Two events are planned in West Windsor this weekend dedicated to ending violence.
The West Windsor Township Human Relations Council will hold an event on Saturday, Sept. 24., to celebrate the International Peace Day.
“The day is a reminder that understanding our cultural differences will help in building a bridge of peace within communities and the world,” said Mayor Shing-Fu Shueh about the event, which will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at the West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South theater.
International Peace Day, which is observed around the world on Sept. 21., was established by the United Nations in 1981 to promote the sustainable absence of war and violence.
“Learning to live together peacefully is an ongoing process,” said Tasneem Qamar, chair of the Human Relations Council. “By sharing our core values, coming together in celebration of multiculturalism and finding our common ground through celebration, respect and understanding, we establish a sustainable culture of peace in our diverse community”
Planned speakers include Rev. Robert Moore, executive director of Coalition for Peace Action; Lynne Azarchi, executive director of Kidsbridge Museum; and Lisa Nicolaison, a former Peace Corps volunteer.
Music and dance performances will be presented by area cultural organizations and schools in addition to the High School South choir. The event will also include a town hall dialogue on cultural diversity and peace.
In addition, the winners of an essay contest for students in grades 6 through 12 will be announced. For the contest, the kids were asked to write 200 words on what peace means to them. The top four winners in each category will be awarded a gift card from one of this year’s event sponsors: Walmart, RiteAid, Target, Lowe’s, Barnes & Noble and McCaffrey’s. The first place winners will read their essay during the Peace Day celebration.
There will be a reception following the program. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact West Windsor Township at (609) 799-2400, or email tasneemqsultan@gmail.com.
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The Grover’s Mill Coffee House in the Southfield Shopping Center will host the New Jersey portion of the national Concert Across America to End Gun Violence on Sunday, Sept. 25. The event, which is being organized and hosted by Mercer County-based singer-songwriter, Anker, will take place from noon to 5 p.m.
The lineup for the event will include CJ Barna at noon, Stephanie Chin at 1 p.m., Erik Regul at 2 p.m., Barry Bassen at 3 p.m. and Anker at 4 p.m. The West Windsor event will be one of several concerts held across the country that day, each connected via social media and at remembersept25.org.
“This event is not a political protest. We’re remembering the tremendous loss of life that gun violence has cost our country,” Anker said. “We want Congress to mandate a background check for every gun sale.”
Sept. 25 was designated by Congress in 2007 as a day of remembrance for murder victims. The concert looks to bring together a network of organizations, activists and artists with the dual goals of keeping guns out of dangerous hands and making the issue of illegal guns top of mind for members of Congress, the presidential candidates and the American people as they go to the polls in November 2016.
For more information visit remembersept25.org.
