Children's Peace Day 2011

We are looking forward to celebrating Children's Peace Day 2011 on October 23. This day will mark the conclusion of the year-long mental health awareness campaign we launched in 2010, the 1000 Flowers for Peace.  Please stay tuned for more information on our program to celebrate resilient communities and their peacebuiling efforts.

In community,
Amineh Ayyad

Dedicating the First Bloom on April 5, 2011

Adapt International cordially invites you to

a dedication ceremony of the first bloom

and youth & community presentations

When: Tuesday, April 5, 2011 (the International Golden Rule Day) 
3:30-5:30PM

Where: Peace Garden, Seattle Center (in the shadow of the Space Needle)

For further information, please contact Project Director, Amineh Ayyad.

Launching the 1000 Flowers for Peace Campaign

On Saturday, October 23, 2010, Adapt International with the support of youth, friends, neighbors and various communities in Seattle held a planting for peace ceremony as part of "Children's Peace Day" celebration.

In 2003, the Mayor of the City of Seattle declared October 23rd as Children's Peace Day in Seattle on the day the "Middle East Peace" sculpture was dedicated to the City. The sculpture was created as part of an Arab Jewish peacebuilding project.

The campaign and event were spearheaded and organized by Adapt International's Founder and President Amineh Ayyad. The event's primary goal was to launch the "1000 Flowers for Peace," a campaign to engage youth in peacebuilding and to promote a Culture of Peace in Seattle through raising awareness about war and violence and their effects on the environment and mental health, and on benefits of youth development programs in healing trauma and building youth and communities resilience.  This campaign also celebrates the  Children's Peace Day and Earth Day in Seattle.

Nearly 1000 flower bulbs were planted at the Peace Garden in Seattle Center and Inscape building (Seattle's former Immigration and Naturalization Services building.)  White lilies will be planted in Spring 2011, as it is the season to plant them, and they bloom in summer.

The event was a success, with more than 100 children and community members joining in to plant bulbs throughout the week.  The youngest participant was a 3 year old.

Photo credit: Amineh Ayyad

Reverend Guo Cheen of the Compassion Network, a Buddhist nun led the group in meditation and prayers for peace.  Amineh Ayyad, event host and organizer shared the story of the project and made dedications of many flowers, quotes and verses from friends and family and "A Soldier Dreaming of White Lilies" poem.  David MacGrath played the flute and demonstrated how bulbs are planted. 

David McGrath

Amineh Ayyad dedicates the following verses from Mahmoud Darwish's A Soldier Dreaming of White Lilies  to children and soldiers on all sides of all conflicts, and to peacebuilders everywhere. 

I dream of white lilies, streets of song, a house of light.

I need a kind heart, not a bullet.

I need a bright day, not a mad, fascist moment of triumph.

I need a child to cherish a day of laughter, not a weapon of war.

I came to live for rising suns, not to witness their setting.

He said goodbye and went looking for white lilies,

a bird welcoming the dawn on an olive branch.

He understands things only as he senses and smells them.

Homeland for him, he said, is to drink my mother’s coffee,

to return safely, at nightfall.

Photo credit: Ron Espina

Photo credit: Cristina Solmaz

We hope that this event will be just one of many planting and educational programs for peace shared between the community and various city organizations and agencies. We hope children and families will join us in coming years to help split the multiplied bulbs and in transplanting them in other gardens at the Seattle Center and public parks and schools. Please help us in raising awareness about war and mental health, as well as in our peacebuilding efforts and in beautifying our city.  

If you are interested in supporting or participating in this program, please contact Amineh Ayyad.

In peace and community.
Amineh Ayyad
Adapt International/1000 Flowers for Peace
Founder & Director

Photo credit: Amineh Ayyad

An Invitation to Planting 1000 Flowers for Peace on October 23, 2010

Adapt International
cordially invites you to plant 1000 Flowers for Peace in celebration of

Children's Peace Day

Saturday, October 23, 2010


Middle East Peace sculpture
Peace Garden, Seattle Center

Program
10:30 AM
Pre-program
Children Sing for Peace

11:00 AM
Flute Performance
David McGrath

11:15
Welcome
a Story about Peace Building
Amineh Ayyad

11:30
Peace  Prayers
 Reverend Guo Cheen

11:45
Planting 1000 Flowers for Peace
 
Children's Peace Day was declared at the dedication ceremony of the sculpture in 2003.


Song rehearsal will be held on
Tuesday, October 12
6:30-8:30 PM
University Unitarian Church
6556 35th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA

Click HERE to dedicate a flower. We need your SUPPORT to make this happen.

All children and families are welcome to join us in celebrating this special day in Seattle.


For  information on sponsorship, participation or volunteering, please email  
Amineh Ayyad.


Invitation on Facebook


Special thanks to our co-sponsors and volunteers: Reverend Guo Cheen, Youth Project Leader Eyas Ayyad Rashid, Youth Volunteer Sage Mitchell-Sparke, Seattle Center Director of Cultural Programs Steve Sneed and Master Gardener Beth Duncan, Dr. Sheree Wen, Flute Musician David McGrath, Interfaith Community Church, Peace Next, the Compassionate Action Network, and Camp Brotherhood.