On the first minute of September 21, 2010, the sky above Memphis' Levitt Shell will blaze with thousands of lights, carrying with them citizens' hopes and prayers for peace. The four-and-a-half-hour light show will mark the beginning of the first annual Memphis Peace and Harmony Days.
On September 22 of last year, the Dalai Lama arrived in Memphis, TN and shared a now-famous 'fist bump' (click for video) with then-mayor Myron Lowery. His visit very nearly coincided with the United Nations' International Day of Peace, celebrated each year on September 21. The city of Memphis and Shelby County each declared September 21, 22, and 23 to be Memphis Peace and Harmony Days. The holiday has now been nationally proclaimed by U.S. Congressman Steve Cohen of the 9th District, Tennessee.
To commemorate the holiday, the Levitt Music Shell in Overton Park is hosting a three-day, inter-faith festival beginning at 12:01 am on Tuesday, September 21. The event will open with a light show that will last until 4:30 am, with 'thousands of computer-operated LED lights that play in patterns,' Shell Executive Director Anne Pitts told The Commercial Appeal. The first day, coinciding with the U.N.'s International Day of Peace, will include prayer sessions, meditation periods, yoga, an afternoon of open-mic performances, and an evening concert by the band FreeWorld. The evening will end with a screening of two movies on the U.N. International Day of Peace and a candlelight 'Prayer for the People of This Earth'.
Opening talks are scheduled from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm by Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche of Pema Karpo Meditation Center, Rabbi Micah Greenstein of Temple Israel, Dr. Nabil Bayakly of Masjid AnNoor, and Dr. Carol Richardson of First Baptist Church. From 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm there will be short talks and an inter-faith prayer/meditation session for peace led by Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche of Pema Karpo Meditation Center and Jacob Flowers of Mid-South Peace and Justice Center.
The second day of the festival (September 22) carries with it a request of all participating citizens. Rather than continued revelry at Overton Park, the schedule suggests that participants 'design and take part in an activity of your choosing at work, home, or school that furthers the effort of peace and goodwill. Be creative!' The Memphis Peace and Harmony website contains a tab where participants can post their intentions and activities, as does their Facebook page. Participation is also encouraged by donating to the cause. Pema Karpo Meditation Center will be hosting meditation and chant sessions from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
The final Peace and Harmony Day (September 23) will be marked by a Walk for Peace from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm led by Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche, the teacher at Pema Karpo Meditation Center. A drum ceremony will precede the walk, beginning at 5:30 pm, and a Bob Schneider concert will conclude the festivities at a reasonable hour. The last thing the organizers want, said Candia Ludy of Pema Karpo, is to be arrested for 'disturbing the peace' (wrote Michael Loltar of The Commercial Appeal).
Pitts expects several thousand participants throughout the three-day event. The blend of music, vendors, food and fun, coupled with prayer, meditation, and yoga, offers something for everyone. Participants will work for peace, pray for peace, and celebrate peace in a thousand ways throughout the city, the county, and the world. Join in!
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