Day of Peace

( Photo / Contributed )Oluwaseun Omotoya The International Student Cultural Organization (ISCO) and the International Arts Center (IAC) will be partnering to celebrate the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, 2020. This year ISCO is working with the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Troy African Students Association (TASA) to organize this event. The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations in 1981 to recognize those dedicated to resolving conflicts peacefully worldwide. The U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, asked that “every year on Sept. 21, the United Nations calls on all nations and people to put down their weapons and reaffirm their commitment to living in harmony with one another.” This year is not the first time ISCO is celebrating the International Day of Peace; however, this year will be different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be outdoor, and masks are a requirement for all those in attendance. Social distancing measures will also be put in place by the organizers. The event will start at HAL Hall at 7:15 p.m. There will be flags from various countries, and students are encouraged to volunteer by carrying these flags and participating in the march to the International Arts Center. The procession will go through Rushing Hall’s archway and finally stop at Nall’s “Violata Pax Dove,” or the “Wounded Peace Dove,” in the Daniel Foundation of Alabama Plaza behind the IAC. Domestic and International Student speakers will address the crowd by sharing poems, giving speeches, and through other forms of expression. Their statements and performances will be geared toward encouraging and promoting peace in diverse communities such as Troy University.