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John-Roger Awarded Peace Maker of the Year

Article imageJohn-Roger has been awarded Peace Maker of the Year by World Art Expressions, a Chicago gallery whose mission is to bring people together through the arts. An author and educator, John-Roger was given the award because of his dedication to promote peace worldwide.

On October 8th, the award was presented at a ceremony entitled “Peace, Be Still” at Preston Bradley Hall, a domed performance center, covered in Tiffany mosaics that is the heart of the Chicago Cultural Center.

Ariel Zapata, Chicago MSIA minister, Institute for Individual and World Peace representative and founder of World Art Expressions presented the award, which is a stunning bronze dove sculpted by contemporary Cuban-born artist, Eladio Gonzalez, now a resident of Chicago. Rebecca Bloomfield accepted the award on behalf of John-Roger.

A marvelous musical program followed the awards ceremony: Steve Turre of the Saturday Night Live Band flew in from New York to play conch shells, Donald Neale played a specially composed “Piece for Peace” on the piano and then accompanied Sarah Barton (a gifted young Chicago cellist) in an arrangement of “Kol Nidre”. Jose Rendon introduced his nephew by saying “young people are the hope of the world”, and the two shook the old building with their congas. Alma Gray was remarkable on several saxophones and Najib Bahri, Tunisian trained, had the audience clapping in accompaniment to his Arabic instruments.

The Light was certainly present throughout the program which was scheduled to begin at 1:00pm. At 12:30pm a huge circuit breaker caught fire and 8 square miles of the center of Chicago was without electricity…except in Preston Bradley Hall where music, love and peace prevailed.

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