000 people visited the International Day of Peace website, where we put together a comprehensive page of Peace Day highlights.  A major highlight was the first 24 hour Peace Day Broadcast, which was produced by the Unity Foundation.  Your support will help us better utilize Facebook, online networks and media to bring to light unseen Peacebuilders!

“Celebration Earth Peace Gathering”, a special CPI 2009 program led by Paul Coleman, a CPI Ambassador, brought together thousands in Okinawa, Japan for a historic series of Peace festivals and marches.  Their inspiring, colorful pictures and videos highlight Okinawa’s creative culture and efforts to restore Okinawa to its long held culture of Peace.  As an intergenerational and intercultural program, “Celebration Earth” symbolizes the best of what CPI has to offer!  Your support allows us to share with you how to plan an inspiring “Celebration Earth Peace Gathering” in your community!

A Global Events Calendar has been created to identify the countless events dedicated to promoting Peace. This master calendar invites all to join in these growing celebrations and be in community with others of like-mind. It is a way for all to share inspiration, photos, videos, stories, planned Peace activities.  This year, there were over 600 events shared for Peace Day!  This calendar helps us increase our commitment, by reminding us that we are not alone and, together, we are making a difference.  Together, we also continue to build a Peace community of all cultures, nations and languages. Your support and participation is essential to improving the calendar so that it is accessible to more of our international community of Peacebuilders!

Peace Day has grown from a small gathering of 400 in 1981 in San Francisco, to more than 10,000 events world-wide!  This year, as the result of Pathways To Peace Contributing Writer and Calendar Program Director Melvin Weiner, hundreds of millions of calendars marked the International Day of Peace on September 21!

Culture of Peace Initiative Outreach Coordinator Michael Kwan, a recent university graduate, shares his thoughts on the future:  “I’m excited about the prospects for Peace in our world because of what the Internet provides us.  In a minute I can personally connect with Peacebuilders around the world.  We have an increasingly powerful tool that can instantly focus and amplify our collective work to activate a vibrant, collaborative and engaging culture of Peace.  This year was particularly inspiring because of all the Peace stories and hundreds of comments shared through Facebook and Twitter.  I expect to help inspire more people to act by sharing more detailed examples of Peacebuilding efforts we’ve collected - as well as ongoing Peace practices, Peace Education programs, campaigns and projects to connect to!”

Onwards towards an inter-connected, collaborative and mutually supportive culture of Peace!  We wish you a joyful and Peaceful holiday season with your friends, family and community.

You are a pathway to Peace.

-The Pathways To Peace Team

Please join with us in making Peace a reality by making your generous contribution today!

Checks may be mailed to:

Pathways To Peace
P.O Box 1057
Larkspur, CA 94977 USA

*The Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI) is a co-operative Peacebuilding Initiative to unite the strengths of existing organizations, projects and peoples in building a Culture of Peace for future generations.  CPI is a vehicle for bringing to light the previously unseen and unheard Peacebuilders working towards Peace along divers pathways. Through The Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI), Pathways To Peace(International Secretariat, Culture of Peace Initiative) provides an opportunity for individuals, groups and organizations to link with others who are engaging as Peacebuilders through out the year. Peace Day is every day.