Courage to Forgive

  • September 21, 2005
  • The International Day of Peace
  • St. Peter's Church, 6 PM
  • 16 Barclay Street (the Corner of Barclay and Church)
  • New York, NY

The Sacred City Project, United Religions Initiative and The Peace Alliance will join together to observe the International Day of Peace on September 21. The program, Courage to Forgive, will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Lower Manhattan at the edge of Ground Zero. This evening event is open to the public and links New York with people around the world who are praying, doing community service projects and holding observances to mark the United Nations International Day of Peace.

Rev. Lyndon Harris, with Co-Chair Dr. Frederic Luskin, (Director of Stanford Forgiveness Project and author of Forgive for Good), invite you join us as we honor the power of forgiveness to heal and renew lives. Marianne Williamson, internationally acclaimed author (A Return to Love and The Gift of Change), lecturer and founder of The Peace Alliance will offer inspiration and "spiritual guidance for a radically new life." We will pray for peace in all the nations of the world using the World Peace Flag Ceremony.

This event will launch the Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero Project.

On September 7, 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution 55/282 declaring September 21 of each year as the International Day of Peace. The resolution calls for this Day to be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, and invites all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities. 9/11 was the International Day of Peace in 2001. That day was marked first by horror and then by the many acts of compassion, love and peace seen as the rescue effort emerged.

In the aftermath of 9/11 the interfaith community was given a unique opportunity to serve: to care for the emergency workers who were laboring night and day in the World Trade Center site. One response was the opening of St. Paul's Chapel to provide aid and sustenance to the rescue and relief workers. For over eight months, Reverend Harris organized that initiative and ensured that the workers had shelter, food, water and a place to rest. It was in the midst of this outreach that the Sacred City Project was born, and subsequently its premiere effort—the establishment of a Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero.

Please join us on this 2005 International Day of Peace in our call to peace and forgiveness. Participants may end the event by walking to the former World Trade Center site.

About The International Day of Peace

For more information, please contact:

  • Reverend Lyndon F. Harris
  • Garden of Forgiveness at Ground Zero/Sacred City Project
  • 646-458-2444 or e-mail Rev. Harris
  • Dr. Frederic Luskin
  • Stanford Forgiveness Project
  • 650-208-7658
  • Ms. Monica Willard
  • United Religions Initiative
  • 631-754-1008
  • Ms. Dot Maver
  • Executive Director of the Peace Alliance
  • 802-272-5504

Directions by subway:

  • A, C, J, M, Z, 2, 3, 4, 5 to Fulton Street-Broadway/Nassau
  • R or W to Cortland Street
  • E to WTC