YOUTH ACTIVITIES
FOR THE UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE
September 21
The UN International Year of Youth Starts August 12th!
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August 12th Launches the UN International Year of Youth!
This is the time for young people to make your voices heard! The General Assembly proclaimed the Year in recognition of the need for dialogue between youth and other generations as well as among youth in different parts of the world. Now that it has been proclaimed by the UN, take this opportunity to launch a combined event for the Year of Youth and the International Day of Peace, September 21. http://social.un.org/youthyear
Worldwide Minute of Silence at 12 Noon on September 21
Ask your school to have everyone take the Minute of Silence together at 12 noon local time, joining with people of all nationalities and faiths taking this time to focus on peace together. Sign the Million Minutes for Peace pledge at http://www.amillionminutesforpeace.org
Plant a Peace Pole!
Make sure there is a perfect spot in your school or town to hold a Minute of Silence on September 21st. Have your town or school plant a Peace Pole with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in different languages. http://www.peacepoleproject.org
Promote Interfaith Dialogue and Action
· Join the discussions on the Global Youth Network of the United Religions Initiative at http://www.uri.org/action_areas/youth/uri_global_youth_cc
· Organize an International Day of Peace Vigil http://www.idpvigil.com
· Promote the Religions for Peace “Arms Down” Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons, stop proliferation and misuse of conventional weapons and to redirect 10% of military expenditures to achieve the United Nations Millennium Goals (MDGs) http://www.armsdown.net
· Plan a community forum or service project that involves people from different faith and spiritual traditions to support the MDGs http://www.oneyoungworld.com
Take Action for a Better World
· Join the WE Campaign http://www.we.net/westudentaction
· Connect with PeaceJam’s Nobel Peace Laureates Global Call to Action http://www.peacejam.org
· Create a Campus Peace Center http://www.campuspeacecenters.net
· Do One Thing for Peace Day! http://www.emilyfund.org/doonething/calendar/peaceday.htm
Pinwheels for Peace
Create a visual public statement of peace at your school on the International Day of Peace with pinwheels fluttering in the breeze (perhaps around your Peace Pole!). Assemble your pinwheels and, "plant" them outside your school on Sept. 21st as a public statement and art installation. The spinning of the pinwheels in the wind will spread thoughts and feelings about peace throughout the country, the world! http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.org
Take Action for a Better World
· Join the WE Campaign http://www.we.net/westudentaction
· Take part in the PeaceJam Global Call to Action http://www.peacejam.org
· Do One Thing for Peace Day! http://www.emilyfund.org/doonething/calendar/peaceday.htm
· Create a Campus Peace Center http://www.campuspeacecenters.net
Pinwheels for Peace
Create a visual public statement of peace at your school on the International Day of Peace with pinwheels fluttering in the breeze (perhaps around your Peace Pole!). Assemble your pinwheels and, "plant" them outside your school on Sept. 21st as a public statement and art installation. The spinning of the pinwheels in the wind will spread thoughts and feelings about peace throughout the country, the world! http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.org
Stand Up Against Poverty
Support the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to end poverty by 2015. Plan a Stand Up event for the weekend of September 17-19 – and then stand up for peace on the 21st! See http://standagainstpoverty.org/take-action.
Letters to UN Peacekeepers
On September 21, the International Day of Peace, the UN Foundation wants to deliver 10,000 letters to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in support of UN peacekeeping. Send a message to a UN peacekeeper to honor their service and sacrifice today.
http://www.globalproblems-globalsolutions.org/site/R?i=fFQk4IGg_woQaDrLln3QZg
Fly a Giant Peace Dove
Dr. Jane Goodall is a UN Messenger of Peace. Her Roots and Shoots program for young people encourages celebration of the International Day of Peace by making and flying giant Peace Doves. Instructions for making the Doves can be found at http://www.rootsandshoots.org.
Collect Arms for Peace
The Peace Angels Project within the Art of Peace Charitable Trust wants destroyed weapons for the creation of two Peace Angel monuments in New York and Los Angeles. Contact your local government or law enforcement agency to schedule a weapons collection on the UN International Day of Peace, Tuesday, September 21st. All arms brought to safe spaces with an amnesty program will be melted down and transformed into Peace Angel monuments to herald a new era of peace. For instructions on how collected weapons may be received, go to http://www.aopct.org.
Be Creative
Any action you take to make the world a better place makes a difference. See what your community needs to expand peace in the families, schools and environment and find a way for people to help you make it happen! “We must become the change we want to see in the world.” ––Mahatma Gandhi
Be sure to post your projects for the IDP at http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org. Whatever YOU do to plan for the UN International Day of Peace and to highlight the UN International Year of Youth, please remember to include the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth!” http://www.worldpeace.org.
Let the world know about your event by sending press releases to local newspapers before and after your event. Include pictures! Articles published all over the world are included in Google searches for the International Day of Peace – make your activity one of these!
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May Peace Prevail on Earth