Meet, Greet & Breathe At The Peace School
35th Anniversary Celebration
Join Your Community in Building Peace, One Person at a Time
CHICAGO (May 25, 2007) â Celebrating 35 years of building world peace, one person at a time, The Peace School opens its doors to the public from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 23, 2007. The dayâs events include free mini-classes, a live exhibition, tours of the beautiful loft-like facility, an opportunity to meet teachers, and more at The School â a world leader in peace activities and an official United Nations Peace Messenger.
Located at 3121 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicagoâs Lakeview neighborhood, the Peace School is a nonprofit educational organization that originated Chicagoâs annual Peace Day. This observance has blossomed worldwide into a universal day for peace â to be held this year on Sept. 21 -- and led to the Peace Schoolâs being designated an official U.N. Peace Messenger in 1987.
Anniversary activities on June 23 will feature the âCall to Peaceâ at 4:30pm. As each nation of the world is named, everyone joins in sending heartfelt wishes, thoughts or prayers for peace to that nation. It is a moving tour around the world.
âEvery human being has the ability to become a person of peace and harmony, and every human being is important to the peace-building process on a global scale,â said Charles Kim, President and Chairman of the Board of The Peace School.
In addition to its public peace work, the Peace School offers classes promoting physical and mental peace through a unique blend of yoga, peace breathing, meditation, non-competitive martial art and massage techniques. Infant massage and self-defense are among the additional, specialized classes offered in a schedule available at www.peaceschool.org.
âIf youâve ever had an interest in these types of programs, the anniversary celebration is a great chance to try them out [from noon to 2pm],â said Greg Garrett, head instructor and activities coordinator. âThe exciting live demonstration that will follow shows how meditation, yoga and martial art all come from the same root of peace and harmony.â
Peace School members say they rely on the respite from daily living its classes provide. âI typically arrive at The Peace School stressed, tired, and many days, overwhelmed by a mountain of commitments,â says Ivy Anderson, a Peace School member for 10 years. âWhen I leave, I have released those negative energies, and I feel renewed and full of positive energy again. That feeling of renewal is priceless to me.â
MyungSu Y.S. Kim founded the Peace School in 1972 to help individuals of all ages practice peace in everyday life by attaining peace in body, mind and spirit. Today, in addition to the Peace Schoolâs schedule of courses, customized classes and workshops are offered for teachers, students, corporations and government offices. Classes and workshops are conducted at the Peace School and in ongoing programs at nursing homes, suburban park districts, senior and adult education centers.
âThe founderâs dream was to create a Model City of Peace here in Chicagoâ, said Jennifer Kim, head instructor and education coordinator. âFor the past 35 years we have been forming a solid foundation toward that goal. The Anniversary celebration is the kick-off to the next phase of peace-building in our city, country and world to make this dream come to lifeâ.
In 1978, The Peace School became the originating sponsor of Peace Day in Chicago. For its work during the International Year of Peace in 1986, the organization was named a Peace Messenger by the United Nations for its âsignificant and concrete contributionsâ to world peace. In working to promote Peace Day across the country, the Peace School has received proclamations from governors in all 50 states and mayors in more than 540 U.S. cities.
Every year Peace Day promotes harmony among the worldâs diverse population through the Call to Peace and cultural performing groups. âWe also look forward to sharing positive ways to Take a Minute for Peace everyday at this yearâs Peace Day event at Daley Plaza on September 21â, Jennifer Kim said. âAs the founder always reminded us, we all can be Peace Messengers if we make peace a priority in day-to-day life.â