Illinois Department of Human Rights Commemorates International Day of Peace

CHICAGO–-Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) Director Rocco Claps joined civic leaders today in observing the annual United Nations International Day of Peace, reading a proclamation on behalf of Governor Pat Quinn declaring September 7-21 “Peace Days” in Illinois.
 
“Peace Day allows us to reflect on how we can all contribute to creating a more peaceful and productive community, city, county, state and world,” Director Claps said. “Now more than ever we need individuals and institutions working collectively and intentionally toward increasing peace.”

Director Claps is an honorary co-chair of Chicago’s Build the Peace committee, created to support the mission of building a culture of peace in the city of Chicago. Chicago pioneered the celebration of Peace Day and serves as a model for cities throughout the world. At least three years before the United Nations formally established the International Day of Peace, Chicago designated an official Peace Day on September 7, 1978. Chicago is the only major city in the world to host Peace Day events for more than 30 years, and is an official United Nations Peace Messenger city. The Peace School, an Illinois non-profit organization, has sponsored Peace Day since its inception and is a UN Peace Messenger organization.

Director Claps was joined by local civic leaders including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, City of Chicago Human Relations Commissioner Mona Noriega and others in a ceremony at Daley Plaza that included the observance of One Minute of Silence for World Peace.
 
Governor Quinn’s Peace Days proclamation reads as follows:

Whereas, Peace Day has been celebrated annually in Chicago, Illinois since September 7, 1978 through the observance of One Minute of Silence for World Peace; and,

Whereas, in 1981, the United Nations proposed a resolution declaring one day every year as an International Day of Peace. This day is observed to promote global cease-fire and non-violence from every country across the globe; and, 

 Whereas, Peace Day is used as a means of spreading the message of world peace and its vital importance to the future of the human race; and, 

Whereas, the goal of Peace Day is to contribute to the peace-making process through positive peace-building activities, and to allow all individuals to harness their abilities and actively participate in creating a more peaceful world; and, 

Whereas, the Peace School, an Illinois not-for-profit organization, has sponsored Peace Day since its inception and has been awarded the United Nations Peace Messenger designation for its significant contributions to peace; and,

Whereas, September 19 has been designated by the United Nations for student Peace Day activities; and, 

Whereas, in 2001, a resolution was passed by the United Nations declaring September 21 of every year as International Day of Peace as a way of rededicating the United Nations to its goals of strengthening the ideals of peace and alleviating the tensions and causes of conflict; and, 

Whereas, these events encourage all individuals to take a minute for peace every day as a positive step toward making every day Peace Day:

Therefore, I, Pat Quinn, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim September 7-21, 2014 as Peace Days in Illinois, in recognition of this effort to build a more peaceful state, a more peaceful county, and a more peaceful world.

The Illinois Human Rights Act protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age (40 and over), marital status, disability, military status, familial status, sexual orientation (including gender identity) or unfavorable military discharge.  Further information is available at www.illinois.gov/dhr