Communities around the world hosted 21 IIWP peace events to celebrate this year’s International Day of Peace. The Day of Peace itself is on September 21st of each year, designated by the UN in 1982 to support individuals, communities, & organizations in promoting peace.
Seven countries were represented, including Argentina, Australia, France, Nigeria, Sweden, United States, and Venezuela. In the United States, peacemakers offered events in eight states: Alabama, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Texas.
Communities held activities as simple as a group coming together to plant Light columns in Australia and Venezuela, to planting peace poles in two communities in Argentina. Click here for a full report on one of these peace pole plantings in Pinamar, Argentina.
Also, a number of communities offered IIWP’s Peacemaker Meeting and Finding Peace in Today’s World workshops. This includes our first ever Peacemaker Meeting in Nigeria!
I have been so blessed to be a part of this project, it touched me to see the many ways people step forward in peace.
Here are some comments and pictures from peacemakers about their events. Enjoy!
Love and Light,
Debbie
PS – we have one more event to go – a Windermere Picnic with the Travelers on Sat., Oct 13th in Santa Barbara, CA and live online! Click here for info on how to register.
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM COMMUNITIES ON THEIR PEACE EVENTS:
From Prince Iwuoha, PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA:
PEACEMAKER MEETING
The “Peacemaker” meeting held in Nigeria on Friday 21st Sept, precisely on the world day of peace declared by the United Nations (UN), was a great success. The meeting started at 6:30pm and came to a closure by 9:30pm, resulting in lots and lots of heartfelt sharing as the Spirit of peace flows through the arena of the class.
We discovered during the class that peace is our inherent right that can’t be negotiated except as we choose to, and as such, negligence of this vital principle is a deception to our divine right, while the observation and implementation of this vital principle by all leads to individual and world peace.
Personally, I look at the Peacemaker Meeting as one of the best classes ever brought forward by the Travelers in this dispensation, as the highest therapy for the world situation now is peace. Peacemaker meetings will also go a long way to assist us to purge ourselves of the attitude of war, as well as equip us with the energy to negate the negativity that will be detrimental to our peaceful nature as we travel back home to God.
And finally, I want to say a big thanks to the Travelers who have made it possible for us to enjoy this privilege at this point. I also want to thank you Debbie and all the MSIA staff who have one way or the other assisted in this great course of humanity! May God reward you all abundantly.
L & L,
Prince Iwuoha
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From Anne Naylor, FRANCE:
SUNRISE PEACE CHANT
Our Sunrise Peace Chant on Saturday morning at dawn was delightful and quite powerful in its way. A couple of us found ourselves drifting off as we chanted. We were 4 including two regulars. It was a pristine blue sky with a hot sun greeting us towards the end of the chant.
Shona went to work with her juicer and made the most delicious to-go-to-heaven-for juice. I popped downstairs to the boulangerie next door where I picked up fresh baked that morning croissants, pains aux chocolats and pains aux raisins. Out on the terrace, with the turquoise blue sun blind extended for shade from the hot sun, we had coffee to go with.
As it was the day before Rosh Hashanah today, Laraine brought with her a Pink Lady apple and a little pot of honey – to celebrate that feast. She said the traditional prayer and we had slices of apple with the honey drizzled on them. Yum!
Happy Peace Day!
With lots of loving,
Anne
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From Cristina Rivero, NEUQUEN ARGENTINA:
#1 – PEACE POLE PLANTING – PINAMAR: Click here for a report.
#2 – PEACEMAKER MEETING – NEUQUEN
The peacemakers encounter in Senillosa, Neuquén was very beautiful. A radiation of calm circled and wrapped us during all our sharing around the campfire a few meters from the Rio Limay was very impressive. Luz (Light) we sent all over the planet and humanity. Thank you Beloved Travelers!
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From Karyn Levana, DEAL, NEW JERSEY:
PEACEMAKER MEETING w/UN Women’s group
We held a Peacemaker Meeting on 9/23. The women loved it and stayed for hours afterwards chatting and eating. I served a beautiful lunch and the atmosphere was quite wonderful.
One of the women purchased a CD and book. Hope all is well on your end. Sending much love, light and blessings….
~Karyn
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From Kathy Kornblum MINNEAPOLIS MINNESOTA:
FINDING PEACE IN TODAY’S WORLD WORKSHOP
Hi Debbie,
The class went really well. There were 5 participants plus two participating facilitators. One person, who recently went through a break up, said that it was very helpful for her. Everyone did the process and shared. There was a lot of joy and gratitude for the workshop
LL,
Kathy
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From Belinda Back, BRISBANE AUSTRALIA:
PLANTING LIGHT COLUMNS
Beautiful experience. Because of time constraints of some we stayed physically in the one area, West End, an area of Brisbane where Light is greatly needed. However in addition to the Light columns planted outside as we walked around, we sent Light to other suburbs and places in Brisbane and worldwide through a process of individually thinking of places we considered needed extra Light. It was a great day and there was talk of doing it again in other areas. Time permitting I would like to do another before Christmas. Participants were Milanka Bojic, Peter Penwarn, Steve and Gwen Marcussen and Belinda Back.
Love and Blessings,
Belinda
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From Vania Grimalt, CARACAS VENEZUELA:
#1 – RADIO SHOW – ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR PEACE
#2 – PLANTING LIGHT COLUMNS
#3 – PEACEMAKER MEETING
RADIO SHOW – ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR PEACE
First at noon, we planned to do: “Just one minute of silence for Peace” — wise souls speak loudly in silence — on the Radio Show: LA REVISTA with Elba Escobar and María Elena Lavaud (107.9FM).
I left home awhile after 9am that morning and I was surprised by traffic! I got caught in it and it took me almost 3hrs to get to the radio. And, when we finally got there they weren’t expecting us.
OH GOD!!
Well, we got to the waiting room where we met a professor whose interview was scheduled for that day and he told us not to worry. He was going to be precise on what he had to say, so there would be enough time for us. And he did so. The production people from the radio were very flexible and they managed to give us enough time on the air.
THANKS GOD!!
We shared a nice conversation with Elba and Ma. Elena, we talked about the IIWP and the initiative of ‘one minute of silence’, which they had already done. Because, even though they weren’t expecting us, while I was stuck in traffic I sent a text message to a good friend of mine who is a very well known actress here and she sent the message to the radio with the initiative. The message of Silence to honor Peace got there before we did!
PLANTING LIGHT COLUMNS
Peacemakers at Plaza Altamira, Caracas. Venezuela, were Ángela Sol, Isaura, Vania, Elba, Luis, Marta, José.
We attuned to the Peace that was present encircling the Planet and envisioning a dawning of peace on earth. We planted a column of Light to expand and we prayed for peace before sunset.
PEACEMAKER MEETING
From my perspective, this country is going through a very heavy process of change and awareness for the highest good. So, I’d rather to stay at home, do s.e.s and wait for the peacemakers who decided to come to the meeting. We enjoyed a nice Peacemaker Meeting. Thanks again for your LIGHT and being present with your support.
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Mercedes Gonzales, SAN JUAN ARGENTINA
PEACE POLE PLANTING AND FINDING PEACE IN TODAY’S WORLD CLASS
The truth is that it is a gift from Spirit for me to be able to do this Service.
There were eleven people and seven were new.
Everyone was real surprised over the Peace that was present in the place. The same feeling was present during the Workshop “Introducción a la Paz”.
In this workshop there were eight people of which five were new.
What I am learning is that when I let the energy flow through me, everything goes very well.
Love and Light,
Mercedes
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From Eternity Wauls, EL PASO, TEXAS:
PEACE PRAYER AND SERVICE PROJECT
On Sunday, September 23, 2012, members of the El Paso, TX ministers group met in the home of Eternity Wauls. After calling in the Light, the agenda included the usual minister’s activities with extra time for sharing about how each had experienced praying the IIWP Peace Prayer in their daily lives at home, work, etc. Some experiences were humorous while others were quite challenging. One minister recounted how she found herself saying in frustration, “I don’t have time for this peace prayer”. And eventually realized that it was precisely in that moment that she needed to pray the prayer.
Everyone expressed gratitude for the opportunity to pray the Peace Prayer with intention for the 30-day time period.
As it had been pre-planned, some ministers brought food for a lite lunch. Following the meal, we all drove to The Sara McKnight Transitional Living Center to make a donation of clothing. The center provides services for women and children in need. The clothes were items one minister had been holding onto since her mother’s death in 2011. She was able to bless the items and let them go with joy for the highest good. The support of other ministers made the letting go process easier.
After making the donation, the group braved the hot El Paso sun and walked around the grounds planting light columns in specific areas, chanting, and praying for peace.
All in all, it was a very joy-filled and peace-filled day of letting go, and the energy was rich. What a great opportunity during IIWP’s special emphasis upon peace! Baruch Bashan
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From Ilenya Marrin, FARMINGTON HILLS, MICHIGAN:
A DAY OF PEACE
We had a wonderful time, but only two guests showed up. We had initially expected seven or eight, but one by one, the regrets and cancellations came in. No pictures. But lots of Light. It is always perfect! We’ll do it again next year.
Love and Light,
Ilenya
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From David Jenkins and David Hampton, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS:
PEACEMAKER MEETING
We had 10 of us meeting. The statements of peace intentions were heartfelt and people seemed to really explore their intentions. The sharing from J-R’s book was the same. Some people commented that the passage they got randomly from the book was perfect for them at that moment. We used John Morton’s Peacemaker meeting journey. We got appreciative feedback from the group, and there appeared to be interest in participating more.
David Hampton brought three who were new to our work which was wonderful.
Our current thinking is that we offer a peacemaker meeting in a public setting like a public library and advertise more broadly to the public. We’re thinking of a time in November. We’ll be in touch when we have a request for approval for the next event.
Thanks for your total support for this effort. It means a lot to know that you are standing behind all that we are doing.
Peace around the world, love it!