Calgary Floating Lanterns
In partnership with Ploughshares Calgary Society
present
A Thousand Voices Of Light Creating A Culture Of Peace
Our voices come together to show our strength and hope for the future:
We are living in a divisive and strife-filled age.
Building a culture of peace is critical for ensuring that all people can raise their children and fulfill their lives in a safe environment.
WHAT IS A CULTURE OF PEACE?
It is a value system, behavior, and a way of life based on respect for life, as well as the practice of non-violence through dialogue and cooperation.
It starts from an individual transformation of our mindset to have respect for others and for differences among people, to have courage to speak up, to overcome antagonism, and to expand
solidarity.
Join us, let’s make it to 1000 voices!
Tell us who you are and how you build peace in your life:
– up to 100 words
– your name, city, country, occupation
Email to: floatinglanternpeace@gmail.com
The 69th light
Peace is about understanding our own emotions; that it impacts our mental well-being and that this can indirectly or directly affect other people. It is about understanding that our own opinions and beliefs will not always be the same as everyone else’s.
Politics use social, environmental, and economical situations to play on our emotions and have caused conflicts, protests, and war. Through social media, politics now brings modern warfare and conflict to the internet which further impacts our emotions. We can work together by realizing it is ok to be different and uphold different views.
Sinthy
Senior Accountant in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 68th light
How do you learn a skill, like using a pencil, printing, writing? practice, practice, practice….
So how do we learn to deal with conflict and our differences? practice…
Starting at home sharing the last pasta, or taking turns,
we can teach our little ones the skills to find common ground and work through conflict.
Learn to feel safe and comfortable and learn to understand that our difference are a good thing.
I expect that there are older people who could use these skills too.
Martha McManus
Peace and Conflict Transformation
the 67th light
When did it start, this passion for peace? With current events in grade nine? The high school United Nations club? Dag Hammerskjold’s death in a suspicious plane crash? The Cuban missile crisis? Undergrad resistance to ‘history as war’? Biafra? The Falklands War? My sensitivity and concern were always there. Action came in Calgary in 1982 with planned cruise missile tests in Alberta and the founding of Project Ploughshares Calgary. We organized, we learned, we worked, we spoke. And we persist. Peace is safety, joy, appreciation, tolerance, gratitude, and working concern for our world. Peace: we seek it, we treasure it.
Trudy Govier
Past President of Ploughshares Calgary Society, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 66th light
Peace requires compassion
Brave souls passionate for change
Together, we can.
Anne Sashikata
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 65th light
“Well, what better way to start this than:
Asselamu Alaykum
Peace & Blessings to You.
….a greetings made millions (or billions?….and how we’re stuck on numbers!!) of times daily!!
And, what better way to start Calgary Public Library new membership than the theme “Building a Culture of Peace”….
Seif Teqfik
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 64th light
Peace is found in the stories we tell, the gifts that we share with the world, and the love we cherish in our hearts. It is heard in the unbridled play of children, their laughter filling the air. It is seen when everyone in society feels empowered to reach their potential. And it is discovered when human beings can live in harmony with nature.
Gayathri Shukla
Founder, Campfire Kinship in Calgary, AB, Canada
the 63rd light
Murray Thomson, one of the founders of Project Ploughshares, inspired me with his birthday greeting a few years before he died: “”Mary,” he said, “the first 80 years are the toughest!” He was my late partner’s best friend in university and best man at my partner’s wedding…and continuously inspirational in his focus on peace..I wish I had talked more with him over the years. Nonetheless, I know he never gave up…in tennis, football or working toward elimination of weapons.
Mary Valentich
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 62nd light
To me, peace is not about a lack of conflict. It is not about a state of perfect humanity or quiet solitude. That doesn’t seem like real life as I know it. To me, peace exists where we move through human interactions with our hearts, ears and eyes open; with humility and developing self awareness, with a willingness to be “wrong”, a bravery to express, and a patience to listen.
Salima Stanley-Bhanji CEO (she/her)
HUMAINOLOGIE & Calgary Centre for Global Community
the 61st light
“Peace begins with a smile” Mother Teresa
Peace is created by connection. Connection with oneself, and connection with others, as fellow human beings. Peace is built in small daily actions, a smile, a hello, and a connection. And peace must also be built purposefully, strategically, and collaboratively, with a basis of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, so that together, we can realize our potential.
Sarah Meilleur CEO
Calgary Public Library in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 60th light
The commemorations of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remind us that the survival of the human race is at stake. We must abolish all nuclear weapons and end war completely.
Mary-Wynne Ashford MD PhD
Victoria, BC, Canada
the 59th light
A voice crying in the wilderness is what it seems to be! Crying for peace since I was a student during the Vietnam tragedy.
When I lived in Australia for 15 adult years I cried every ANZAC Day as folks there told the stories of sending their young men off to be slaughtered by the British war machine. Then again sending them to Afghanistan recently to “help their allies protect women and children from the Taliban”.
I am ashamed it took me fifty years to begin to wake up to militarism and its use for power and financial greed. And as I awake, I am angry that I have been deceived for years. Beware the awakening, angry she-bear. She is motivated to share truth and expose falsehoods.
Myrl Eddy in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 58th light
To have and know peace, I start with understanding conflict as a system that can maintain itself and grow unless it’s disrupted. Understanding conflict is a rewarding field of study because it leads to empathy for multiple perspectives. From there, it’s easier to see the humanity in people who hold opinions that are disagreeable and who act in ways that are objectionable. From that view of their humanity, it is easier to talk with them. From there, it is easier to understand their conflict system. From there, it is possible they will join in disrupting the conflict system. I choose to live in that possibility because it is one pathway to peace.
L. Deborah Sword PhD
Conflict Manager & Writer in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 57th light
What would happen if suddenly all the monies used for war and conflict were put towards the betterment of our societies and environmental cleanup of the world?
I am sure we would all be a lot better off mentally, physically, spiritually and monetarily.
I pray for peace everywhere.
Don Robinson and Leila Keith (Motivational Speaker and Opera Singer)
the 56th light
Choosing Kindness – We cannot stop the finality of our lives, but we can embrace the pain and adversity coming our way. With mindfulness guided by out heart we can also choose kindness, usually the best way to create the peacefulness that we all need.
Robert Corbeil
An invincible fighter against ALS in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 55th light
Best Christmas season wishes to all of my good friends! / I’m praying for all of you to have no loose ends;/ With everything tidy, all thoughts of love blend / And bring on the most joyful and happiest trends.
Though the Christmas season arrives only once a year, / Most people know it’s one time to bring on good cheer. / Remember the true meaning of Christmas! Truly be sincere! / Giving brings best feelings; let that message ring clear!
By all means, do something special for those you know and love! / Then go beyond! Reach out! Show a stranger your soft and kind glove! / Bring someone who is desperate into God’s world…His power from above! / Act lovingly to a stranger, for they too, are a child of God; do not push or shove!
You can bring someone in from the cold, / Even make them feel worthy as one of God’s fold; / Build up their confidence! Let truth be told! / As one child of God, they’re more valued than gold.
By doing good deeds, the world will heal; / The more good deeds done, the better all feel. / So let’s all do good things! Let’s all make it real! / All give our best! Let’s make that our deal!
BEST CHRISTMAS WISHES TO ALL LIFE, EVEN FISHES!
Donald W.C. Harris
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 54th light
My contribution of the word is from Mother Teresa: “Peace begins with a smile.”
ASH Inc., Partner in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 53rd light
For me, peace is very much related to a dynamic equilibrium; a dynamic equilibrium in different qualitative, spatial and temporal dimensions. Peace is relational. He Ping, a Cantonese expression for peace, which corresponds to the concept of peace as “calm breath in resonance with the divine breath in the whole world”, also resonates with my connotation of peace. So, there are potentials for peace within relations which can be narrowed and broadened from the intrapersonal to the divine or the globe or spiritual. Hence, contributing constructively, so that peace can happen through relational transformations is what inspires me.
Michaela Sollinger MD
International Accompanier of the Fellowship of Reconciliation Peace Presence in Apartadó, Colombia
the 52nd light
We don’t need nuclear weapons in this world because lots of people will be victims. I also think peace is very good for us. The reason for that is because if Canada, the place I live, is not peaceful, maybe we would not be able to eat as much as we want and we might not have a place to live. I got an opportunity to read the message from the Nagasaki mayor at the floating lantern peace ceremony in 2021. The mayor said, “Think about it, the world turns into a place where everyone can be happy, without nuclear weapons, and without war.” At the ceremony there were lots of people with different backgrounds, and I thought that the Nagasaki mayor’s words would spread to as many people as possible. There are still nuclear weapons and many countries are in wars now. My dream is that those countries are going to stop war and get peaceful.
Yui Matsuzaka
Grade 6 Student, Calgary, AB, Canada
the 51st light
Realizing that I have the power to choose how others affect me, my life and my feelings have been the biggest challenge and the biggest blessing.
Margo Sandy,
The peace of mind coming from this awareness is priceless.
Office Manager, Originally from Wroclaw, Poland; Currently living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
The 50th light
How do I build peace in my life?
Covid has forced me to find peace in different ways. I am a very social person so being home has been difficult for me. I find peace in the little things by surrounding myself with positive people. Volunteering has brought me peace in a different way, I feel like I am being unselfish and it gives me a sense of satisfaction. I have also been watching lots of nature documentaries on Netflix which is very calming. You have to find peace within yourself and once you find it, continue to integrate it into your life.
Nilofer Fernandes
Volunteer Teacher in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 49th light
Peace on earth is an idea and ideal that most people long for. It is the presence of harmony, justice, prosperity, equality and tolerance within a community and the expectation that the same qualities will be honoured in and by another’s community, culture, country, when there is interaction between them.
Because of our long history of conflict and our tendency to defend our own ways, the achievement of peace requires forgiveness, compassion and recognition of our essential shared humanity to take precedence over our differences, suspicions and wounds.
Truth and reconciliation are good words to work with on our way to peace.
Gail Stanfield
Treasurer for Ploughshares Calgary Society in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 48th light
A stabilized and safer world will come into better view as we move through perhaps the greatest transformation in human conduct in history – the journey from a culture of war to a culture of peace. It is beyond question that the journey has started and perhaps possible that the youngest babies today may live to see the arrival. It will not be a perfect world by any means, but the seeds of nonviolence, planted in the earth by those who have already grasped nonviolence in all its aspects as a core value, will have a chance to bloom. Human beings are not destined for war or extinction. The very inventiveness of human beings, who every day are developing conflict resolution machinery to avoid war and rushing the full use of renewable energy to head off the fatal global warming, shows that we are creating our own future, not passively abandoning ourselves to fate.
Hon. Douglas Roche O.C.
Distinguished Author, Parliamentarian, former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament, former Chairman of the United Nations Disarmament Committee, and everlasting Peace Activist, living in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
the 47th light
Peace means lack of conflict, be it within oneself, interpersonal, or in a broader sense, groups, or even countries with different political thinking.
Achieving personal peace involves being able to live with oneself and with those around one.
To achieve peace and resolve differences on an interpersonal, intergroup or international level, one needs to examine, with trust and understanding, the causes of conflict or differences, with a view to reaching a resolution.
Unfortunately, peace is not always achievable resulting in various forms of conflict. For example: the existence of personal stress and anxiety, broken relationships, workplace discord, political strife and even WAR.
Virginia A Betty
B.A.’73 (Queen’s)
the 46th light
Peace to be calm and quiet. The sun rising just before the birds start chirping. Fishing on a calm lake. The dark night when you hear the crickets and nothing else.
Peace among people is what we all strive for. It starts with our Communities, schools and Centres. I believe we can always find ways to help each other live better lives and co-exist without tension. Since I have been working with the City of Calgary for 25 years. I feel compelled to promote a peaceful and friendly environment for the citizens. I promote safety in the workplace and in the Community. Feeling of being safe is important for heath and wellness. I like being helpful by donation of time and money to important causes especially the food bank and the mustard seed to help those who need a hand up. Peace is achievable if we are aware and keep spreading kindness and friendship.
Wendy Dey
Working for the City of Calgary, in Calgary, Alberta Canada
the 45th light
Peace is essential to life. We need to actively cultivate peace in ourselves, continuously and with conscious awareness. We need to take the time to contemplate peace every day and fill our hearts with it so that it can radiate to our family, friends, community, country and to the entire planet. Peace starts with each of us and our infinite loving hearts.
Faith Takeda,
Retired Accountant in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 44th light
To create a culture of peace in society, we must first start with peace within ourselves.
We must recognize that we are all diverse and unique. We must look at the world with a kindness and compassion. We cannot pander to our worst fears and anxieties. We must learn to live with empathy, love and hope.
When that day comes, we will step into this world unafraid, ready to embrace the light and hope.
“For there is always light,
If only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
– Amanda Gorman
Druh Farrell
Calgary City Councillor, Ward 7, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 43rd light
Creating a culture of peace in current times is no simple task. We are in an age of technology and virtual reality, where hate, discrimination, and misinformation can spread like wildfire through social media. It is easy to hide behind a computer screen, and freedom of speech has warped into hate speech and accelerated a societal lack of civility. Our communities must come together to recognize these issues in order to find social peace and justice, and we have made great strides in the past year to do so. Peace now is about recognizing the power our words can have and using that power responsibly and respectively.
Diane Colley-Urquhart
RN BSc H&HS, Calgary City Councillor, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 42nd light
Everyday I am reminded of how fortunate I truly am to be living in a country that demonstrates peace and democracy. I think fondly of an expression by Albert Einstein.
“Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.” – Albert Einstein
Muhammad Yaseen
MLA Calgary-North, Parliamentary Secretary of Immigration in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 41st light
Peace is acknowledging, appreciating and respecting the differences in all people. I believe peace begins with inner harmony, then can be spread to family, friends, neighbours and strangers through acts of kindness – as simple as a smile.
Donna Kwan
Associate Director of Development at Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 40th light
Some may be able to keep peace in their heart amid conflicts. On the other hand, some may not do so while being in a peaceful society. There would not be strife if we could be considerate to each other. To create a culture of peace, it is important to have mutual consideration among family members, friends, neighbors, and in the international community.
Naoko Hayashi
English and Chinese Speaking Volunteer Guide in the Temples and Cultural Facilities in Kyoto, Japan
the 39th light
What is Peace? Is Peace only the absence of war? Of course, the absence of war is the starting point for peace, but there is more than that. Each human being has the right to live a happy and fulfilled life in complete harmony with the rest of Humanity and actually the rest of the Universe. To create a peaceful world then, is not enough to stop any war and violence, but each individual needs to make a conscious effort to understand the reality of the society where we live and fight for truth and justice, fight for spreading love, compassion, human interaction and reciprocal support in a world that seems to favour all the opposite such as isolation, competition, and division. To develop this deep understanding it is crucial to manifest our innate wisdom, develop courage and critical thinking.
Alessandro Terzuoli and Valentina Palazzesi
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 38th light
What is the most important to actualize peace is to know and understand the cultures of other nations. Having grass-root cultural exchanges is critical for that matter, as well. Although it is in the midst of a pandemic right now, we can still mutually learn other nations through tools, such as the internet. These efforts lead to actualizing peace. What we need to restrain is to criticize others without knowing them.
Takayoshi Akima
Past Chairman of the City Council and a Retired City Councilor in the City of Nagare-yama, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
the 37th light
Peace to me is my way of dealing with everyone who relates to me with love and kindness; the effort to understand persons in front of me, instead of confronting them; Appreciation to the fact that I was born in this world; Realization of the dignity of life of my own, as well as others.
Now, in the midst of a pandemic, I know that I am aging and need to take care of my own health. However, to keep finding my own possibilities, hopes and dreams, I would like to live actively with a positive mindset. Respecting and sending my prayer to every single one of those who are around me, I would like to expand the circle of mutual respect to my community. I am a Buddhist. I have learned this from my mentor, Ikeda sensei.
Chizuko Akima
Mother of two and grandmother of one girl in Nagare-yama, Japan
the 36th light
Daisaku Ikeda’s great novel Human Revolution begins by “Nothing is more barbarous than war. Nothing is more cruel. Yet war dragged on.” His other great novel New Human Revolution begins by “Nothing is more precious than peace. Nothing brings more happiness. Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of human kind.”
Through these novels he said, “Have courage to have hope. Have courage to advance in spite of difficult life. Have courage to understand the other persons’ views. Have courage to over come ego, courage to have a battle against devilish functions with in.
Daisaku Ikeda’s lecturer series say, “Now is the time to make Mother Earth shine ever more brightly with the spiritual treasure of respect for life and for human beings. Let us create a planet where all living things can exist together in beautiful harmony, a world where all are celebrated and can enjoy peace and happiness.”
Charles Ukisu
Retired local business owner in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 35th light
I think that peace starts where we are right now. It is important to have compassion for someone in front of you and have courage to respect others who have different value-systems.
“Peace is not found somewhere far away. Peace is found where there is caring. Peace is found when you bring joy to your mother instead of suffering. Peace is found when you reach out and make an effort to understand and embrace someone who is different from you. (Daisaku Ikeda)”
Miyuki Sugimoto
Senior Year Student at Soka University in Tokyo, Japan
the 34th light
I sometimes feel fretful about how one individual could contribute to realize peace in this age of control and division here and there in the world. Daisaku Ikeda, President of the Soka Gakkai International, stated in his work, “Activities to realize peace are not anything far away from us. How we can overcome our own small self that tends to serve only one’s own benefits and how we can cultivate a keen sense that feels others’ pain – these efforts that are repeated in our ordinary everyday life would be the key to create peace. (Words for Women in the 365 Days)” Let’s start with overcoming our own selfish mind-set and cultivating the sense that feels others’ pain as our own.
Hiroko Ukisu
A retired professor and a retired plumber’s wife currently residing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 33rd light
Peace for me is no weapons and no war in the world, no disease and no disaster in a family.
Noriyuki Hayashi
Specialist of International and Domestic Travel Coordination in Kyoto, Japan
the 32nd light
Peace to me means to spend my time quietly in an ordinary routine. Even though I feel at peace, it cannot be said to be peaceful if someone near you is in conflict with another.
Harumi Hayashi
A senior citizen in Kyoto, Japan
the 31st light
To me, a culture of peace would be gentle. Instead of being encouraged to battle, to get more, to win at all costs, we would be encouraged to collaborate, to be satisfied with enough, to share. A culture of peace must be sustainable. A culture of peace must have mechanisms for finding and building justice that are accessible by everyone. A culture of peace would protect, value and nurture all people, and then would extend to all living things.
Kerry
Former staff person for Ploughshares in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 30th light
A society that is based on a culture of peace understands that non-violence is the answer to oppression and violence. We are called to respect others and to share time and resources in a spirit of generosity. We need to listen carefully to others’ needs and opinions, defending freedom of expression without engaging in fanaticism or the rejection of others. Stand fast for good. Have respect for all life. A culture of peace happens when people contribute to the development of their community, and value the qualities of responsibility, honesty and humility.
Bob and Sally Hodges
Long time supporters of peace activities in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 29th light
Answering the question: What does a culture of peace mean to me: 1) Feeling safe in your home and in your workplace 2) Being able to lead your life without fear. 3) Enjoying walking wherever you want without fear. 4) Going out at night alone and not being afraid. 5) Doing whatever you want in safe places.
Chris & Carl Svoboda
Supporters of arts and peace activities in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 28th light
Created in the aftermath of the Second World War to maintain international peace and security, the United Nations is proud to be a universal and quintessential symbol of peace, peacekeeping and international security. Its guiding Sustainable Development Goals recognize that creating a culture of peace depends upon improving and protecting both the human condition (such as addressing poverty, hunger, equality, health and education) and the condition of planet Earth (such as addressing climate change, responsible water and land use). Its ideals of global citizenry serve as an important reminder that the most powerful voices restoring peace and human dignity are those of the citizens. These voices remain rooted in cause, community and compassion.
Raj Dhaliwal, the President for the United Nations Association in Canada – Calgary Branch, and
Wanda Rumball, the Director of Community Relations for the United Nations Association in Canada – Calgary Branch,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 27th light
A culture of peace is something we should all be thinking about as a social and humanistic duty. We can all start by incorporating peaceful thinking, peaceful words, and peaceful actions in our day to day activities. Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed or even question ourselves if the little changes in our daily environments can actually produce the big impacts we all hope for. To be honest, most great minds believe it does. Please let us all believe that it starts with us, here and now! Thank you!
Generose Kayembe
Nurse in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 26th light
According to East Indian philosophy the whole universe is one family. In a family we all trust, love and honor each other, so if we are one family there should be peace. Another principle of yoga which comes from East India is ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence). Non-violence is in 3 categories: physical, mental and aural. The core of Hindu philosophy is non-duality. That means there is no difference between me and another person…so how can I hurt that other person when they are me?
Swati Fernando
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 25th light
We must seek two things: One, to nurture compassion for ourselves, in humble acknowledgement of our flaws, yet deep faith in our immutable dignity; Two, to cultivate openness to others, especially those who are most different from us, to listen patiently, to bear witness to both suffering and success. Through mutual sharing of our hearts, our dreams, and our stories, we forge connections. By each small spark of connection between two strangers, two neighbours, two families, we strengthen our communities. By strengthening our communities, we build, little by little, a culture of peace that can grow to encircle the world.
Marya Jarvey
Teacher in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 24th light
Peace and happiness are similar. People don’t feel anything when they live an ordinary life, but once that ordinary life is lost, they realize they were happy with that ordinary day. I think the same can be said for peace. I think that true peace will come when people no longer talk about peace and don’t feel anything that they live in peaceful world.
Peace, Daisaku Ikeda emphasizes, is not just the absence of war. He defines a truly peaceful society as one in which everyone can maximize their potential to lead fulfilling lives free from threats to their dignity.
Namiki Mochizuki
Japanese Language Instructor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
the 23rd light
Peace means to transform negative aspects of life such as misery, poverty, violence, injustice, conflicts and hatred to positivity like happiness, empowerment, kindness, justice, dialogues and compassion. “Nothing is more precious than peace. Nothing brings more happiness. Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of humankind.” Daisaku Ikeda
Taeko Nomura
Working for Towing Company in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
the 22nd light
Peace is a commitment to respect each individual without prejudice, to try to understand and accept differences from our own thought and culture.
It is also to support and encourage one another with kindness and sympathy. Peace is not just an absence of war. Peace starts with our individual consideration toward others and society.
Sachiko Yoshizawa
Daycare Instructor in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 21st light
I feel happiness when I think of others and pray for them. I suffer when I have hatred in my mind and keep myself away from others. To be able to accept others and be kind, I pray every morning. That is sometimes a challenge, but at the same time, great joy for me.
“Peace is not found somewhere far away. Peace is found where there is caring, Peace is found when you bring joy to your mother instead of suffering. Peace is found when you reach out and make an effort to understand and embrace someone who is different from you.” Daisaku Ikeda
Hiroko Suzuki,
Working for the Trading Business in Nagoya, Japan
the 20th light
I believe that peace starts from my own happiness and then continues to my prayer for others’ happiness. The waves of the thought and prayer bring forth good effects to my surroundings, as such a single individual’s quiet action would connect to the entirety. I believe that it is the key to create our blight future. The key, in other word, is “courage.”
“The essence of Buddhism is compassion. We, too, need to have compassion but, being ordinary people, reality is that it is quite difficult for us to do so. Courage substitutes for compassion. I am speaking of the courage to save others from suffering, to improve ourselves, to do our human revolution, to spread Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism throughout Japan and the World. To practice Buddhism with courage translates into compassion.” Daisaku Ikeda
Miki Matsuzaka
Mother of Two Boys and Two Girls in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
the 19th light
We are here together and alone on this little blue dot we call Earth in the infinite cosmos.
James Katalyst
Owner of Gutter Doctor in Calgary, Canada
the 18th light
What would a culture of peace look like to me?
A world where every individual feels safe and secure, physically and mentally.
Where we protect each other from harm and advocate for each other.
Leaders that are positive, honest, courageous and stand up for everyone’s human rights.
Equal access to education and health care. Care for the environment.
A home life that is non-violent, raising future generations to be hopeful, empowered and empathetic.
Margaret
Registered Nurse in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 17th light
So many people are experiencing internal conflicts with themselves and who they are and external conflicts with others.
We can strive towards making our households, our communities and our world a more peaceful place to live by talking and listening to one another and reflecting on ourselves.
Erica Amery Ed.D.
CEO of Intercultural Collaborations in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 16th light
Creating peace is a perilous journey of the heart. Heart or life. It is a moment-to-moment; life-long, infinite and eternal battle. By its nature it is non-violent and non-coercive but it is adamant and ardent, strident, unashamed, unapologetic, consistent and persistent effort to overcome that instinct to kill, malign, undermine and exclude. We all have that impulse our individual and collective efforts to positively transform this impulse are our efforts for peace.
Alison Wilson
Peace activist and a member of SGI-UK in England
the 15th light
A culture is based on our identities as a collective, which is formed by our actions in our daily lives. Peace is the ultimate respect for life and the dignity of life, an incessant happiness that flows within and throughout one’s heart into another. Culture of peace, therefore, means the consistent actions of the collective identity with ultimate respect for one another. It is our vow to live amongst one another with a common ideal of happiness, that flows from one to another in an endless wave. Therefore, as a citizen of the culture of peace, I vow to create an identity of peace through my actions of respect for life in each individual.
Dai Matsuzaka
High school student, host of the video series, “High Schooler’s Quest for Peace” in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 14th light
Peace to me means being calm, grateful for everything, able to smile, and happy for quiet pleasures like watching my favorite plants grow.
Mio Tsutsui
Research technician University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 13th light
Peace is Best
Peace is a lovely goal, sometimes hard to attain.
I know from experience it is something that gives great gain.
Peace is a feeling, a dream and a place.
Peace is a moment that can always erase
any deep held hurt or wound.
Peace brings us hope for a utopian world,
Where the hurt and destruction of the cultures lost
Will bring about connection instead of a frost
and coldness of feelings for others.
For it is peace that can carry the world into bliss
It is peace that will save all the troubles and fists that can hurt others to destroy
and to annoy their mind with no rest.
Peace is best.
Peace is the best.
Leila Keith
Vocal artist and owner of Leila Keith Studios in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Reprinted with permission from: info@leilakeith.com All rights reserved.
the 12th light
I would like to write about peace from the perspective of my business. It’s not something big, but something small and familiar things can be a big impact for our peace directly.
I never imagined that I would become a business owner when I stepped into the dog grooming industry. I struggled from the beginning with how dogs were handled and a lot of them were having a hard time.
Everyone else seemed nothing was strange so I tried to pretend not to be a big deal and adapt to the environment but my body and mind started to react from just being there. I changed location a few times but they were all similar.
I was seen as a strange person but I knew that something had to be changed then I found Force Free grooming. When I met this theory, I couldn’t stop bursting my tears and strongly felt connected with it. I was laughed at and nagged about what I do by the same profession but I knew there are people out there who are looking for grooming service which adjusts for individual dogs. Now I have more people who work as a team and support each other including dog owners! I believe that it’s very important to understand animals as their own species and not to put human way to them. It eventually connects to how we treat and communicate with each other among human beings. I hope the world will become more respectful of who we are and adjust for each other’s uniqueness so that we will create harmonious relationships for a better life.
Hiroko Joulie
Owner and groomer of Comfort One Pet Grooming in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
the 11th light
I have learned that a culture of peace starts from acknowledging, respecting and celebrating the dignity of life each individual possesses.
“The magnificent treasure tower of cosmic scale that is described in the Lotus Sutra is nothing other than the original essence of each individual human being. A person who has awakened to this primordial dignity gains possession of an indestructible state of mind. This is a sense of dignity that cannot be undermined by any threat or tribulation. (Daisaku Ikeda, the 37th Peace Proposal to the UN)”
Shinobu Apple, Ph.D.
Independent Scholar and Translator in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 10th light
The idiom about not judging others until having walked in their shoes was extended: “Remember to take off your own shoes.” Not bringing into a conversation any preconceptions is challenging. Listening respectfully is transformative. Taking the train to work, my friend noticed a passenger who talked to herself and was treated with disdain by some other passengers. My friend respectfully listened to her every day. The woman, feeling valued, shared that she had lost her children to a fire. Soon, the other passengers also started to treat the woman with respect.
Kim Hallback
English Instructor and Peace Curriculum Writer at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN and Soka University of America, Calabasas & Aliso Viejo, CA
the 9th light
Creating a culture of peace has to be an act of deliberate persistence. We have to seek peace, knowing that there is no other option for an element so vital to our co-existence. In Canadian culture, Peace is often taken for granted and we expect the law to intervene when there is a breach. The evening news is filled with incidences of violence and very little, if any, about how to cultivate a culture of peace. This needs to change, and the change begins with peace education. Community leadership at the municipal and riding levels can be the catalyst to move such an initiative. But we need not wait until election time for our leaders to make the move. Individually, we all can contribute to making the peace in our communities, what we want it to be.
Jose Tenga
Rotary World Peace Fellow, Conflict Resolution Specialist and currently a licensed Associate with World Financial Group (WFG) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 8th light
Peace is not a passive experience: it is an active approach to listening, acceptance, and kindness. Empathy rules the day: for your fellow human being no matter their faith, place, or background.
Vincent St. Pierre
Communicator in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 7th light
When we awaken to the interconnectedness of life and its crucial role in achieving lasting happiness, we begin to walk the most reliable path towards building a peaceful and value creating society. My Buddhist practice not only allows me to find hope amidst difficult realities, but also enables me to transform my struggles and sufferings into valuable treasures of happiness and security. Let’s rise to our collective mission as a humanity to realize peace through our day to day actions and dialogues with friends, families, colleagues and other members of our beautiful global family.
Dr. Pooja Saxena
Research Assistant at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, USA
the 6th light
To move toward a culture of peace, be always aware that you want world history to move in that direction. Then take personal responsibility. Use your imagination. Develop ideas for projects that you can start that would help move world history in that direction. We cannot predict the future. However, we can develop a shared vision of a future that we want, and then collaborate to move in the direction of our vision. Then we must persist. Whether we succeed will be for others, many of them not yet born, to decide. After all, we are doing it for them.
Arthur Clark, M.D.
Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary and a founder of the Calgary Centre for Global Community in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 5th light
The Equinox turns and fall harvest has begun in Southern Indiana.
The rolling hills are peaceful, ripe and ready.
Peace spreads across the land in shades of rust, orange, yellow, and red.
The fall sunshine beams through the grass, trees, lakes, and creeks
Farmers reap and gather the golden fields of corn, hay, and soybeans.
The combines and tractors hum as they roll across the land.
Crickets sing loudly and birds fly joyously across the blue harvest sky.
As dusk gathers, the bright harvest moon rises silently.
Harmony prevails as humans, animals, and machines work together,
Harvest is a peaceful time of shared work and shared bounty.
The community keeps watch over the farmers at their tasks,
Providing help, buying produce, and offering thanks.
Small family farms provide nourishment for man and beast alike.
In a beautiful land, peace is a community working and sharing together.
My prayer is that every community across the nations
Could live together in the light of peace and harmony.
Jeanne Bedwell
Retired high school English teacher in Salem, Indiana USA
the 4th light
My Why is Building Community. Connection is the cure to what ails people, organizations, society and the planet. I see a world where everyone is enough, has enough and contributes their best and where together, we take care of ourselves, each other, our communities and the planet. My vehicle for changing the world is S2S who equips leaders in building healthy, purposeful, engaged and high-performing organizations. In addition to The Business Idea, Collaborative Leadership, Scenario Planning and Strategy, S2S has also developed a new form of organization we call a Collaborative as a solution to the world’s tough problems.
Greg MacGillivray in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 3rd light
Buddhist philosopher, Daisaku Ikeda, shared, “Peace is the most basic starting point for the advancement of humankind.” Peace is the laughter of children and their parents over a heartfelt meal. Peace is the embrace of friends as they graduate from school and embark on a new life chapter. Peace is the heart to heart dialogue amongst diplomats as they let go of their own ego and build genuine trust. Peace always starts with an expansive and courageous heart. As much as we want to see changes occur in this world, peace must first and foremost start with our own lives.
Miki Sato
Lansing, MI, USA
the 2nd light
Peace: a voice of light
For me the light of peace is hope. I continue to hope for peace, for a world mindset of peace, for leaders that put peace as paramount, am mindset, a direction, a goal or decision maker.
For me, the opposite of peace is not war, but fear. Peace is not a choice many leaders take, so as a collective, it seems to generate a fear of the unknown. But all of our tomorrows are unknown. so I try to generate a culture of peace, and light a lantern of peace in my heart, and allow the light of peace to guide a mindset of peace, a culture of peace, a place to interpret any issue in the focus of peace, and have peace illuminating the way forward.
Heather Walker
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
the 1st light
I have been involved with peace movements since 1972 in New York. And then, with Ploughshares Calgary 1982. I was a chairperson of Ploughshares Calgary twice in the 1990’s. It has shaped my life and been very rewarding.
J. Nehru (1889-1964) said “Since wars begin in the minds of men (and women), it is in the minds of men and women that the defences of peace must be constructed.”
The world is crying out for people to join together to confront injustice, violence and war. The Floating Lantern committee invites you to join us in a defences of peace campaign in Calgary. It is for those who believe there are many positive actions we can take to bring peace into people’s lives. Let us know if you would like to be on the committee.
Sally Hodges
Past chairperson of Ploughshares Calgary, and retired French and music teacher in Calgary, Alberta, Canada