It’s finally here! The Seeds of Peace Community Festival! All the fun takes place today at One Wisdom Fellowship (500 E. 39th St., Baltimore, MD 21218).
Arrive at 10:45am, and hear our keynote speaker Mia Jones discuss reaching your full potential, plus other presentations on peace throughout the day.
From 12-5pm the festival swings into full fear with live music (jazz, hip-hop, rock, and more, plus a drumming circle) and cool exhibitors from the Ten Thousand Villages to the Peace Study Center and EarthSave Baltimore. There is something for everyone!
It’s hard to believe, friends! June 9 is almost here. Don’t miss this year’s Seeds of Peace Community Festival filled with fun for all from live music and food to informative presentations on peace by accomplished speakers.
We’re thrilled that the Peace Study Center will exhibit at this year’s Seeds of Peace Community Festival. This is one amazing place which uses books to foster peace.
The Center’s mission is to “share quality literature with children, inspiring them to resolve differences without violence and learn to appreciate diversity through educational experiences.” Stop by their booth at this year’s fest.!
Love music? Don’t miss Abu the Flutemaker, a Baltimore legend. This phenomenal performer makes unique instruments from trash. Come out and enjoy the melodies of peace, unity and love!
Don’t miss Donna Shannon, Ph.D. LCPC from 3:30-4pm inside of One Wisdom Fellowship for her talk, “Seeds of Peace – Pathways to Inner Peace.” In today’s world, more than ever, life can appear to be out of control. We are faced with the personal challenges of work, family, and finances, along with the ever increasing occurrence of world events that seem to have no rational explanation.
There will be a visual and experiential exploration of ways we can create an inner calmness and build our resilience when the world around us seems out of control.
Dr. Shannon is the author of “Religious Beliefs as Exposure to Violence in African American Adolescents,” Psychology of Religion, and Spirituality American Psychological Association Journal.
Peace begins with us, and Khenpo Gurudas underscores this with his enlightening talk Sunyatananda: Finding Peace Within… the First Step to Global Transformation” inside One Wisdom Fellowship from 2:45-3:15 p.m during the Seeds of Peace Community Festival.
Khenpo explores how the foundational concepts of the “Middle Way” allow us to cultivate the transformational seeds of peace within so we can be more effective peacemakers within our world.
Khenpo is respected as an authority on interreligious and interspiritual dialogue, social justice, peace and the Feral Wisdom Tradition of Postmodern Buddhism.
Don’t miss the Kirtan chant from 12-1pm inside of One Wisdom Fellowship with Rev. Ed Geraty. Not familiar with Kirtan? No problem. All are welcome!
Kirtan practice originated in India and is over 5,000 years old. This joyful spiritual practice quickly spread throughout India, as well as in the West, where today Kirtan is seen as one of the great paths to enlightenment. It has been likened to modern American Gospel music, and in its heartfelt expression it compares to profound states of deep meditation.
It is a heart practice, not an intellectual one. Through Kirtan we access the universal presence, the Buddha mind, the transcendent reality within us.
Feel free to bring percussion instruments (drums, shakers, rattles, etc) and join in on this amazing practice.
More than ever, we must begin to practice peace, tolerance and nonviolence in our daily lives. Throughout the festival, you can enjoy presentationsby peace organizers, activists and authors discussing a range of issues from embracing peace within ourselves to Baltimore City youth communicating effectively with police. All speakers will present inside of One Wisdom Fellowship (500 E. 39th St. Balt., MD 21218).
Courtesy of Murphy Initiative
We’re pleased to announce our first speaker, Rosemary Thompson, executive director of the P. Francis Murphy Initiative for Justice and Peace. She will talk with us about her organization’s perspective on peacemaking and nonviolence from 1:15-1:45 p.m. This group envisions itself as “a common voice of 14 religious communities to work collaboratively for social justice and to support and supplement the ongoing justice and peace work within each community.”
The Murphy Initiative’s four main goals are peacemaking, justice in the church, intercultural relations (“increased intercultural experiences and action by the members of religious communities, by the local Church and by the general public”) and education for peace and justice (rooted in seven basic principles of Catholic Social Teaching).
Don’t miss this dynamic talk on fostering peace! Bring a friend, and share the message of peace with others.
Women In Black Baltimore and peace puppet Photo courtesy of Seeds of Peace Community Festival
Are you a peace organization or activist in Baltimore that wants to present your message to the community? We want to hear from you.
For consideration as a speaker or presenter, please contact Ed Geraty via email at universalusmonks@aol.com. Seeds of Peace Community Festival hopes to feature you, or your organization’s work for peace and justice.
Seeds of Peace Community Festival 