A PEAI FOR PEACE re

Vancouver. B.C a

 

 

 

Noon, Sept. LG, 1986

 

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

Some Ideas Concerning Classroom Observances in Universities and Colleges

General Frinciples
- Note the origin of the observance: an invitation from the United Nations

to all people in the world to join with the UN and with each other in a
minute of silence and a moment of sound for peace.

Respect the non-partisan nature of the observance. People differ concer-

ning how best to promote peace, but during the silence these important
differences are set aside.

Stress the encouraging nature of the observance. We celebrate our sense

of heart-felt connection with human beings around the world in our hope
and will for peace.

Stress the voluntary and co-operative nature of the observance. No in-
structor or student should feel obliged to participate.

et Ingredients

1. Preparation. If an instructor decides to invite the class to join
with him/her in the observance, students should be informed concerning,

what it's about and why it matters. Arrangements should be made in
such a way that students who do not wish to participate or who cannot
stay until 12.02 p.m. can easily absent themselves.

2. Shortly before noon someone provides a brief introduction to the
silence, inviting those present to join with others in the same time-
zone and around the world in a minute of silence to think about peace
or to pray for peace. The minute of silence follows.

3. A moment of sound, rejoicing in our shared hopes for peace. The room
may be open to sounds from nearby bells or carillons playing specially
at 12.01 p.m. for a minute or less. Otherwise, instructor and students
should have planned creatively about celebrative sound: a brief cassette

-tape recording of bells or brass band; singing a song about peace;
handclapping.

Additional Possibilities

Especially where many faculty and students are not in classrooms or labs
between 11.58 a.m. and 12.02 p.m. there might be an observance arranged

at a central location, planned and organized by a small committee which

would see to publicity, arrange for celebrative sound, etc.

If noon local time is not feasible for a classroom observance, pick

another hour on the hour so as to co-incide with people in a different
Canadian time-zone.