The United Nations has marked humanity's personal and planetary progress towards peace every year since 1981. Since 2010, the city of Dubuque has joined in offering community events, including lectures, prayer events, and theatre productions.
R.R.S Stewart chairs the Dubuque for Refugee Children Board. Stewart says the non-profit, which started in 2014, comprises concerned citizens in Dubuque working together to seek out and resolve issues that new immigrants face in the community.
Stewart helps organize Dubuque's Day of Peace events, and her non-profit is holding a solidarity walk to support refugees on Friday, Sept. 20th.
"That's starting at 3.30 p.m. at Loras College in front of Christ the King Chapel, and it's ending at the Multicultural Family Center. That is going to benefit Dubuque for Refugee Children, which helps provide educational, legal, and medical-slash-dental support to immigrant children in Dubuque," Stewart said in a phone interview with WVIK. "And immediately after that walk, Dubuque Branch NAACP is having a reception, in honor of its 35th anniversary from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Multicultural Family Center in Dubuque."
Stewart says participants should bring water and wear comfortable shoes. The walk is free, but attendees can donate to the non-profit at the beginning of the walk.
She hopes attendees will stay and attend the NAACP reception.
"At the event, the branch is planning to highlight, people who were some of the founding members at the organizing meetings that took place from November 1988 to January 1989, and also highlight some of the work that the branch has done over the last 35 years," Stewart, who is the treasurer for the group, said. "There will be barbecue provided by a local caterer, cupcakes from a local Black-owned caterer as well. And then there'll also be a display of Black history up in the Multicultural Family Center, put together as part of the Black Heritage Purveys that the city of Dubuque has been doing."
Assistant Director of the Peace and Justice Center at Loras College Hannah Eby is on the Day of Peace committee. She says peace and justice are important values to her.
"...[T]his group really does a lot to raise awareness of just the importance of peace in our whole wider Dubuque community," Eby said in a phone interview with WVIK. "So it's a way for me to connect to the larger community in Dubuque outside of Loras, connect Loras to the community. And this committee does a lot to just lift up people in Dubuque who are already working to build peace in the world and doing really great things here in Dubuque."
The month-long commemoration includes a keynote panel discussing environmental justice on Thursday, Sept. 19th. According to the news release, the speakers include Catholic Ethical Purchasing Alliance Grace Adams, retired Clarke University Professor of Biology Dr. Andrea Bixler, Eric Anglada, and Coordinator of Dubuque Colleges Sustainability Coalition Ashley Noonan, who is moderating the discussion.
"..[W]hich is going to be held at 7 o'clock in the Loris College Ballroom in the Alumni Campus Center. So anybody is welcome to come," Eby said. "It's free and open to the public."
The International Day of Peace is recognized on September 21st.
WVIK attached the news release containing more events people can attend, including theater performances, open mics and outdoor gatherings.
