ORLANDO, Fla. — The Rotary IMPACT Club of Orlando has launched its inaugural “24 Hours for PEACE,” a 24-hour program bringing together peace advocates, community leaders and participants from different countries ahead of the United Nations International Day of Peace.
The program began Sept. 20 and will continue through Sept. 21, with participants taking part in virtual and in-person activities across different time zones. Organizers say the event is intended to encourage dialogue, community participation and international connections around the theme of peace.
Former Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Óscar Arias Sánchez is participating as the event’s guest of honor. Arias was awarded the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to promote peace in Central America.
The program includes speakers from the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries. Participants include Sue Thompson, president of the Global Peace Network and charter president of the Rotary IMPACT Club of Orlando; Tony Sharma, a past Rotary district governor from the United Kingdom; human rights activist Parvez Hashem; Eman Hassan of the Rotary Club of Orlando; policy and advocacy analyst Terri Falbo; and Abu Tayf, president of the American International Peace Commission.
Speakers have discussed peace from perspectives including human rights, community engagement, international cooperation and the role of individuals and organizations in promoting peaceful coexistence.
The program also includes activities involving families and children, as well as peace-themed art and music, community gatherings, international Zoom sessions and a Human PEACE Circle.
The organizers say the 24-hour format is intended to link participants across time zones and create a continuous program involving people from different communities.
The United Nations International Day of Peace is observed each year on Sept. 21. The Orlando program is being held in conjunction with the annual observance and provides participants with opportunities to share messages about peace and connect with others internationally.
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