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International Day of Peace Celebrated

BHUBANESWAR,
Odisha Peace Builders’ Forum, a network of peace practitioners, organised the celebration of International Day of Peace on 21stSept. 2015 in Bhubaneswar.
Peace practitioner from various parts of Odisha and the Social Work Students of VISWASS, NISWASS and IMS gathered at Bhubaneswar and took a silent peace walk from Master Canteen Square to Institute of Engineers, via Ram Mandir Square and Housing Board, holding placard cards and banners.
The placards displayed peace messages signifying the importance of International Day of Peace. After the Peace Walk the peace builders assembled at the conference hall of Institute of Engineers for celebration and meeting.
Prof. Radhamohan, a well known Social Worker and former Information Commissioner of Odisha, was the Chief Guest of the Celebration. Prof. Siby K. Joseph, the Dean of Studies and Research, Institute of Gandian Studies, Wardha, Maharastra, spoke as the Chief Speaker extensively on the theme of international Day of Peace 2015- “Partnerships for Peace-Dignity for All”.
Others members spoke on the occasion were Abhishek Dash, Muralidhara Barad,Bishop P. R. Parichha Ven. Nanda Priya Bhante, Imam Farzan Ahmed,Rajeev Rathan,KD Majhi, Bijayananda Singh and Sumanrani Tripathy. The speakers highlighted on the importance of peace and non-violence in the society, especially in Odisha. The focus was to make Peace as an agenda and a cross-cutting theme.
A book-let on the “Right of Peoples to Peace- A Gandhian Perspective” written by Prof. Siby K. Joseph, published by Odisha Peace Builders Forum was released. The book-let captured the increasing trend of the culture of violence and why Peace and Non-violence should be an important agenda. At the end a discussion was held with the presence of some participants on how to make Peace Education a part of curriculum of Schools and Colleges.
At the end the convenor of OPBF winded up with a vote of thanks. The message that only ‘a peaceful society can bring prosperity and wellbeing of the citizens’ was passed on to all the participants.