Pagan Community Notes: International Day of Peace, Parliament of the World’s Religions, Michael Hughes and more

TWH – September 21 marks the International Day of Peace as declared by the United Nations in 1981. International Peace Day, as it is also called, has been celebrated for 36 years as a tribute to, recognition of, and call for peace worldwide. The 2018 theme is “The Right to Peace – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70.”  U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres writes, “It is time all nations and all people live up to the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human race.” The U.N. is calling for the world’s citizens to take action, no matter how small, toward peaceful resolutions of conflict, ending injustices through non-violent solutions, and promoting human rights. On September 21, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., the Secretary-General will honor the day in the Peace Garden at United Nations Headquarters by ringing the Peace Bell and observing a minute of silence.

The U.N. Invites a Pagan Youth Delegate to International Peace Day

On Sunday Sept. 21, the United Nations and others around the world will be honoring the International Day of Peace, a 32-year-old yearly tribute, recognition and call for peace worldwide. Just as last year, Rev. Patrick McCollum will be attending multiple events in New York City. He was asked to bring his World Peace Violin for an evening vigil in Manhattan’s Central Park, and he was also asked to bring a youth delegate to represent Paganism. The U.N. has long sponsored youth outreach programs. This year will mark the first time a Pagan youth delegate is present at the organization’s World Peace proceedings.