In the middle of a pandemic with racial justice demonstrations in the streets, Peace Day Philly organizer Lisa Parker said this year's programs may be the most important yet.
"Now more than ever, in this time of COVID-19 and the racial reckoning that’s going on, building peace is even more critical than ever," Parker told KYW Newsradio. "This year is really a year of opportunity. We are in this extraordinary moment where there’s a racial reckoning going on."
This year’s events — all online — begin September 15 and span the week before Peace Day. 11 virtual programs are scheduled on subjects including immigration, the cost of racism, wellness and "Junk Journaling for Peace."
"Some of them relate to racial justice, human rights and then we also have other topics like interfaith dialogue, wellness and meditation — all things in the context of where we are right now and how we can build our own skills and our own abilities to be more peaceful both personally, locally and on a bigger scale," Parker said.
"We feel that we actually will build our audience this year, for folks that might not come out to an event even in past years but would from the comfort of their home engage in a peace program," she said.
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International Peace Day was established by the U.N. in 1981 and Parker established Peace Day Philly 10 years ago.
"Our perspective is that peace starts from within so if we can be more balanced and more well we can interact with people in a more positive and pro peace manner and we can also direct some of our time to maybe helping others and creating a more peaceful world," Parker said.
The worldwide centerpiece event happens on Peace Day at noon in each time zone, when a one-minute reflection on peace is encouraged.
"People can meditate on peace, pray for peace, think about peace. Think about situations that aren't peaceful and wishing for more peace,” she said. "On September 21, we invite all Philadelphians and beyond to do something meaningful in their home or in their community. It can just be one thing for five minutes but just that focus on peace for that five minutes is important and contributes to the whole."