Ames celebrates International Day of Peace
Carol Montag delights and audience with her singing, strumming, piano playing, and nostalgic stories of growing up Ames, on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 at the Ames Public Library. Montag’s concert was part of the APL Unplugged series that invites a performer to the library each month. Photo: Elena Noll/Iowa State Daily
September 20, 2008
Weapons were lowered and people came together all over the world Sunday to celebrate the International Day of Peace.
Also known as Peace Day, the International Day of Peace was started by the United Nations in 1981 as a day to cease conflicts and promote peaceful activities, according to the United Nations Web site.
Gunfire in war-torn Afghanistan ceased on Sunday as national, international and Taliban forces stood down in observance of Peace Day, according to a U.N. news release.
“It’s just for this one day, but of course we’d like it to be longer than that,” said Heather Withers, minister of Unity Church of Ames, 226 9th St., and head of the 11 Days of Global Unity planning committee for the city of Ames
The committee hosted a community picnic at Bandshell Park on Sunday evening to celebrate Peace Day. Several performers provided entertainment at the picnic, including a folk band and a Middle Eastern dance troupe.
Brian Eslinger, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames, 1015 N. Hyland Ave., kicked off the event with a short talk, during which he told attendees that it only takes a few people to change the world.
“There may not be a lot of us here, but even a few small seeds can make a huge difference,” Eslinger said.
Sunday was the last day of the 11 Days of Global Unity, which have been celebrated in Ames with speakers, poetry readings, concerts and other events.
Linda Voit performed at one of the poetry readings and attended several of the events during the 11 days. She said one of the most interesting events was the Interfaith Prayer Meeting on September 11.
“I saw people from all different faith communities. It was great to see everyone sharing and participating,” she said.
Voit said she did not expect to see many people at these events, but said she was pleasantly surprised by the turnout.
Withers said this is the first time Ames has celebrated the International Day of Peace, and she is excited for what the celebration will look like in years to come.
“Hopefully it will be a coming together of families and individual people just uniting together and making some kind of commitment to peace in the world,” Withers said.
