Prescott Peacebuilders’ first celebration in September 2015 combined a call for peace with a remembrance of the humanitarian deeds of Prescott resident Kayla Mueller, who at 26 devoted much of her life to helping others across the globe. She was killed by ISIS after leaving a Doctors Without Borders Hospital in Syria. Money was raised to build the Kayla’s Hands playground to honor Kayla’s life’s work and sacrifice.
Peacebuilders founder Mary Steenhoek, Laurel Freeman, Marion Pack and Jo Sprague organized the event. Laurel explains, “People across the globe need to stand together to be a force for peace, to fight conflict with nonviolence such as dialogue, diplomacy, and the reframing of debate over different points of view.”
International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later in 2001 the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate September 21 as a day of nonviolence and cease-fire.
Building on its ten-year history, Prescott Peacebuilders is continuing to live out its mission “to inspire our community to believe in and work toward a more peaceful, sustainable world. Peacebuilders is inclusive and committed to building an identity of peace, justice, and mutual respect.” Throughout the year it presents various local events, such as speaker forums, peace vigils storytelling programs, visiting La Tierra school and teaching children about peace, Movies with Meaning, Hiroshima/Nagasaki Day of Remembrance, UN International Day of Peace, Peace Concert, Immigration Program, and others to carry out the mission. The group also partners with other Prescott organizations, including The Launch Pad, the MLK Peace and Justice Committee and Prescott Indivisible, to promote community-building and peace.
Prescott Peacebuilders will be celebrating the UN International Day of Peace September 21 with a program and peace concert in the Granite Creek Park. This year’s UN International Day of Peace theme is “Act Now for a Peaceful World.” In a time of turbulence, tumult, and uncertainty, it is critical for everyone to take concrete action to mobilize for peace. We must speak out against violence, hate, discrimination, and inequality, practicing respect, and embrace the diversity of our world. Some ways to do this are volunteering in your community, listening to voices different from our own, challenging discriminatory language in the workplace, reporting bullying both on- and offline, and taking the time to verify facts before we speak or repost on social media.
To celebrate and build community, we will gather all ages, all races, all genders to focus on our hope for a more peaceful world. The program will consist of a range of speakers and musical groups, including Isabelle Brown, our keynote speaker and student at Prescott High School, students from La Tierra Community School, Mary Steenhoek, a handmade peace-quilt auction, the Prescott Bucket List band, Womansong, MacDougal Street West, Galactagogues, Morphus, and Doc Garvey and Remedy.
Prescott Peacebuilders invite everyone to come and join us for a lovely afternoon under the cottonwood trees at Granite Creek Park. Bring your chairs, blankets, coolers and enjoy speakers, music, dancing, meeting new people, and celebrating a Day of Peace in Prescott, Arizona.
The Day of Peace events will happen on September 21 at the Granite Creek Park ramada, 554 6th St. starting at 12:45pm.
