Peace Day 2017 Introduction

Hello, my name is Logan Stearman, I am a Peace, Justice, and Conflict Transformation scholar/intern, and I would like to thank everyone for coming out tonight to support PeaceDay commemorating the General Assembly of the United Nations establishment of The International Day of Peace. PeaceDay is celebrated annually on September 21st, all around the world. The goal of PeaceDay is to put aside differences to build a culture of peace. The University of Louisville has been commemorating PeaceDay annually since 2011, even before the establishment of the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Transformation program. The 2017 U.N. Peace Day Theme is TO-GETHER for Peace: respect, safety, and dignity for all.

In Omaha, Nebraska, refugees and migrants are sharing narratives and a time for Inter-faith Prayers for Peace. At an elementary school in Milwaukee, students are making a Peace Pledge on pinwheels and displaying them as a community art project. In Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, there will be a citywide prayer for non-violence and in Malacca, Malaysia, The World Youth Foundation is handing out roses. In Louisville, around this very room, are registered student or-ganizations, faculty, and nonprofit organizations that focus on different ways to cultivate peace locally, nationally, and internationally. Representation of many different groups assures for a constructive, peaceful, and effective dialogue between groups that may have had conflicts in the past, but today, TOGETHER we are actively building a community on peace principles.

The word peace has many interpretations. According to the US Institute of Peace, located across the street from the Lincoln Memorial, peace means the absence of conflict, for some. For others, it means the end of violence. Some define peace as the attainment of justice and social stability; for others, it encompasses social justice, economic well-being, and basic freedoms.

All of these interpretations of peace are valid and useful in promoting peace. Today, we will listen to individuals and groups interpretations of peace and what we, collectively, are doing to build a diverse, safe, dignified, and respectful community for all.