Becca Seay, right, and Daphne Seay, left, Junior Girl Scouts from Troop 20508 fold white peace doves as souvenirs of the Girl Scouts celebration of the United Nation’s International Day of Peace. (Submitted photo)
Information and photos from Jerralyn Luckmann and Kay Brookshire
Oak Ridge Girl Scout Troops are planning a Peace Demonstration to celebrate the United NationՉ۪s International Day of Peace, at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21. Also known as World Peace Day, September 21 is a global observance, a day when nations around the world are invited to honor a cessation of hostilities.
To inaugurate the International Day of Peace, the “Peace Bell” is rung at the United Nations Headquarters. The bell was cast in Japan and made from coins donated by children from all continents. It bears the inscription “Long live absolute world peace.â€
Girl Scouts from many Oak Ridge troops will gather at the Oak Ridge Friendship Bell, near the proposed location for the Peace Pavilion, which will house the new bell support structure. In the shadow of our own “Peace Bell,†the Girl Scouts will present a program of songs and peace quotes. Troop members are folding peace doves to distribute as keepsakes of the event.
The peace dove flying with an olive branch in its beak is one of the most commonly featured symbols for Peace Day. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, a white dove is generally a sign for peace. The dove can also represent “hope for peace†or a peace offering from one person to another, hence the phrase “to extend an olive branch.†Often, the dove is represented as still in flight to remind people of its role as messenger.
The Girl Scouts invite the community to bring blankets for seating and join them on September 21 and “Demonstrate for Peace.”
Girl Scouts from many troops have been rehearsing songs for the Peace Demonstration.
Lilley Ferry, left, Girl Scout Brownie and Hiedi Mohamed, Girl Scout Daisy from Glenwood Troop 20953, display the doves they folded for the Peace Demonstration. (Submitted photo)
Whole Troop: Cadette Girl Scouts of Troop 20069 created white doves as a symbol of peace. Front row, from left, are Sophie Waraksa, Aiya Davis, and Alyssa Setzer. Back row, from left, are Ashli Allison, Lindsey Fiscor, Bethany Dowdy, Andrea Irene Range, Georgia Gunter, and Bethany Watson. (Submitted photo)
Left to right, Cadette Georgia Gunter (Troop 69), Daisy, Chloe Gunter (Troop 22107) with Junior Girl Scouts, Ahna Wurm (Troop 20492) and Daphne and Becca Seay (Troop 20509) learn the “weave” for singing “Weave Us Together.” (Submitted photo)
Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.
Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Leave a Reply