International Day of Peace To Be Marked this Weekend in Boston
Mike Clifford – Commonwealth News Service
BOSTON – Once again this year, local peace activists and faith groups will be on Boston Common to commemorate the International Day of Peace.
This year a major focus is on local youth alternatives to gangs.
Ian Harrington, co-chair for International Day of Peace Boston, said the event will include music, dance, poetry and song as well as spoken presentations from local peacemakers.
“This is our eighth year,” he said. “(We) like to use our event to bring together people who work in various types of peace; and especially people who, peace is international, together with people who the peace they seek is on the local streets.”
Harrington said some of the local groups that provide activities aimed at diversion from gangs will participate.
The event begins at 1 p.m. Sunday on Boston Common.
Adults need to lead by example, Harrington said, adding that the hostile tone President Trump took toward North Korea at the United Nations this week set a poor example when it comes to problem resolution.
“Programs designed for youth, in regards to alternatives to gangs, stress that violence is not the way to resolve differences or solve problems,” he said, “and here we have a leader who seems to feel like that is the way.”
World Peace Day was started by the United Nations in 1981.
The theme for this year’s event is “Together for Peace, Respect, Safety and Dignity for All,” with a particular focus on war refugees and economic migrants.