2010 International Day of Peace Youth Conference, United Nations, New York

Each year Vermont Peace Academy and Children of the Earth invite students and teachers to the United Nations to attend a world-wide ceremony on the International Day of Peace. This year’s gathering was on Friday, September 17th. This special UN day not only marked an international day of “global cease-fire and non-violence,” it also involved the United Nations Messengers of Peace.

In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Peace (IDP). It was in 2001, that the General Assembly modified the resolution and designated September 21st as the annual date of the International Day of Peace. The intention of the resolution is to have the entire world observe a day of peace and nonviolence.

Each year, the day grows as more nations plan events and vigils. At the United Nations in New York City, the day was especially meaningful to 34 Vermont students. In past years, Vermont students have witnessed the peace-building work of students from Liberia, Pakistan, Iraq, Rwanda and Ireland, to name a few.

On September 16th the group left Montpelier, VT on a bus for New York. We arrived at approximately 10:00 pm and registered at the International Youth Hostel in Manhattan. Early the next morning the group drove to the UN. The day started out with 40 high school students from Vermont, Children of the Earth board members and youth activists from South Africa, Canada, Switzerland, and Columbia chatting sleepily outside the UN as they waited to pass through security.

Upon our entrance in to the building we were immediately invited to take part in the Peace ceremony. The spirit and meaning of the day began to sink in to each individual as each of us held a flag from a different country in the world while we listened to the songs of peace by an international youth choir, and the gong of the Peace Bell, which was gifted to the UN by the people of Japan more than 50 years ago and forged from coins of over 60 different countries.

Following the ceremony we entered the conference hall, where the focus of the panel was youth, peace, and development. 200 youth were in attendance as well as a number of youth from Somalia and Liberia who joined via live video feed and brought their unique voices and perspectives to the day.

The day's panel held such illustrious names as Nobel Laureate Elie Weisel and the Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, as well as UN goodwill ambassadors Midori, Catarina Furtado, Goedele Leikens, and Anggun. They all shared inspiring words and stories that the youth accepted with eager ears and hearts.

When questioned the youth from Vermont all agreed that Elie Weisel was the most moving in his testimonials to the importance of peace in our world. Midori spoke words that especially echoed COE’s vision when she said “Being a part of this world comes with the responsibility to take part in it” and “Peace is a state of being, it must start within us, so that we can bring it out to the world."

The conference concluded with the flags of all the countries of the world being raised alongside a giant dove of peace, and we lifted our voices together to sing a Peace anthem. The UN general assembly has declared this year to be the International Year of Youth, so how fitting that Children of the Earth was in attendance on this very special day!

The state of Vermont has taken a leading role in promoting Peace Day programs and activities state-wide. Governor James Douglas signed an executive proclamation in support of the International Day of Peace stating, “Vermonters share a common interest with people around the world in promoting a more peaceful way of life for ourselves, our families, communities and nations.”

Vermont students have been empowered and inspired by this event. Amelia Hagen-Dillon was encouraged to work for peace when she saw the UN dignitaries believing in the student’s power to change the world. Amelia stated, “To see them believing in us as young people—they just had so much faith in us.” The world flag ceremony caused Nora Parker to realize just how small our shared world is, “Just to be with people from other countries that were clapping while we were clapping gave me a better sense that we’re all connected.”

Teachers, too, have been inspired and have led their students into rich discussions upon returning from the UN Peace Day. Jane Hill, a chaperone from Orchard Valley School expressed the fact that the eighth grade students “were inspired by the brave and selfless deeds of their contemporaries working in different ways toward peace and a higher quality of life for the world’s poor. We have begun a dialogue with each other and within our own hearts on how we can make a difference and promote world peace."

Written By: Kelly Ramer & Emina Burak