Many countries and organizations celebrate Peace Week around International Day of Peace on the 21st of September each year. The United Nations theme for Peace Week 2024 was Cultivating a Culture of Peace.
In Waterloo Region the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement at the University of Waterloo hosts this community calendar to help spread the word and connect likeminded people across the region. It showcases a mix of in person and online events happening locally between International Day of Peace and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th.
Peace Week 2024 has now ended but all of the host organizations have other public events across the year, with information available on their websites and social media. Some host larger events, such as MT Space, Neruda Arts and Healing of the Seven Generations, and some host weekly gatherings, such as PiE (Mondays), Inshallah Choir (Tuesdays), Open Door (Wednesdays) and Peace for All Canada (Saturdays). Community members can drop by Willow River Centre and the Waterloo and Kitchener public libraries, and the University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Kanata Centre at Laurier, and Grebel Gallery always have thought provoking art on their walls.
A huge thanks to all Peace Week 2024 participants and if you have feedback or ideas for Peace Week 2025 don't hesitate to contact us!
10,000 Steps for Mental Health
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Fundraising and awareness walk with Shalom Counselling Services who are committed to making mental health supports available and financially accessible for people from all walks of life.
Starting and ending at Shalom Counselling Services (9 Avondale Ave. S., Waterloo).
H.O.P.E. Elmira Multicultural Festival
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 12:00 - 5:00 PM
We’re excited to celebrate culture in all its forms for the second year! Join us at Gibson Park, Elmira for an unforgettable day of music, art, and culture. H.O.P.E.’s programs offer a warm, welcoming place where everyone’s voice can be heard, creating inclusive neighborhoods for everyone.
All that Worldly Jazz
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 12:00-8:00PM
A free, intimate festival celebrating diverse cultural expressions of Jazz in the charming village of St. Jacobs. Live music, with the flavors of the world, drinks and treats provided by local vendors, and interactive workshops for all ages.
Franz Kafka: In the Penal Colony
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024, 2:00 PM PERFORMANCE 4:00 DISCUSSION
Based on Franz Kafka’s 1915 short story, this site-responsive performance reveals contemporary resonances in unexpected and engaging ways as it animates Kafka’s story through the unique architectural qualities the staging location (all three floors of RCH). Following the performance, In the Penal Colony will be discussed by University of Waterloo scholars, reflecting on Kafka’s representation of early 20th century colonial incarceration and its continued impact in the present day.
Green Care Farms Harvest Dinner
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Green Care Farms is a program for people with dementia on a farm. We are the first care farm for people living with dementia in Canada! We are nearing the end of our third season of Green Care Farms and we want to share the harvest with our community. Enjoy with us and try some of our delicious veggies in a simple harvest soup in our garden!
10th Anniversary Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Come celebrate 10 years of inspiring people, projects and peacebuilding in the Centre for Peace Advancement! Families welcome, please RSVP for catering purposes.
Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding, and Social Justice Training for Trainers
SEPTEMBER 21-22, 2024, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Learn to use The Ripple Effect Education curriculum in your workplace, school or organization and become part of a community of practice with other peace building educators. Topics include relationship building, identity, power, privilege and intersectionality, conflict resolution, anti-racism and anti-oppression, and building equitable, inclusive spaces where diversity is celebrated.
Contact laurel@therippleeffecteducation.ca for pricing and to book your spot!
Soccer for Peace
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 10 AM - 3:00 PM
In celebration of United Nations Peace Week, Peace for All Canada, a non-profit organization, is inviting you to join children from Waterloo Region (WR)’s diverse communities coming together to play “Soccer for Peace.” The United Nations theme for Peace Week 2024 is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.” On Sep 22 at Budd Park, 1111 Homer Watson Blvd, Kitchener we are cordially inviting you to join our children as we dream with them to transform WR into a place of cultivating peace, fostering tolerance, inclusivity, and promoting peace by peaceful means.
Black And Free
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 10 AM - 4 PM
An artistic and academic experience that explores the multifaceted experiences of Blackness and freedom through historical and contemporary lenses. This event will feature artist talks, a vendor market, and the opportunity to explore all 5 levels of THEMUSEUM. Don't miss the chance to engage with the work of featured artists Alyssa Vernon, Samantha Dennis, Andre Mandela, and Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae.
Firekeepers Teaching
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024, 12:00 - 3:00 PM
Peter Isaacs, a respected Elder and firekeeper, will share his knowledge of firekeeping. Through both traditional and contemporary practices, Peter will guide you in understanding the role of fire in our ceremonies and daily lives. This event is specifically for Indigenous community members of all gender identities, whether you are well-versed in firekeeping or taking your first steps into this practice. The aim is to ensure that all participants find value and insight in this shared journey. Please come dressed comfortably and bring an open heart. If you’d like, you’re welcome to bring food to share and your feast bundle.
Moving for Good: The Walk to End Chronic Homelessness
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
The LMLP continues Lynn Macaulay’s advocacy work by supporting initiatives that help those in need. With older adults (60+) being one of the fastest growing and most poorly serviced demographics of unhoused individuals all funds raised during the LMLP Moving for Good Walk will go directly towards the life skills programming and wrap-around supports that SHOW’s older adult residents require to transition back to a healthy and independent life.
Fall Equinox Feast/Potluck
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024, 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Come to the gymnasium at 65 Hanson Ave, Kitchener for food, drumming, raffles and more!
Global Advocacy Award
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Martin Luther University College established the Global Advocacy Award to recognize both national and international advocates for their outstanding achievements and contributions to local and global communities. For more than three decades Dr Fikre Tsehai has lifted up Lutheran communities in Canada and worldwide through his dedicated work in refugee resettlement. Fikre's journey has taken him across the globe, advocating for the rights and well-being of refugees and migrants. Free event, registration required.
PiE for Supper: Faith and Activism
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Join us as we talk about the intersections of faith and activism. How can you be a good activist? What issues are important to advocate for? How do we care for ourselves as we do the work of advocacy and activism? During Peace Week we will be discussing Queer Advocacy and Activism. PiE meets weekly at WK Mennonite Church close to the Allen St. Ion stop and the Spur Line Trail. All events are open to people of any gender identity or sexual orientation. Free parking is available at the church, wheelchair accessible building, with single user all gender washrooms available.
Dispute Resolution
SEPTEMBER 23 TO 26, 2024, 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM
This valuable workshop has been designed within the course requirements of ADRIO (Alternative Dispute Institute of Ontario), to provide a high quality, engaging and interactive learning experience online. Content is delivered and coached by experienced practitioners in the field of mediation and conflict management. These workshops are recognized as electives in the Conflict Management and Mediation Certificate at Grebel, and offered in partnership with Agree Inc.
Inshallah Choir
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2024, 5:00 PM - 6:20 PM
Inshallah is a fun and welcoming community choir that sings songs of peace, prayer, joy and lament from around the world. Inshallah meets weekly at Knox Presbyterian Church, 50 Erb St. W, in Fall and Winter terms.
Sandhills Talk Circle & Peace Talk
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Special edition of the weekly talk circle followed by third annual Peace Week talk by Home Range founder Marinus de Groot about peace and conflict on the home front, including culture war confrontations and provocative disturbances of the peace.
Blanket Exercise
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 3:30 PM - 6:30 PM COMMUNITY ROOM, 50 KENT AVE. KITCHENER
This immersive group learning experience, held by Kindred Credit Union and Kairos, explores the historic and contemporary relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
For more information contact LearningandDevelopment@kindredcu.com
Open Door
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2024, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Open Door is a weekly prayer experience at the Lutheran chapel at Wilfred Laurier. The theme for this Wednesday in Peace Week is Belonging: Home, Homelessness, and Unpacking the Suitcase. Some weeks Open Door offers multi-faith experiences and some weeks it focus on the United Nations Justice Calendar. The time usually involves song and prayer, sacred texts and contemplative time with art, music, and silence.
Conscientious Objector Plaque Unveiling
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
In 1940, the government of Canada ordered the conscription of men for compulsory service within Canada. Mennonite leaders from across Canada went to Ottawa to negotiate a non-military (“alternative”) form of service. The first Alternative Service camp established in Ontario was at Montreal River, northwest of Sault Ste. Marie. Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario has partnered with the Ontario Heritage Trust to install a commemorative plaque that commemorates these conscientious objectors' service to Canada and their commitment to nonviolence.
Not Another Gala
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 6:00 PM TO 10:00 PM
Since 1987, Reception House Waterloo Region has welcomed and supported over 10,000 refugees. We have walked together with our newcomer friends with resilience and courage. Now, it is time to celebrate their strength in weakness and their new friends who have made it possible for them to call Waterloo Region their home. Join us for a fun filled evening and/or sponsor newcomers to attend as we honor our past and look to the future.
The Spiritual Turn and the Challenge of Solidarity
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26. 7:30 - 9:00 PM
Since around the 1960s, the West has witnessed a swelling turn away from “religion” toward “spirituality.” This “spiritual turn" has had undeniable benefits, granting individuals more intellectual freedom to explore different belief systems, more social freedom to experiment with different spiritual practices, and more moral freedom to lead their lives (and love) in a way that feels authentic to them. Indeed, spirituality is deeply complementary with the “rights revolutions” of the past half-century—the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s and Gay liberation, multiculturalism—which have vastly improved the lives of millions. And yet, the spiritual turn is not without drawbacks, including polarization, distrust, and loneliness. We must, all of us, rethink the relationship between the individual and the collective.
Black and Rural: Performance and Talkback
SEPTEMBER 26-29, 2024, 7:30 PM, $10-$30 + Talkback Friday 27th
Derived from dozens of real-life interviews with Black folk tucked away on the countryside across Canada, Shayna Jones weaves together a story of vulnerability, quiet triumph, and striking humanity. Part of MT Space's 2024-25 Season, Friday's performance will be followed by an audience talkback focusing on the unique challenges of enacting social justice efforts in small, rural, predominantly white communities.
Black Talk
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2024, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Hanif Abdurraqib & Antonio Michael Downing will read from their newest works There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension and Stars in My Crown and discuss Black identity, the weight of excellence as expectation, the relationship between the arts and culture, space and place, and Black life. How is Black life archived in Waterloo Region? How do we protect Black histories from gentrification? How do we distinguish between cultural theft and cultural integration? What do we get wrong about Black masculinity and basketball? How are geography and memory intertwined when we try to recount our stories? What can nostalgia teach us?
Gidinawendamin/Ska’nikú•lát 21st Annual Pow Wow
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2024, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
This year continues the collaboration between the Shatitsirótha’ Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre (WISC) and the University of Waterloo Office of Indigenous Relations (OIR). This one-day non-competitive celebration of Indigenous heritage features vendors, dancers, and singers from the Waterloo region and beyond. Join us as we celebrate Indigenous culture and tradition through song, dance, arts, and cuisine. Dancer, Vendors and Volunteers can register here.
Sacred Fire & Vigil for National Truth and Reconciliation Day
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 AT 7PM
A sacred fire and vigil held in observance of the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. This ceremony is a solemn event to honor the memory of those who never returned home and those who did. Those who attend are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs, a candle, and to wear orange. Additional details will be provided as the date approaches.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
On this day we face the painful history, continued impact, and intergenerational trauma of Canada's residential school legacy and recommit to reconciliation, indigenization and decolonization across the entirety of the University of Waterloo.
7:00 AM | Sunrise Ceremony
9:30 AM | Indigenous Gathering Space Opening and Commitment Polishing Ceremony
11:00 AM | National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Remarks and Walk around Ring Road
12:30 PM | Soup and Bannock Lunch, Drumming and Dance
All times approximate. Kindly register for this event to ensure we have enough food for all attendees.
Every Child Matters Walk
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2024, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Please Join H7G for a community walk to spread awareness and reflect on the tragedies experienced by Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island from residential school systems. Please meet at The Healing of the Seven Generations located @300 Frederik St, Kitchener. The outlined route will take us down to Victoria Park ending at the clock tower, where there will be drumming and speakers afterwards. All are encouraged and welcome to wear orange!
Signs of Peace: A Retrospective of Peace Posters
JULY 2 - OCTOBER 31, 2024
Featuring over 50 posters from organizations and initiatives connected to Conrad Grebel University College, this pop-up exhibit encourages viewers to reflect on the messaging and design work that goes into inspiring peace action. In an era of abundant digital images, what do we remember - and what can we learn - from this genre of peace communication?
War and Piece
SEPTEMBER 12 - DECEMBER 2, 2024
Drawing on his experiences and observations as an émigré from Bosnia following the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Sadko Hadžihasanović’s paintings contrast idyllic Arcadian depictions of daily life in this still largely rural region, with the presence of United Nations peacekeepers and an abundance of firearms: ‘piece’ being American slang for a handgun. The gallery is open 12-5 Wednesday to Saturday.