Every year, Roots & Shoots members gather together with families, friends, and giant peace doves to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Peace, a day for us all to embrace our commitment towards the noblest goal of all -- that of peace.
In past years, our Giant Peace Doves have flown at the Colosseum in Rome, the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, on top of a skyscraper in Shanghai and at United Nations headquarters in New York City.
On September 21, 2011 people all around the world will be celebrating an International Day of Peace and we are inviting you to celebrate with us because anyone anywhere can celebrate Peace Day! There will be many events running during the week of September 14 to 21, 2011 and we want you to be involved. Take action and join in on the Peace Day activities in your community or start your own event to make a promise for peace!
Last year, Roots & Shoots Canada and our Youth Leadership Council (YLC) tried something new in Toronto - Hugs for Peace! This year, we're taking it nationwide and we want people giving free hugs all across Canada!
What does a hug have to do with peace and the International Day of Peace? Try it and you'll find out!
Roots & Shoots staff and our YLC will be going to busy intersections in cities all over Canada to give away free hugs!
You can join our "Hugs for Peace" campaign by following these easy steps:
This year, our Youth Leadership Council are taking the lead in organizing Peace Day events all over the country! Find the YLC group nearest to your community and take part in Hugs for Peace and other activities lead by our youth leaders.
Free Hugs in Waterloo, ON
Date: Friday, September 16th
Time: 5:30pm
Place: Corner of University Ave. and King St. (near University of Laurier)
If you need some help getting started with Hugs for Peace, check out these tips:
Gather your friends, family, or classmates and watch our free hugs video from last year's Peace Day for inspiration. You can also check out freehugscampaign.org to watch the video about where it all began!
Make posters or t-shirts to promote Peace Day! This is important because people should know why they are getting free hugs! Remember to let people know that you are giving free hugs as part of a Roots & Shoots International Day of Peace campaign and don’t forget to make a sign that says FREE HUGS!
Find somewhere in your school or community where it would be safe to go out and give free hugs! Take lots of pictures or make a video and send them to us!
If you send a video in, we’ll put it together with other Roots & Shoots group videos to create a Hugs for Peace Video. You and your group could be featured in the Peace Day 2011 Video on our website!
Flying Peace Doves:
The U.N. designates people who are widely recognized for their achievements in music, literature, sports and the arts as Messengers of Peace. Dr. Jane Goodall was appointed a Messenger of Peace on April 16, 2002 by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. To commemorate Dr. Jane's appointment, Roots & Shoots members at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point created the first Giant Peace Dove puppets. Since then, Roots & Shoots groups all around the world fly Giant Peace Dove puppets to celebrate the International Day of Peace and carry out peace initiatives to help make the world a better place for animals, people, and the planet. The giant peace dove symbolizes the commitment to promoting and celebrating peace. To find out how you can create your own peace dove, check out the instructions for a giant or a small dove that can be made from recyclable materials.
Young Roots & Shoots Members Celebrating Peace Day 2009 in Vancouver, British Colombia
“With the peace doves we remind everyone of the truth they sometimes forget – that peace is possible. We celebrate all that is free and noble in the human spirit.
And we celebrate all that so many people have done throughout the year and will do
next year to create a better world.”
The International Day of Peace gives individuals, organizations and nations the opportunity to create practical acts of peace. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 and the first ever Peace Day was celebrated in 1982. By creating the International Day of Peace, the United Nations devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged everyone to work in cooperation for this significant goal. Peace Day is dedicated to non-violence and marks a global cease fire which can provide hope for the people around the world who endure war and conflict. Peace for a day is important because it enables relief workers to reach war plagued civilians in need of food, water, and medical supplies. Even just 24 hours of non-violence is meaningful because it proves that the world is possible of peace.
Roots & Shoots in Action 
Members' Corner 
