FSU Hosts International Day of Peace

The community will come together at Frostburg State University (FSU) on Sept. 20 and 22 to observe the International Day of Peace and become a part of something bigger than themselves. Sept. 21 is known as the International Day of Peace, and this year’s theme is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety, and Dignity for All.”

Last year, FSU observed this day by having an across-campus collaborative dialogue. Frostburg State aims to embody this year’s theme with events starting on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. At this time, there will be a screening of Richard Attenborough’s film Ghandi in the Cordts P.E. Center Hall of Fame Room. Festivities will continue on Friday, Sept. 22 at 1:30 p.m. with a dedication of FSU’s “Tree of Peace and Humanity” in honor of Mahatma Gandhi’s lifework. The tree dedication will take place between the Gira Center and the Compton Science Center. At 2 p.m., following the tree dedication, there will be an interactive public presentation by Srimati Karuna, the director of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Center in Washington, D.C., entitled “Planting Seeds of Peace.”

FSU is kicking off The International Day of Peace events with the film Ghandi in hopes that the audience will be able to draw parallels between Ghandi’s story of peacemaking and today’s times and prepare for Friday’s talk.

The tree dedication is a symbolic representation of the International Day of Peace. It is a small act, but according to Dr. Elesha Ruminski, an Associate Professor for the Department of Communication, “each small act is planting the possibility, when we engage in small everyday acts of peace.” Sometimes “we need the symbolic to lift us up,” Dr. Ruminski stated as to why this year’s talk is entitled “Planting Seeds of Peace.”

Srimati Karuna is the current Director of the Gandhi Memorial Center. She graduated from the American University in Washington, D.C. with a B.A. in International Studies. She also has her M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution along with a M.A. in Teaching. She has devoted herself to presenting the life message of Mahatma Gandhi.

More information on the guest speaker can be found at www.gandhimemorialcenter.org/leadership.

The International Day of Peace events at FSU aim to strengthen the relationship of young people in the area and teach the campus community how to create a campus culture that is about peace building. As Dr. Ruminski explains, “It is going to take everyone to bridge the divides, that to me is what peace is. That we continue to move through and navigate conflict so we can achieve something constructive together.”