21 September "Peace Day"
Developing creative utopias to foil all murderous ventures
Useful Links:
Text of United Nations General Assembly resolution 55/282 calling for the International Day of
Peace 
LA FORÊT DE LA PAIX
Les Lisambardières
72500 Luceau - France
Tel./Fax: 00 33 (0)243440098
E-mail : laforetdelapaix@voila.fr
A campaign to celebrate
international Peace-Day
with popular festivals
throughout the worldIn this beginning of the XXIst century, when the shadow of
11 September 2001 and its instrumentalisation threatens to
durably settle in our midst, everyone feels more than ever the need
to build peace and symbols that gather.
International Peace-day, 21 September, a date chosen by UN in all
our names, could become one of these symbols, a moment of life to
build and share, together. We, simple citizens, artists, actors
from civil society, educationists, sports people, cultural and
social forces, persons responsible for local councils or
municipalities, can, if we want to, let 21 September emerge
as a common reference for everyone.
Such is the significance of the campaign launched by the coalition of
forces federated by "La Forêt de la Paix" as a citizens approach.
Call to celebrate
International Peace Day
through popular festivals everywhere
in the worldWe believe that:
- Taming the violence that lurks within each of us and in all social and international relations is more urgent than ever not only to survive, but also to encourage personal and collective development, and to try and make the world a more humane place.
- At the beginning of the 21 st century, beyond the anxiety about current conflicts and daily violence, peace has become a vital need that more and more people long for.
- Committing oneself to peace raises the question of social bonds, of the quality of the relations between individuals and between peoples around the world. Aiming at peace means giving ourselves the possibility to see beyond consumerism and fulfil ourselves.
- Peace can only be built step by step, through individual and public actions. We must accept human diversity, acknowledge and respect other people's dignity, endeavour to understand others, try and solve conflicts constructively, strive for justice and encourage solidarity, mutual consideration and commitment.
- It is high time everyone tried to develop creative ventures to foil all murderous urges and showed that all the peoples around the world share the same humanity.
The UN has chosen 21 September to celebrate International Peace Day.
We launch an appeal for 21 september to be a common
reference for all people, a day of celebration and conviviality
through popular festivals everywhere in the world,
on the International Peace Day.
A campaign which lasts and grows, thanks to the participation of allAll signatures count: those of simple citizens, those of famous people, those of
children, as well as those of parents and grand-parents, those of individuals as well
as those of associations and institutions.
Take heart! All signs of support are going to accumulate: Passage of time will bring
more signatures; all together we can solicit the organization of more and more
festivals; with tenacity, until 21 September progressively imposes itself in the festive
calendar, until it is admitted as one of the constructive symbols common to all the
inhabitants of our good old planet!A citizens festival,
gathering everyoneNational and religious celebrations federate; but they also divide, as they implicitly rule
out other nations, other communities. Commemorating genocides, battles, victories
and armistices rarely and painfully means the same to all.
Commercially driven festivals, before anything else reveal a sense of business!
Therefore, dates and celebrations likely to gather everyone in the world to
express a sense of joy of living ("joie de vivre") our common humanity are just rare.
We think of the 1st of May ; or the 8th of March (the International Women's Day)
or the Fete de la Musique (very popular peoples music festival) in Europe.
September 21st can be in lineage of these festivals and draw from on the one
hand a sense of citizenship, and on the other hand a sense of conviviality:
everyone, one day, would gather and celebrate PeaceÖ
I will take part in the 21 September "Peace Day" campaign
Surname: ................................................................
First name: ..............................................................
Address: ..................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................
e-mail: ....................................................................................................................
Signature:
HOW TO PARTICIPATE?
- By signing the Appeal.
- By circulating the Appeal, to both individuals and associations around you.
- By approaching your local government body or municipality, to take part in the campaign.
You can also support to the campaign:
By expressing constructive criticisms and suggestions: for instance, by expressing
ideas of contacts and initiatives which might lead to amplifying the dynamic of the
campaign in France, in Europe and elsewhere in the world.
We are at your disposal for any further information: please feel free to contact us.
Thank you for letting us know about your initiatives.
In return, "La Forêt de le Paix" will regularly keep you informed about the advancement of the campaign 21 SEPTEMBER "Peace-Day""La Forêt de la Paix" is legally registered non profit association. It is presided over by Jean-Pierre Dardaud. All details about it are to be found
on the website : www.sacw.net/foret-paix