Archive

‘Peace One Day’ this Saturday in Alliston

September 21, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Peace. A simple word with a simple meaning. However, all over the world countries, cities, and villages live without it. Here, we’re lucky to have the protection it brings, and Alliston is about to join the international effort for peace around the globe.

On Saturday, September 21 from noon to 3:30 p.m. Riverdale Park will be home to New Tecumseth’s first annual Peace Day festival. Local resident, Clifford Perry, is the sole organizer for the event and says he is very excited to see what the turnout will be like. He has been a volunteer and activist his whole life, and enjoys attending other peace festivals.

Last year, Perry watched a video about the Peace One Day organization, and was brought to tears. It inspired him to get more involved in bringing peace to the world, and he’s starting right here at home.

Perry knew of at least a dozen people interested in attending a peace festival in Toronto with him, so he decided to host a festival for his own community. He started planning about ten weeks before the scheduled festival date, and so far hasn’t encountered any challenges. Riverdale Park was available, so he booked that right away and the rest has been falling into place.

“Every minute will be filled with musicians, speakers, skits, and fun stuff,” says Perry. “We have a lot of stuff centered around kids and teenagers, because they’re the activists who need to do something.”

Everyone participating in the event will be volunteering their time and supplies for the cause. Some beverages will be provided, but Perry encourages people to bring their own snacks or picnic lunch with them, as vendors will not be on site.

“I don’t want this to be a big commercial event,” says Perry. For him, the day is just about bringing a community together to celebrate peace and unison.

A donation jar will be there for anyone who wishes to help out, but Perry says he will not be pushing the fundraising aspect. If enough money is raised, he would like to divide the proceeds between the Peace One Day organization and his favourite charity Free the Slaves. If any funds are raised through the generosity of community members, Perry says it will also help him recover some of the $400 he spent from his own pockets in printing costs for fliers, and running the event.

Advertising has been done through signs, fliers, and Facebook, as well as radio interviews and television appearances. Perry hopes to see between 300 and 500 people attend the event, but says he’ll enjoy himself even if there’s only 50 and it pours rain.

September 21 was designated International Peace Day by the UN in 2001, a direct result of filmmaker Jeremy Gilley’s efforts to create a fixed calendar day of global ceasefire and non-violence.  Along with the main Peace One Day concert, being held this year in the Netherlands, independent festivals are being held all over the world to celebrate the day.

The festival Facebook page is The New Tecumseth Peace One Day Festival.

By Emily Wood

Readers Comments (0)