Manchester University celebrates Peace Day on Sept. 21
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Celebrations at the North Manchester campus include:
- Prayer, poetry and light refreshments in the Petersime Chapel at 8 a.m.
- Walking for Peace at 3:30 p.m. in the Prayer Labyrinth, which can be found in the woods behind Cordier Auditorium.
- Imagining Peace Together at 7 p.m. in the upper level of the Jo Young Switzer Center will feature conversations about Palestine, undocumented immigrants, prison ministry and white supremacy.
The University will dedicate a Peace Pole at noon at its Fort Wayne campus, 10627 Diebold Road. A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth” on one face and then translations on other faces. The languages are chosen for their significance to the Manchester community.
Peace Poles are a common sight in North Manchester, both on and off campus. Manchester University is affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, a historic peace church.
The International Day of Peace is observed around the world each year on Sept. 21. It was established in 1981 by the United Nations. The 2017 Peace Day theme is Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.
MU Peace Day fast facts:
- Established in 1948, the Peace Studies Institute and Program for Conflict Resolution at Manchester University was the first undergraduate Peace Studies program in the world.
- Manchester was the first university in the United States to hold permanent observer status with the United Nations, as a non-governmental organization (NGO). This status gives Manchester representatives access to U.N. proceedings and, with permission, opportunity to actively debate issues on the floor of the U.N. General Assembly.
- Andrew Cordier, who graduated from Manchester in 1922, was a key player in drafting the founding charter of the United Nations.
- The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Manchester on Feb. 1, 1968. It was his last address at a college campus before he was assassinated.
Peace Day at Manchester University is sponsored by Manchester University Peace Studies Institute, Office of Religious Life and Manchester Church of the Brethren.
About Manchester
Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers more than 60 areas of academic study to 1,600 students in undergraduate programs, a Master of Athletic Training, a Master of Pharmacogenomics and a four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy. It has students from 18 nations and is home to the world's first undergraduate peace studies program, established in 1948. Learn more about the private, northern Indiana school at www.manchester.edu.
September 2017