“Long live absolute world peace” Intl Day of Peace, 2010

Along with others around the world, the Center for Living Peace celebrated International Day of Peace on September 21, 2010.  Our open house offered a full day of free activities, plus yummy homemade brownies baked by our fantabulous volunteer Kathleen!  A great time was had by all!  Thank you to all of you who joined us and others elsewhere in making world peace a reality!

The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity helped children transform recyclables into artworks, and to draw inspiration from the works of Chuck Jones’ joyful cartoons.

Terry LePage attracted a crowd to her ‘teaser’ session for her upcoming series, Everyday Peacemaking: Compassionate Communication Practice Group (for Adults).  Spots are still available in this 6 week series running Tuesdays from 7-9pm.  Please call (949) 854-5500 or visit the event page to register!

Smiling Monkey Yoga for Kids provided free chances for children to investigate yoga and breathing exercises through fun, play, and imagination.

We also welcomed Blumera, selling their handbags which boast handmade hardware bearing messages such as, “It is for love that the whole universe sprang into existence, and it is for the sake of love that it is kept going.”

Victory Over Violence, a non-profit that addresses the alarming escalation of violence and the decreasing respect for life, met with visitors and offered people information.

Author Chip Royston read “Juji: Emelia Makes a Difference” at Peace Day story time in our ‘living peace’ library.  Our library contains books for children and adults, and is open Tues-Sat 9-5, plus Tues and Weds evenings.

For the final presentation of the day, UCI’s Olive Tree Initiative presented their travels to the middle east and the work they continue to do to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians abroad and at home.  We also screened the documentary film, Peace One Day (2004) by Jeremy Giley, about the history of International Day of Peace.

For more inspiration:

• Learn more about the history of International Day of Peace.
• Watch the intro to the film Peace One Day and see the commemorative 2010 concert.
• Check out the response of young people around the world to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call to take a stand for peace.
• Download a “peace recipe,” contributed by www.amareway.org for Peace Day 2010.  “It shows that living peacefully is the way to peace, and provides a recipe for that”!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out.

If You Build It, They Will Come…

…especially if it involves cupcakes and lemonade!  Our Grand Opening Weekend was a great success, thank you to all who came out and participated in the weekend of free events and demonstrated many ways to “live peace.”  Take a look:

Children and adults alike had the chance to work with artist Natasha Shoro at her Expressive Arts table in the Center’s world cafe area.

Families also enjoyed perusing the library in this space.

The lobby’s koi pond, made from a Burmese fire bowl, was the most popular of all the unique furnishings in the Center.

Acclaimed street muralist Melanie Stimmell worked throughout the weekend on the mural begun at our Grand Opening Party.  Melanie also led workshops in chalk art for all ages.

Melanie’s finished chalk mural will be permanently hung in the Center.

The first of all the free workshops of the weekend was led by Terry LePage of Open Door Communication.  This Nonviolent Communication class, focusing on how to communicate more effectively and compassionately with others, set the perfect tone for the weekend and beyond.

Craig Causon of The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and Julie Hudash of Team Kids teamed up to present a service inspired story and art activity in our South Wing.  Children made masterpieces from recycled and trashed materials.

Breaking ground in the Center’s North Wing, The Ecology Center guided families and kids in creating their own terrariums.

Richard Reoch, International Human Rights Advocate and former Media Chief of Nobel Prize Winning Amnesty International, led a discussion on Making Peace Possible followed by an introduction to meditation.

Girls danced, drew, and worked with the impermanence of sand as a medium in Justine Amodeo’s class, Tapping the Body’s Wisdom.

Smiling Monkey Yoga, a children’s program designed specifically for The Center for Living Peace by Patrice Simon and Amy McConnell, made a fun debut teaching yoga and breathing techniques using play and imagination.

The Orange County Museum of Art helped visitors harness the power of the sun to create whimsical solar portraits from collected objects.

Putting our mission into action and making good happen, volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Team Kids collected over 2 barrels of donations for the hungry.

It was a wonderful weekend had by all!  Missed out?  Visit our events calendar for ongoing programs and workshops.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out.