On Saturday, Sept. 21, which is celebrated Internationally as Peace Day, over 1,000 guests gathered at 100 Elm St. in Owego to stand in solidarity for peace, and during Owego’s first International Day of Peace Festival.
Leonard Hilldale, owner of Owego Schoolhouse Antiques, spent hundreds of hours mowing a 200,000 square foot peace sign into what used to be the football field at the former middle school, a school that now serves as an antique mall.
When Hilldale introduced the peace sign, and talked of his motive behind its creation, he stated, “I’m doing this because of my love for humanity, and my disappointment in how we are treating each other.”
“I never felt like I had a voice, and now I have one,” he added.
In a period of less than three months, Hilldale worked with several members from the community to put together an event that would allow residents to join together on International Peace Day, and to unify.
The Owego event was registered with the United Nations and listed as an International Day of Peace event, with this year’s focus being on climate change. Other events were also taking place across New York State and around the world that encouraged everyone to put down their differences and come together.
During last Saturday’s event, guests from all religious denominations and of varied political beliefs came together in unity.
Chirya, from Peace Village Learning & Retreat Center in Hunter Mountain, N.Y., and Ed Nizalowski, of Newark Valley, led the peace formation at 2 p.m. with words of peace and amazing grace, played by Nizalowski.
Nizalowski also read a poem he had written, with International Peace Day in mind. In its excerpts, he read, “Keep the faith, keep the vision, keep true to yourself, keep true to the world, keep true to the almighty wonder that is life. A life that is just, kind, merciful, forgiving, rich in accomplishment, rich in progress, rich in quality of life not quantity of life or quantity of possessions or size of your bank account or extent of your influence. Be the change you want to see in the world. Remember: your thoughts can change the world: live long and prosper.”
And as the formation continued, Nizalowski’s poem complemented this year’s theme for International Peace Day, as recited, “United for the planet and for every living thing; united for the earth and every stone, rock, canyon, mountain, outcropping, valley, escarpment, precipice, cul-de-sac. Sing the joy of life, celebrate the majesty, embrace the mystery; The Golden Age is within our grasp;
All we need to do is reach for; remember who we are.”
“Peace Train,” by Cat Stevens, was also played aloud while the guests entered the peace sign, culminating in a celebration. Those that formed in the sign sang, they prayed, they meditated, and then they all cheered when the drone hovered over the peace sign, filming and photographing the moment.
A peace filled time was had by all, with most immediately looking forward, with anticipation, to another or similar event.
But the peace sign wasn’t all that was going on last Saturday. There were two stages set up throughout the daylong event, offering entertainment for guests. Bands included Glenmary’s Ghost, Uncle Uku and the Guise, Voodoo Highway, J Floyd, Kevin Doupe, A Part of Pluto, and A Band of Brothers.
There were also food vendors on site, and Schoolhouse Antiques was open, offering guests an opportunity to browse through items sold by over 80 vendors. There was also entertainment inside the auditorium for guests that wanted to take a rest and listen to the music.
Hilldale hopes to turn the festival into an annual event, and was pleased with the number of people that came out to stand for peace.
To view more photos and video from the event, you can find Owego Schoolhouse Antiques on Facebook.
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