Opening the Golden Flower

July 9-11: Mindfulness Retreat, Saint Francis of the Woods, Hw 33, east of Guthrie
Cost $250. Starts Friday at 7:00 pm. to Sunday noon. (25 participants) Contact: Pat Webb, 405-286-0091, 209-7111

Gather as a community in an environment of Noble Silence,
Look deeply at the teachings of the Budha,
Enjoy mindful walking, eating, relaxing, singing and sharing,
Refresh bodies, hearts, and minds.

Emily Silverstein's Father Path to Peace

My June Path to Peace

From end of the year pictures

From end of the year pictures

When? Sunday, 6 June, 2010,2:00-4:00 p.m.
24-time zones walking in a 24-hour period

Where?: Join the United Nations of Greater Oklahoma City at the South Plaza of the State Capitol and Perimeter.
On Site “Zumba Conmigo” to pump up walkers, Kimberly and Diego Munoz
Rainy Day Option: Your treadmill, your neighborhood, or join the virtual walk on Facebook

What? $10 per mile. Find sponsors. Set your own goal
Hydrate. Use reusable water bottles. Sierra Club bottles for sale at walk
Decorate a T-shirt with your motivation to walk
http://www.facebook.com/WalkTheWorld
http://walktheworld.wfp.org/
http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/Programs/Childhood-Hunger

Why? Hungry Children Cannot Learn

How? Checks, Online Donations
United Nations World Food Programme, School Meals, Walk the World
https://walktheworld.wfp.org/donate/donate

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Food-4-Kids
http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/Programs/Childhood-Hunger/Food4Kids

For more information contact clayc@casady.org; 405- 520-1325

Count Down to the International Day of Peace

The UN has chosen the theme Youth, Peace and Development for this year's observance of the International Day of Peace.

The concept behind this is to connect the Millennium Development Goals and the UN International Year of Youth with the International Day of Peace. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) are based upon the premise that development must be for peace. A summit on the Millennium Development Goals will be held at UN headquarters Sept. 20 - 22; www.un.org/millenniumgoals. As part of this, the Stand Up Campaign has shifted its three day worldwide mobilization to Sept. 17-19; last year over 100 million people participated in this event. www.standagainstpoverty.org

Due to the MDG summit, the UN ceremonies for the International Day of Peace will take place on Friday, Sept. 17th. These will include the annual ringing of the Peace Bell by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the student observance, and possibly student participation in the Stand Up Campaign.

100-Day Countdown
The UN's 100-Day Countdown to the IDP begins on June 13th. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will deliver a message about the International Day of Peace, during which he will ask all nations and people to prepare for this year's observance. Some of the UN Messengers of Peace - celebrities and world leaders - will also be involved.

Will you join us in the 100 Day Countdown?
We are asking member organizations of the Culture of Peace Initiative to conduct their own 100-Day Countdowns in order to engage your networks to also make plans for this occasion. Among us, all segments of civil society will be involved in this process, including: religious and volunteer groups; NGO's representating many aspects of Peacebuilding - from care of the environment to promoting human rights; educational institutions; local and grassroots organizations; families and private citizens; businesses and professionals; and the media.

This year marks the close of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace. Let us use this occasion to set the stage for a more widespread and universal observance of the International Day of Peace in future years - observances that showcase sustainable solutions and create practical acts of Peacebuilding.

2010: Africa's Year of Peace and Security
The African Union has asked it's 53 nation members to observe the International Day of Peace this year - among all nations, cultures and families. The African Union expects that a day of ceasefire in conflict zones will allow for humanitarian relief, such as vital food, water, mosquito nets and other emergency supplies to be provided to people in those areas. 2010 is Africa's "Year of Peace and Security" which will culminate on the International Day of Peace, and enable Africans to continue making Peace through education, awareness-raising and empowerment.

Presenting... the CPI Report on Peace Day 2009!
Michael Johnson of Pathways To Peace presented the 2009 annual report of the Culture of Peace Initiative on the International Day of Peace to the UN in April. This report is available at www.internationaldayofpeace.org and www.cultureofpeace.org. View the report by regions around the world! http://bit.ly/cpi_reports

CPI Online Community
In the run up to the 100 day countdown, we encourage you to make connections through the CPI online community: http://bit.ly/cpi_group. The group includes an ever-growing list of more than 500 organization profiles and peacebuilding resources and solutions. The group map can show you Peacebuilders and organizations from around the world, who are part of the CPI network! Our community is hosted on WiserEarth.org, now available in French, Spanish and Portuguese!

Please join and make your presence known on - the International Day of Peace Facebook page. Can you help us reach 20,000 people this week!

Count Down to International Day of Peace

We are at the 6 month countdown to Peace Day 2010!

On the weekend of May 1-2, let's begin by simply connecting with local neighbors and residents, to prepare for Peace Day on the week of September 21. Start meeting new people who are interested in Peace issues, by organizing a group meeting or event. Ask friends or fellow co-workers to help. Here are 9 ways to get the ball rolling:

1. Have coffee... or tea.
2. Host a film screening.
3. Invite a guest speaker.
4. Setup a volunteer event.
5. At events, crowds or classrooms, pass around a contact sheet for those interested in Peace Day.
6. Invite local nonprofits who work on "Peace" issues in your community.
7. Meet at a home, school, office, church, bookstore, bar, yoga studio or cafe!
8. Call the event/meet-up "Peace in (your city/town)".
9. Organize a monthly "Peace" themed event.

Suggestion: Create a new Facebook page to promote meeting(s) and the build-up to Peace Day 2010. For example: "Peace Day in (city/town)". Share with us your page if you do! We'll link to your page, to help others find you!

CPI will continue to share ideas, updates and highlights of the build-up to Peace Day online and through our newsletters. By the way, our Facebook page has nearly 19,000 participants! www.facebook.com/peaceday.

UN Observances and theme: Representatives from organizations within CPI are working with the United Nations Deptartment of Public Information on this year's theme for the International Day of Peace. Human rights, environmental sustainability and the Millennium Development Goals are all being considered. We will keep everyone informed when a theme is announced.

Peace Day Global Broadcast: The Unity Foundation is seeking submissions for the 2nd annual Peace Day Global Broadcast, subtitled: Building Peace Through Sustainability. This year's focus will be on the Millennium Development Goals. To learn more go to www.peaceday.tv. For video submission forms, sponsorship applications, affiliations, and other information please contact Bill McCarthy at unityfoundation1@aol.com.

The Music4Peace Initiative and Tour aims to educate, empower, and improve the world, by striving to eradicate hunger and violence while providing clean water. The first events announced for the 2010 tour include: a Hip Hop Summit in South Africa during the World Soccer Cup in June, and the Gandhi Tour in Brazil on the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21st. Music4Peace has also announced the launch of a Film 4 Peace Contest. Visit www.music4peacetour.com for more details.

You are a pathway to Peace,
Your dedicated Team at CPI

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Gandhi
________________
This newsletter is presented by Pathways To Peace, the International Secretariat of the Culture of Peace Initiative, a UN designated Peace Messenger program, that includes thousands of organizations across the globe. Pathways has been involved with the International Day of Peace since it's inception in 1981 and has nurtured this occasion into an annual global observance, that is intercultural and inter-generational in nature, and reaches hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Governments, religions, educational institutions, businesses & professionals, non-profits, the media, grassroots organizations and people from all walks of life are involved. To learn more about our programs, networks, campaigns and support materials see our websites below.

Acting in concert, we do make a difference in the quality of our lives, our institutions, our environment and our planetary future.

Through cooperation, we manifest the essential spirit that unites us amidst our diverse ways.

Pathways To Peace
PO Box 1057
Larkspur, CA 94977
http://www.cultureofpeace.org/
http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/
www.internationaldayofpeace.org

When does an act of service become an act of peace?

I attended a free webinar sponsored by edutopia.org. about Three Cups of Tea. It was a great experience to share my computer with 5,000 teachers and students around the USA. I hope the webinar will be made available to teachers because it had great pictures and a powerfull Q/A with Greg.

Greg focused on placing importance of learning from elders. This is alive and well in Pakistan and Afganistan, he said, but seems to be a lost treasure in the USA.

Another image he left in my heart was "some of the balls kids play with in America are made with "Afganishtan slave child labor."

I wish I was able to recall all his words, but the ones left in my memore are about some of the lessons the military learned from Three Cups of Tea:
Listen more
Respect
Build Relationships

Greg also stated that if you educate a boy, you educate the individual; if you educate a girl, you educate the community.

Another statement he made that I want to remember was: "When your heart speaks, Take GOOD NOTES.". This was his answer to a kid who wanted to know where he found his inspiration.

He talked about Pennies for Peace and service-learning projects generated from Pennies for Piece for local causes like the Little Red Wagon Foundation, an 8-year old kid who will walk for one million dollars to help homeless children.

He also mentioned that American pennies have the power to erradicate illiteracy.

Greg stated that the Taliban is afraid to destroy some of his schools because they were build by free labor from the communities where they stand.

He ended his presentation with a few suggestions

1. Empower elders in Afganistan
2. Do not shelter our kids from the realities of the world

He ended with a quote from MLK "Even if the world ends tomorrow, I will plant my see today."

I look forward to his presentation at Lloyd Noble, APRIL 21, 4:00 P.M. FREE ADMISSION.


The Pinwheels for peace and the Pennies for Peace Project will be the Casady YAC projects-all school project- for next year in the month of September. The project will start in August and culminate on September 21, International Day of Peace.




Circle the World
By Dana Lyons

What if we could circle the world
Flying peace doves beneath the sun
Giant twenty foot wings of fabric
That are hand made by everyone
Pmce a uear we circle the world
Saying ain't it time to burry the guns
Our time has come and we have begun
To Circle the World

Its a dream and its a vision
Its a prayer that we may see
When every person, every creature
Will be treated with dignity
When every war will be a memory
We never shall repeat
Our time has come and we have begun
To Circle the World

Its a parade and its a party
Giant puppets with many drums
Its a song with many rhythms
That is sung in many tongues
Its a giant snake dance
In every country beneath the sun
Our time has come and we have begun
To Circle the World

www.cowswithguns.com

Update on the Six Billion Paths to Peace Retreat

I contacted the organizers in San Francisco and this year, there will not be an application process. Shinnyo-En is not collaborating with Youth Serve California. They are going to have a retreat with only one topic, Six Billion Paths to Peace. It is very important to register as soon as the registration becomes available in the month of April at http://www.sef.org/community/annual-retreat/. The current information is on last year's retreat.