International Day of Peace Festival is a free week-long celebration, which happens in conjunction with the United Nations International Day of Peace held each September, and has historically offered participants an opportunity to reflect on what Peace means for them individually, as a community and world-wide. The focus on this year's event is Pathways to Peace. This very special 10 Year Anniversary Peace Festival is Sponsored by KPFA Radio 94.1 FM and will feature a series of workshops, activities, art exhibits, and performances intended to inspire and promote Peace.
Our week of workshops begins on Tuesday September 17 at 6 pm with a “Peace through Sustenance” discussion led by Edward Espe Brown of Tassajara Bread Book fame. Edward Brown is an American Zen teacher and writer. He is the author of The Tassajara Bread Book, written at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, co-founder of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, as well as the co-author of The Greens Cookbook, with Deborah Madison.
Wednesday September 18 at 7 pm Nicole Reyes of Planted Energy will perform a Sound Bath. Nicole Reyes is a professional certified coach, sound practitioner, and Reiki master. Through her diverse skill set, she strives to guide others on their personal growth journeys and help them tap into their true potential. Sound Baths work by utilizing the power of sound to facilitate healing and relaxation. Sound therapy has the incredible ability to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit, allowing individuals to release stress, improve focus, and achieve a sense of inner peace. Bringing a yoga mat and blanket is recommended for this workshop.
On Thursday September 19 at 7 pm, we are thrilled that Martine Algier is returning to facilitate a Non-Violent Communication workshop. Martine is a Certified Trainer and Mediator of Non-Violent Communication. The mission of NVC is to contribute to more sustainable, compassionate, and “life-serving” human relations. This contribution is in the realms of personal change, interpersonal relationship, and in social systems and structures, such as business/economics, education, justice, healthcare, and peace-keeping.
The Peace Festival workshop series concludes on Friday September 20 at 7 pm with “Poetry through Peace: A Community Experience” led by the Community Centers own Albert Flynn DeSilver. Albert served as Marin County, California’s very first Poet Laureate. His work has appeared in more than 100 literary journals worldwide including ZYZZYVA, New American Writing, Hanging Loose, Jubilat, Exquisite Corpse, Jacket (Australia), Poetry Kanto (Japan), Van Gogh’s Ear (France), and many others. He is the author of several books of poems, the memoir "Beamish Boy," and "Writing as a Path to Awakening" from Sounds True. He has taught as a California Poet in the Schools, briefly at San Quentin, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Esalen Institute, and at writing conferences nationally. With the artist/photographer Todd Pickering Albert was part of the book Lagunitas Creek: Hope in Restoration, made possible by a grant from the Marin Municipal Water District, and which included poems from kids he worked with in Sally Hutchinson's Lagunitas school classroom.
All these incredible workshop offerings lead us right into Saturday night for the return of Swami Beyondananda. The Swami has graced us with his presence at the Community Center many times before including at last year's Peace Festival where he shared his wisdom to a packed house at the Presbyterian Church. He’s back this year with a stand alone performance on Saturday September 21 at 7pm. You can purchase tickets for this special show here https://events.humanitix.com/swami-beyondananda
The Peace Festival Grand Finale is Sunday September 22 from 2 - 6 pm in the Community Center’s Courtyard where we will celebrate with a Peace, Music and Film Festival. The Peace Festival kicks off at 2 pm with a series of specially curated films and presentations that will continue throughout the day. Wobbly World will take the stage at 3 pm. The members of Wobbly World are distinguished musicians from around the world who left their country for the American dream, became citizens, and fully embraced the spirit of freedom and American traditions. They believe in the power of collaboration, unity, and equality and live and breathe it in their daily lives. They are musicians and singers from Cuba, Morocco, Peru, Palestine, Lebanon, Bolivia, Vietnam & the United States.
Following Wobbly World will be Lumanation. Over the last decade, Lumanation has been consistently filling venues throughout Northern California with both new and devoted fans of their upbeat reggae rock music. They have established themselves as a powerful and inspiring performance act, both as headliner and as support. Inspired by the sounds of ska, dub, and classic reggae, this seven member powerhouse is fronted by one of the most charismatic and energetic lead singers to ever take the stage. Audiences are guaranteed to be entertained, and to be left wanting more.
There will be also be virtual reality experiences provided from XR Libraries and there will be special art exhibitions from Teamworks Art Mentoring Program of ‘The Peace Flag Project’ previously on display at the United Nations, and printmaking by the inmates at San Quentin State Prison through the William James Association’s Prison Art Project.
Admission to the Peace Festival workshops and Peace, Music and Film Festival are FREE but workshop reservations are requested. There will be snacks for purchase and a bake sale provided by the Lagunitas Community School 8th grade class, who will be raising money for the Civil Rights Trip in the Spring 2025.
We truly hope you will join us at what promises to be the best International Day of Peace Festival yet. Come celebrate this amazing milestone of our 10 year Anniversary! If you have never been to the Peace Festival, this would be the year to come see what it is all about!
