STUDENTS TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE AT HEADQUARTERS, 14 SEPTEMBER

Press Release
PI/1171

STUDENTS TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE AT HEADQUARTERS, 14 SEPTEMBER

The Department of Public Information, in association with the Peace Day Committee, Jubillenium and the Stars Foundation for Children, will celebrate the International Day of Peace with two special events on 14 September.

First, about 200 students from several schools in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia will take part in an interactive celebration of the Day. The children will meet with United Nations peacekeepers and share with them their views on peace. They will also hear from Nane Annan, wife of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Joseph Mahowald, lead performer in the Broadway musical “Jekyll and Hyde” will be present and treat the children with a selection of his songs.

Later, the children will take part in a ceremony in which they will raise flags of all the United Nations Member States and express support for United Nations peace efforts worldwide. The event, which will start at 1 p.m. will take place at the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium.

Later, at 3:30 p.m., a “Concert for Peace” will be held on the Visitors’ Plaza at First Avenue and 46th Street. Gospel Gangstaz, an urban rap trio, and Scarlett and Rachel Peavy, vocalists, will perform. Students of several New York City schools have been invited to attend.

The International Day of Peace, which coincides with the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, was proclaimed by the Assembly in 1981 to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations. This year the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly will commence on 14 September.

For further information call 212-963-6555; for media accreditation call (212) 963-6934.

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