Season Of Peace:
A 30-Day Global Peace Campaign
November 22 - December 22

When President Kennedy was killed forty years ago (November 22, 1963), the whole world shared a feeling of compassion at the loss of this one man. This was above and apart from any political consideration of his life and work.

If, through modern communications, an equivalent feeling for peace could be generated, new solutions to global problems would be quickly found. Perhaps we would finally demonstrate that the power of the spirit is greater than the power of the sword.

It is, therefore, proposed that on November 22, the fortieth anniversary of the death of President Kennedy, the United Nations, political and religious leaders, and lovers of peace, initiate a global 30-day campaign for world peace, called a Season of Peace.

During this campaign all people of the world are asked to join each day in thoughts, words and deeds of peace. To further this purpose, the United Nations should request leaders of all nations to urge citizen participation in an all-out effort to create a global climate for peace. This period should be declared a "Season of Peace" in which humanity's best hopes for the future would be proclaimed and positive steps taken.

The Season of Peace is a time to report, feature and encourage:

• Deeds of compassion, friendship and cooperation;

• A time for emphasis on government and non-governmental activities that heal, build and unite;

• Reminders that if we work together in good will, this planet, this nest in the stars, will be a happy home for the whole human family.

To implement these aims all mass media should assist this campaign with headlines and human interest stories of the many great endeavors which further understanding and cooperation. The United Nations should request the people of the world to acclaim as peacemakers all those who refrain -- even at loss of personal or national advantage -- from acts of violence, and whose deeds reflect the pursuit of harmony and accord.

(While in human history -- and today -- powerful leaders spend billions for bombs, and pennies for peace, this peace campaign will seek to convert war making to peacemaking.)

This will be a period to join in one spirit the common elements of different points of view. For this purpose all people are invited to take a Minute for Peace each day to think and act, each in their own way, for peace and good will -- looking for ways to implement this objective.

Radio and TV should choose to broadcast a Minute for Peace each day at the same time. This "Minute for Peace" may contain the sound of a bell, followed by the announcement that this is Minute for Peace. This can be followed by music, or a brief statement about the attitudes and actions that foster peace.

In this daily MINUTE FOR PEACE people in all religions who believe in the power of prayer will be joined together and at the same time joined with others who believe in the power of thought and mind, and also with those humanitarians of no religion who believe in the value of serious reflective thinking about peace. In this way, individual thoughts and prayers for peace will be strengthened by the growing consciousness of being joined by all the others.

This campaign will begin on November 22, and conclude on December 22, culminating with an Hour of Peace in which leaders and artists of the world will join children of the world in local and global radio and television broadcasts of good will. These will be broadcast at 1900, 0300, and 1100 GMT.

Bells will ring at times chosen locally to call attention each day to Minute for Peace. On December 22 bells around the world will signal a new beginning for the whole human family.

The Season of Peace and the daily Minute for Peace campaigns can shift the global mind from the present dangerous, mutual fear to a new and growing measure of mutual trust. Then we will begin to really build the new world of which poets and prophets have dreamed -- a world of freedom, order, beauty and peace.

More at  www.earthsite.org

and www.wowzone.com

John McConnell
Founder of Earth Day

November 2003