World Celebrated International Day of Peace
Give Peace Another Chance

Event Report by Cora FERNANDEZ
Volunteer assistant of the Lightmillennium.Org

-For Photo Album of the EVENT (External link)

“Give Peace Another Chance” as it highlights the theme for International Day of Peace, United Nations Headquarters in New York and the Kyung Hee University at Grand Peace Hall in Seoul, Korea recently convened to webcast cross-continent live for International Day of Peace Video Conference.

The video conference symposium which is part of the 30th Anniversary of the International Day of Peace, students of higher education particularly the students of Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea, UN Dignitaries, and United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon assembled for a common cause.

International Day of Peace first declared on September 21 three decades ago, is a significant anniversary celebration as it is also the first observance since the launch of United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) in November 2010. United Nations sees the importance of the concept of International Day of Peace, which was introduced by then President of Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea, Dr. Young Seek Choue who proposed the idea at a conference of the International Association of University Presidents, in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1981.

Photo Credits: Bircan Ünver and Cora Fernandez, Lightmillennium.Org

Ramu Damoradan (Deputy Director of Outreach Division of UNDPI); Aftab Seth (Chairman of India Global Link Co. Ltd.); Eduardo Ulibarri Bilbao (Permanent Rep. of Costa Rica to the UN); Francis Deng (Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide); Yersu Kim, (Professor of the Graduate Institute of Peace and Director of the Division of Philosophy and Ethics at the UNESCO); Norhan Barsuni (Public Relations Officer for the Muslim American Society’s Community Outreach Department) and Beth Nielsen Chapman, (Adviser and Director of “Healthy Child, Healthy World” Foundation). They were among of the UN dignitaries, who successfully deliberated the dialogue.

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In its celebration, UN declares this momentous day be devoted to “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among the all nations and peoples” and invite “all Member States, organs and organizations of the United Nations system, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, peoples and individuals to commemorate in an appropriate manner the International Day of Peace, especially through all means of education, and to cooperate with the United Nations in observance of that day.”

The UN Secretary General in his opening remarks, Ban Ki-Moon seeks to embrace and encourage the emergence of “Intellectual Social Responsibility,” that the UN Academic Impact along with the 30th celebration of International Day of Peace, “hopes to educate young people about the complex, transnational issues of our time, and to cultivate a global mindset and keener sense of global citizenship.” In this significant celebration of International Day of Peace, Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-Moon further strengthens to empower students and faculty to take their learning beyond the classroom-and to their friends, families and community.

Secretary Genereal Ban Ki-Moon further stresses the aim of “Academic Impact to generate a global movement of minds to promote a new culture of intellectual and social responsibility; its commitment to principle of freedom of inquiry; opinion and speech; educational opportunity for all; global citizenship; sustainability and dialogue.”

Dr. Young Seek Choue, President of Kyung Hee University also gave his keynote speech and made his proposal during the conference, “to begin discussions on a global endowment which would create a turning point in ‘world civic education’ and ‘global service’ at higher institutions. Choue made emphasis that universities should make efforts and empower the importance of its role towards a common good beyond personal achievement and national boundaries.”

The International Day of Peace Conference, was highlighted with a roundtable discussion among the students of Kyung Hee University in Seoul (3000) Korea and the participants at the UN Headquarters in New York. Kyung Hee University students and the participants of UN Headquarters, New York were given the chance to interact through questions with the panelists of United Nation's High Level representatives, diplomats and esteem academicians. Education, conflict, change, genocide, human dignity, role of higher education, student empowerment, UN Academic Impact's plan to reach out the universities in particular, in the least developed countries, importance of "humanitarian base education", and "education at large, doesn't vacsinize to crime" etc… were among the issues discussed during the cross-continent live video conference.

The event was also graced with the musical performances of the group “Kaleidhadphonic” (composed of K. Nathaniel, S. Suso, T. Dubley & J. Pagusa) and Beth Nielsen Chapman (American pop country singer/songwriter) and concert performances presented via webcast live by the Kyung Hee Orchestra performed one of the most popular songs of all times in Korea, which titled, "Magnoia", alone with Kyung Hee Chorus Choir and the Dvorak Piano Quartet of Kyung Hee University.

John Lennon’s “Imagine” concluded the event were all participants of Seoul, Korea - New York audiences took part in singing the song led by Beth Nielsen Chapman on piano.

United Nations - Academic Impact - UNAI Roundtable Speakers Profiles

RAMU DAMORADAN is currently the Deputy Director of the Outreach Division of the Department of Public Information of the United Nations. He is responsible for the UN Academic Impact and has also dealt with the Department's relationships with non-governmental organizations and educational institutions, as well as programmes for the general public, including exhibits, guided tours, concerts and DPI special events. His last national position was that of Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of India from 1991 to 1994. He has also served in Indian diplomatic missions in Moscow and at the United Nations. He worked extensively in Indian mass media, including, television, radio and print publications. AFTAB SETH is the Chairman of India Global Link Co. Ltd. He was the Indian Ambassador to Japan, Micronesia, Vietnam and Greece. He served as the first chief of the Global Security Research Institute at Keio University. He has lectured at Seoul National university, the Reischeauer Institute at Harvard, the Hudson Institute in Washington DC, the International Relations in Vietnam University. Ambassador Seth received B.B (Honors) from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, an M.M. from Christ Church College, Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes scholar, and Doctor of Laws degree from the American College of Greece. BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN is an American country and pop singer songwriter. She began her career performing in a rock band called "Harmony" in 1976. She has received acclaim for her songs, which deal largely with peace, philanthropy and carry a strong message of hope. In 1969, she moved to Alabama, USA, from Germany and was there at the time of Martin Luther King, Jr's assassination. The song "Sand and Water" which was released in 1997, has given numerous people comfort and hope. She is currently ans adviser and director for various public welfare foundations such as "Healthy Child Healthy World". http://www.bethneilsenchapman.com EDUARDO ULIBARRI-BILBAO is the Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations and current Chairperson for the Committee of Information. He has an extensive professional and academic career in communications, journalism, political analysis, freedom of expression, public transparency and governance. He served for two decades as Editor-in-Chief of Costa Rica's main newspapers. Since 2003, he has devoted most of his time in teaching, consulting and participating on the boards of a number of public and private organizations and writing for leading news media and about his country and Latin America, prior to his appointment at the United Nations. FRANCIS DENG UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Dr. Francis Deng a his Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide in May 2007. Dr. Deng as served as Representative of the Secretary-/general on Internally Displaced Persons from 1992 to 2004, and as Human Rights Officer in the UN Secretariat from 1967 to 1972. Dr. Deng was Ambassador of Sudanto Canada, the Nordic countries and the United States, and Sudan's Minister of Foreign Affairs. Deng holds an LL.B (Honours) from Khartoum University and an LL.M and J.S.D. from Yale Law School and has authored and edited over 30 books. NORHAN BASUNI is a CUNY Baccalaureate alumna for unique and interdisciplinary studies. She is the Public Relations Officer for the Muslim American Society's Community Outreach Department and was a Board Member of Brooklyn for Peace. She sserved as John Jay's College University Student Senate Representative and president of John Jay College's National Model United Nations Team from 2009-2010. Within the model UN, she served by nomination as a Chair of the Security Council in 2009 and in the organization of the Islamic Conference in 2010. She was awarded the Distinguished Delegate Committee Award in the Economic and Social Council Committee in 2008. In January 2011, she participated the Tahrir Square Events in Cairo. YER-SU KIM is a philosopher and Professor Emeritus of the Graduate Institute of Peace Studies at Kyung Hee University. He served as director of the Division of Philosophy and Ethics at UNESCO Headquarters and as secretary-general of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO. He also served as member of the executive board and vice-president of the International Federation of Philosophical Societies. For almost two decades, he was a professor of philosophy at Seoul National University. Dr. Yer-Su Kim graduated from Harvard University and holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Bonn, Germany.

Bircan Ünver, The Light Millennium's Permanent Rep. to the UN, and
Cora Fernandez, Volunteer Assistant to organization,
attended to the eventtogether.
Photos by: Bircan Ünver and Cora Fernandez, Lightmillennium.org

-For Photo Album of the EVENT (External link)