By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: About 1000 young men and women from as many as 10 countries were in the city of Chandigarh last week to take part in the International Peace Festival held at the call of United Nations to observe twelve days from September 21 (International Day of Peace) to October 2 (International Day of Non-violence) for raising awareness for disarmament around the world.
HS Mattewal with American Gandhi’s Bernie Meyer & Donald Machvinchey with participants
The five day long International Peace Festival concluded on October 2 with a funeral of atom bombs. Students from India and Pakistan were carrying replicas of atom bombs. Earlier in a peace parade more than 1000 young peace lovers from 10 countries, different states of India and schools and colleges of Chandigarh were walking with a banner depicting call for disarmament. They were shouting slogans like ‘BREAD NOT BOMBS & PEACE NOT WAR’, We Want Peace’.
Dr. SN Subba Rao leading the Parade
Peace Parade for Disarmament was led by Dr S N Subba Rao, known as living Gandhi, founder of NSS in India and Director, National Youth Project. American Gandhi Bernie Meyer and Donald Macvinchey also walked along with thousands of young students. It started from Parade Ground Sector 17 and students marched to DAV College Sector 10.
About 1000 young participants flocked to this city from diverse countries and cultures like Philippines, USA, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka etc. to find a unifying ground for peace. In their Indian hosts, they discovered an extension of their own family. At the end of the festival, they separated with a pledge to extend the peace family by involving more people in the peace process for global harmony.
Pak delegation in the Peace March
Before leaving to their respective countries, the participants pledged that in next three years, ten thousand peace activists shall meet in the city of Chandigarh, rechristened City of Peace by them for hosting peace initiatives. Registrations for Peace Fest 2010 began, with a decision by participants from Pakistan to bring about 500 peace activists next year with a message of brotherhood. To further intensify peace efforts, a Facebook account of ‘Peace Warriors’ was also launched. Saeeda Diep from Institute for Peace & Secular Studies, Lahore, Pakistan informed that overwhelmed by local hospitality now they have invited 100 young students from India to Lahore in January, 2010 for a similar initiative to carry Indo-Pak peace process forward.
HS Mattewal honouring Rajni Thareja from The Gurukul
S. HS Mattewal, Advocate General of Punjab was Chief Guest on the occasion. The valedictory function held at DAV College Sector 10, once again brought to fore talent of young participants who had composed poems, songs and dances as a parting gift for their hosts, who will long cherish the memories of friends from across border. The Peace Fest was organized by Yuvsatta, a city based NGO, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Youth Development, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, NSS Unit of DAV College and others.