International Peace Day Celebrations in Prachatice
The UN Day of peace has been celebrated in Prachatice for the last three years. This event has large support from the town authorities as well as from the public. This year we even received subsidy from the ministry of labour and social affairs.
The first year we celebrated the peace day by lightening of candles. At the end of the event around 200 candles were burning and showing everyone passing by the wish for living in peace and understanding. During the celebrations in the second year each participant could add a symbolic drop of water to the „peace pot“, which should show everyone that each little step is counted and that when people do things together, it can have huge effect.
This years celebrations started with the workshop for children as well as for adults. Around 200 people took part in different activities. They were practising Yoga in daily life, they created beutiful pieces of art, they could write essays or fairy tales on the topics such as be the change you want to see or it takes time for a sprout to grow into a large tree. There were also few games motivated with the peace topic prepared for the children. At the end each child received little presents.
The celebrations of UN World Day of Peace continued by planting a peace tree. We feel honoured that Swamiji suggested it should be one of Sri Swami Madhavananda World Peace Trees. We are also very happy that Swami Gajanandji accepted our invitation and came to Prachatice to plant this peace tree. Around seventy people gathered around the tree and were listening to the wise words of Swami Gajanandji, town authorities and the representatives of other organizations that cooperated with Yoga in Daily Life Prachatice in organizing of this event. Apart from the tree each participant could also plant his own seed of peace.
Afterwards people could taste vegetarian food and than watch a video about how the UN Day of Peace is celebrated in the world. Last but definately not the least there was the lecture by Swami Gajanandji on the topic no peace in the world without inner peace. Whole event was very successful and there was a very positive feedback from the people.
