International Day of Peace Symposium 2024

Saturday, Sept. 21st8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Tomas Rivera Conference Center University of Texas at El Paso

Saturday, Sept. 21st8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Tomas Rivera Conference Center University of Texas at El Paso

Symposium Report can be read here.

In our world of conflict, are you committed to PEACE?
If so, we invite you to commit to a full day dedicated to
Peace with the Earth, Peace with Each Other and Peace Within.

Time & Location

Saturday, Sep 21, 8:30 am - 5:30pmThis event will be held at the Tomas Rivera Conference Center, University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), 351 W University Ave, El Paso, TX 79902 Registration required. 160 people maximum participants.

About the Event

Unity Through Creativity, the Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest, the Centennial Museum, The Women’s and Gender Studies Center, the Dance and Theater Department, the Sociology Departments of UTEP and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute invite YOU to participant El Paso's International Day of Peace Symposium. High School students are welcome.

The Symposium will be part of over 5000 nationwide gatherings for this year’s UN’s Global Peace Day, whose theme is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.” As in past years, we will focus on Peace Within, Peace With Each Other and Peace with the Earth. The goal is to build and strengthen networks of local and national peace practitioners. We seek to achieve this end by fostering an Interactive and Creative Time featuring YOU - the participants! There will be Round Table discussions, local organization panels, live-streamed Speakers, Collaborative Art-making and Cultural Celebrations.

Speakers

Paul Chappell

Paul K. Chappell is an international peace educator and founder of Peace Literacy. He graduated from West Point, was deployed to Iraq, and left active duty as a Captain. Realizing that humanity is facing new challenges that require us to become as well-trained in waging peace as soldiers are in waging war, Chappell created Peace Literacy to help students and adults from all backgrounds work toward their full potential and a more peaceful world.

Stephen Niamke

A longtime community organizer and nonviolence trainer from Roanoke, VA, Stephen has joined the staff as National Field Organizer for Pax Christi.Grounded in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, Pax Christi USA is a membership organization that rejects war, preparation for war, every form of violence and domination, and personal and systemic racism.

Devon Peña

Professor, farmer, author, environmental and food justice defender and protector. He is founder and president of the Acequia Institute a non-profit grant-making foundation supporting environmental & food justice. Home is a 181-acre acequia farm in Viejo San Acacio, CO and is located on Nuchu - Dinè - Tewa - Genizarx lands and waters.

Aurolyn Luykx

Facilitator of the Day, UTEP's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Music & Mindfulness

Bettina Escudero, expert meditation teacher of Paso del Norte Mindfulness Consulting, using soothing music by El Paso Pro-Musica.

Lynn Provenzano

Meditation Leader, Director of UTEP's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Daniel Carey-Whalen

Host of the Day, Director of the Centennial Museum

Dr. Hilda Ontiveros

Director of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of Texas at El Paso

Tawanda Chabikwa

Movement Facilitator, Professor, Dance and Theater Department, UTEP

Fernanda Lugo

Fernanda is a certified yoga teacher, health scholar specializing in behavioral sciences and environmental health. She will be hosting yoga sessions and speaking on Greening El Paso.