The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) ~ Established in 1981 by resolution, the United Nations General Assembly declared each year on 21 September a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Every year on the International Day of Peace, the United Nations calls on the peoples of the world to remember their common humanity and join together to build a future free of strife. It calls on all of us to observe a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, and to honor a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day.
When people feel secure in their abilities to provide for their families, when they are given access to the resources they need to live healthy lives, and when they feel truly included in their societies, then they are much less likely to engage in conflict. That is why, over the next 100 days, we must recognize that development and peace are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. We need to work together to help promote and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The leaders of the world have given us a clear blueprint, and by following it, we can help build a future of peace and prosperity.
A Song for Peace ~ On September 21, 2016 musicians from all over the world will sing ‘Ukuthula‘, a South African peace hymn. The Nairobi Chamber Chorus under the direction of Ken Wakia and the Festival Singers of Florida under the direction of Dr. Kevin Fenton will lead this song at a peace concert in Kenya, while choirs from all over the world will submit their own recordings of the piece.
Sing With Us ~ The mission is simple: promote peace with a concert featuring choirs from around the world. We need your voice! Now more than ever, we’re in need of peace. We believe music is an excellent tool for achieving peace, and we’re calling on you, your choir, or your friends to help us share the message of peace. The song you’ll be singing is ‘Ukuthula‘, a South African peace hymn. You can download the score and practice recordings here. Once submitted, all of the recordings will be edited into one ‘virtual choir’ that will join with the Nairobi Chamber Chorus. You have the option of hosting your own recording event, or joining with a recording event that has already been created.
AVoice4Peace: The Film ~ The film AVoice4Peace is a short documentary that will accompany this world-wide event. Directed by multidisciplinary filmmaker, Bud Simpson, the film will follow the lives and voices of musicians from two choirs, the Nairobi Chamber Chorus and the Festival Singers of Florida. Different in culture, ethnicity, and heritage – separated by nearly eight thousand miles – on paper, these are two completely different choirs. But when their communities come face-to-face with the threat of violent extremism we discover the striking similarities between them, their shared passion for making music, and a deep-rooted sense for what it means to be human.
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