PEACE FESTIVAL 2009 IN OTTAWA

September 21 – October 03, 2009 

The Canadian Department of Peace Initiative (CDPI), together with the United Nations Association of Canada – NCR Branch and other Ottawa peace organizations invites you to take part in a 13-day Third Annual Festival of Peace.  All events are without admission fee, and subject to change due to weather/unforeseen circumstances.

*Monday Sept. 21: 11.00 – 12.30 pm:   Pacifest – UN’s International Day of Peace at Victoria Island with Circle of the All Nations. The event will commence with a Peace Walk at the Peacekeeping Monument on Sussex Drive and end at Victoria Island where Proclamations on the International Day of Peace and Ottawa as a City of Peace will be read. (Peter Stockdale, cityofpeaceottawa@rogers.com , 613-852-4527 and Anita Rizvi,  arizvi@rogers.com, 613-841-9785).

*Tuesday Sept. 22: United Nations Association of NCR to launch ‘Dear United Nations Secretary-General Writing and Art Contest’ for secondary students (Grades 9-12).  (Pino Buffone, Pino.Buffone@ocdsb.ca, 613-596-8211/ext 5211).  7.00 – 9.30 pm: Civilian Peace Service Canada Forum, Amphitheatre, Saint Paul University, 223 Main Street. Program will have peace songs, poetry and a presentation on CPSC. (Gord Breedyk, gbreedyk@rogers.com, 613-721-9829).

*Wednesday Sept.23:  7.00 – 9.30pm:  A Forum: ‘How can our world religions promote/advocate for peace?” Saint Paul University Auditorium, 223 Main Street. (Qais Ghanem, dialoguewithdiversity@rogers.com, 613-265-4654 and Brian Strom. edcicr@ustpaul.ca, 613-235-5800)

*Thursday Sept.24:  7.00-9.00pm: Forum on ‘Corporatism and Peace’ hosted by ‘No War-Paix’. 150 Isabella Street (just south of the Queensway, corner of O’Connor), 9th Floor, Executive Boardroom, National Component, PSAC. (Larry Rousseau, rouslar@gmail.com , www.no-war-paix.ca, 613-565-1915).**  6.30 – 9.30 pm: A Music Concert for Peace at Amphitheatre, Saint Paul University, 223 Main Street.  (Daniel Mauro, peacefest@sympatico.ca, 418- 934-2661).

*Friday Sept.25: 6.00– 9.00pm: 35th Annual General Assembly Trade Show, Crowne Plaza Ottawa Hotel, 101 Lyon Street. The show in support of ‘Sisters in Spirit’ features work of a wide range of Aboriginal female artists and artisans.(Deborah Chansonneuve, chansonneuve@travel-net.com ).

*Saturday Sept.26: 3.00 – 5.00 pm:  Forum: “Buddhism In Action – A Proposal for Peace” at 237 Argyle Street. (Monica Bachmann, monicabachmann@rogers.com , 613-232-1100). **1.00-5.00 pm: An Exhibition of ‘Meditation as Art’ paintings at TRIKArts851 Gallery on 1390 Clyde Ave., Room 206 (near crossing of Clyde and Merivale Rd). (Shiban Raina, shibanraina@trikarts851.com , www.TrikaArts851.com, 613-224-9179). 

*Sunday Sept.27: 2.00 – 4.30 pm:  Celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s 140^th Birthday and UN International Day of Nonviolence, Kailash Mital Theatre, Carleton University. Free parking: Lot P1. (Jagmohan Humar, email: Jag_humar@carleton.ca, 613-736-0783). ** 1.00-5.00 pm: An Exhibition of ‘Meditation as Art’ paintings at TRIKArts851 Gallery on 1390 Clyde Ave., Room 206 (near crossing of Clyde and Merivale Rd).(Shiban Raina, shibanraina@trikarts851.com , www.TrikaArts851.com,  613-224-9179). 

*Monday, Sept.28:  5.00 – 8.30 pm:  A self-discovery playshop entitled: “Can we be both rich and free of war?” 91A, Fourth Ave., Quaker Centre, Doors open at 5.00, supper at 5.30, playshop begins at 6.30. (Gianne Broughton, qpasc@cfsc.quaker.ca, 613-798-8182).

*Tuesday Sept.29: 7.30 am – 9.00 am:  Murray Thomson, O.C. to speak on “What have Ottawans been doing to prevent Nuclear War? What can you do?”  NCPC Breakfast speaker series, Donna’s Express cafe, 322 Churchill Avenue, North on the corner of Scott St & Churchill Ave. (Daniel Stringer, thestring@rogers.com, 613- 792-1431). ** 5.00 – 8.00 pm: “Arctic Future Forum : Cooperation or Confrontation”. Hosted by Rideau Institute with Friedrich Ebert Foundation at National Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street (Steven Staples, sstaples@rideauinstitute.ca , 613- 565-9449).

*Wednesday, Sept.30: 7.00-10.00pm: A Seminar: “This precious Life–My Conscious Creation”. The importance of the knowledge of the principles of the creative process. Public Library, Emerald Plaza, 1574 Merivale Road ( Vesna Scott: vesna@sympatico.ca, 613 224 5489).

*Thursday, Oct. 01: 6.00 – 9.00 pm: Screening of NFB film ‘The Strangest Dream’ on Nuclear Disarmament Movement, Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe Street. (Iman Ibrahim, imanibrahim@rogers.com, 613-276- 6764)

*Friday Oct. 02: 5.30 -7.30pm: Panel Discussion and Book Launch on “Afghanistan and Canada: Is There an Alternative to the War?” by Rideau Institute. Colonel By Room, City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West. (Steven Staples, sstaples@rideauinstitute.ca , 613- 565-9449).

*Saturday, Oct. 03: 10 am – 4 pm:  7th Annual Friends for Peace Day at City Hall. A full day program of music, speeches, food and display tables, and presentation of peace awards. (Ian Prattis, 613-726- 0881, iprattis@cyberus.ca , www.friendsforpeace.ca);   ** 11 am – 5 pm: Islamic History Month Canada  launch of  Multicultural Expo, Canada Science and Technology Museum. (Iman Ibrahim, imanibrahim@rogers.com,613-841-6764)

During Festival,  visit two peace Exhibits:  *Sept.15 – 30: An Exhibit on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. collated by National Capital Peace Council at Ottawa Public Library, 120 Metcalfe St. (Daniel Stringer, thestring@rogers.com, 613 792-1431). Also, *Sept.21- Oct03: “No War-Paix Conceptual Art” An outdoor Peace Exhibit, 250 Range Road, Sandy Hill (Terry Stavnyck, terry.peace@gmail.com, 613-565-1915).                                                        

For further information, contact Festival Convenors: Bill Bhaneja, billbhaneja@rogers.com , 613-244-1979 and Peter Stockdale, globalbridge@rogers.com, 613-863-4527, and for individual events, respective coordinators identified in the program. Program also posted on www.departmentofpeace.ca, www.civilianpeaceservice.ca, and www.cicr-icrc.ca/