Regina City Hall raises the Peace Flag!

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Regina residents and city staff raise the Peace Flag at City Hall prior to the UN International Day of Peace.

Click to enlarge.

At the request of Making Peace Vigil, PeaceQuest Regina, and Regina Peace Council, the peace flag was raised at Regina City Hall on Friday September 18th. It continued to fly until the following Monday morning.

Thanks to everyone who attended this historic event: the first time a peace flag has been raised in front of Regina City Hall. Special thanks to Larry and Vern for taking photos at the flag raising.

Larry’s photos of the event can be found HERE.

 

2 ITEMS FOR TAKING ACTION

VOTE FOR A PEACE COIN

The Canadian Mint is holding an online vote until October 9 on designs for Canadian coins. These coins will circulate in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

One of the possible designs is a Peace Dove, and it can be found in the “Our Character” section of the ballot. People can vote as many times as they like between now and Oct 9. There are also a number of First Nations designs under the other categories that can be voted for. CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

Sign the DECLARATION OF PEACE

Global citizens from 128 countries have come together to make a common declaration of peace. Please add your voice and SIGN THE DECLARATION.

 

Original Press Release from September 17th

For immediate release

RAISING OF PEACE FLAG, A HISTORIC OCCASIONImage of the Peace Flag to be raised at Regina City Hall September 18th, 2015

To mark International Day of Peace, the peace flag will be raised in front of City Hall on Friday September 18 at 10 am. It is the first time a peace flag will have flown at Regina City Hall, making it a historic occasion. The request was made on behalf of three Regina peace groups: Making Peace Vigil, PeaceQuest Regina, and Regina Peace Council.

Ed Lehman, a member of both Regina Peace Council and PeaceQuest Regina, thanked Mayor Michael Fougere for proclaiming September 21 “International Day of Peace” and the City of Regina for authorizing the raising the Peace Flag. “These actions are,” he said, “examples of the political will required to achieve peace.”

International Day of Peace, or as it is unofficially known, World Peace Day, was first observed in 1982 to coincide with the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly which is held annually on the third Tuesday of September. The General Assembly of the United Nations declared this day as a day devoted to “strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.”

“This year, World Peace Day has a special meaning,” said Florence Stratton, a member of both Making Peace Vigil and PeaceQuest Regina. “Millions of desperate people all over the world are risking their lives to escape war in their homelands. Gandhi, whose statue is in front of City Hall had this to say about war,” she added: “‘What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or under the holy name of liberty or democracy?’”

“War is never the answer,” said Lehman adamantly. Our leaders should renounce it as a means of resolving disputes and actively work to bring about diplomatic resolutions.

Members of the three Regina peace groups will be on hand to pray and speak and sing for peace. The peace flag will fly in front of City Hall until the morning of September 21.

 

For further information, please contact:

Florence Stratton: 306-522-2310 or florence.stratton@uregina.ca

Ed Lehman: 1-306-718-8010 or edrae1133@gmail.com