October 7, 2005

Evergreen clergy participate in International Day of Peace service

Jagmohan Sahni, a religious elder from the Sikh Gurdwara, Ven. Rong Be, a Cambodian monk from the Khmer Krom Buddhist community in Evergreen, Imam Tahir Anwar from South Bay Islamic Association, Deacon Sal Alvarez from St. Francis of Assisi and Fr. Art Yabes, formerly from St. Francis of Assisi, joined an interfaith service to commemorate the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.

The United Nations inaugurated the first International Day of Peace “to devote a specific time to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its member states, as well as of the whole of mankind, to promoting the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all viable ways.”

The third Tuesday of September in 1981 began the tradition, and on the 20th anniversary of the event, the United Nations set Sept. 21 as the permanent date.

Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, said that this year’s International Day of Peace was meant to be a day of global cease-fire, when all countries and all people stop all hostilities for the entire day. It was also a day on which people around the world observe a minute of silence at noon.

Local Evergreen clergy participated in a special interfaith service at the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment on Sept. 21, hosted by Rev. Ellen Grace O’Brian.