Peace Week 2025 has officially started! Peace Week starts on the International Day of Peace, September 21, and goes all the way to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30. Peace Week is filled with a diverse array of functions, such as community events, public lectures, art exhibits, film and theatre, and more! Although Peace Week has just started, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement team has already attended some events.
To kick off the week this Sunday, the Centre’s Program Assistant attended the Peace Begins with You event at RIM Park and was able to learn lots about meditation and the mind. This event was hosted to celebrate the International Day of Peace, and the overarching theme of peace was displayed in multiple ways. Some highlights include performances from talented singers, performing songs of peace, and calming recitations from the Bhagavad-Gita. In addition to meditation, the audience was taught ways in which they can activate both hemispheres of their brain, boosting overall productivity through fun and interactive activities.
Later that evening, the Centre for Peace Advancement’s Coordinator attended the Sacred Fire and Sacred Stories event at Willow River Park. This event allowed survivors of the Residential School System to tell their stories and experiences in a safe environment, passing this knowledge to the next generations. When things got heavy, the firekeeper would take medicines to smudge behind the speaker, and all guests were invited to put medicines such as tobacco, sage, and cedar, into the fire. Overall, the event had a “sombre but healing” atmosphere and ended dramatically when the Thunder Beings (a thunderstorm) swept in to cleanse the earth.
Our Centre’s Coordinator also learned some sobering facts from Brian Paul, the Executive Director of Supportive Housing of Waterloo (SHOW), who hosted their annual fundraiser walk on the 21st. Elders are the fastest growing demographic becoming homeless in Waterloo, with roughly 50% of people without stable shelter being over 50 years old. Supportive housing is a cost-effective solution, as a night in a shelter costs three times as much, while a night in hospital costs twenty-two times as much. Beyond economic effectiveness, the sense of safety and belonging that comes with supportive housing is invaluable. SHOW is working towards building 50 new units, almost doubling the amount of supportive, long-term, deeply affordable housing they provide.
Peace Week still has several interesting and informational events that are approaching. When people think about social justice and peace topics, they may think that the only way to learn about these topics is through school or lecture. However, the unique part about Peace Week is that although all the events revolve around peace, the ways in which they go about displaying peace are quite different. As a result, everyone can find events that fit their individual interests and schedules.
For example, for film lovers there are multiple film viewings on the Peace Week calendar. The films, a Dream Called Khushi, Living Below the Line and The Encampments all revolve around different social justice issues.
Another broad interest many people share is the love for art. Many different art exhibits and galleries are featured on the Peace Week calendar and span a variety of different issues and topics. Tending Tomorrow, Picturing Today, for example, raises awareness about Climate Change and human interaction with the world. Across campus at the University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Brenda Mabel Reid’s exhibit ’Underlay’ brings architecture and quilting together to challenge gender roles and indoor/outdoor spaces. This is the perfect place to nap after a thought-provoking lecture or next Saturday's Pow Wow on the north edge of campus.
Overall, Peace Week is a great way to get more involved in your community, take part in multiple interactive events, and find people with similar interests to you. So come out and join one of many informational and fun events to show your support for peace in our region and around the world!