Winston-Salem To Observe International Day of Peace

Office of the Mayor - Sept.19, 2007
Contact: Erin Baker, 727-2058

Local school children, Mayor Allen Joines and Superintendent Donald L. Martin Jr. of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools will participate in the city’s annual observance of the International Day of Peace on Friday, Sept. 21, at 11:30 a.m. on the steps of City Hall, at 101 N. Main St.

Joines will present the Peace Proclamation, followed by a minute of silence, the ringing of church bells, and comments by Martin. In addition, the Downtown Middle School band will play, students from the Kennedy Learning Center will read poems, a chorus from the Arts Based Elementary School will sing, and students from the Downtown Elementary School will wave their handmade peace flags.

The International Day of Peace, a global observance established in 1981 by a United Nations resolution, is a day for strengthening the ideal of peace and alleviating tensions and causes of conflict.

On Peace Day each year, young people in countries all over the world observe a minute of silence at noon in their time zone to support the United Nations in its mission of world peace. In 2001, the date was permanently fixed to September 21. Observances have been held in Winston-Salem since 2003.