This is an educational and interactive Community ARTS Resource Exchange. Please feel free to download any information that may benefit a community arts program in your area. We would love your input... Introduction Mission and Goals Guiding Practices Events Peace Event Documents Links Click on images to see a larger version. Pages Created by: Paul Hillman 00301 hits since 11/18/2007		International Day Of Peace 2007 Celebration of the International Day of Peace @ Sharon's, September 21, 2007 It began at sunset in Sharon's garden that borders on the North Mt. Preserve Ken Koshio of the Fushicho Daiko Phoenix Drummers began the event as the Lion Dancer with his cymbals ridding the area of evil spirits. Ken, Esther and Kerry continued the drumming performance welcoming persons to give intentions for PEACE - May Peace Prevail on the Earth for All! The audience was very responsive. Sharon thanked the drummers following Ken's singing of Imagine, The Beatles' song, Imagine All The People Living Life In Peace. He was fabulous!!! Ben Boomer gave honor to our gathering and discussed our place on this planet, acknowledging the 7 directions and our lives as metaphors for those planes of the earth, underworld and the heavens. Fire and smoke mingle to ground a space of reverence, and create an inclusive atmosphere of creative collaboration. Ben People take the time to meet one another and connect artistically for later collaborations. In this picture, artist in residence Keith Johnson meets Irma Turtle of Turtle Will. Turtle Will is dedicated to the improvement of the lives of traditional peoples in Ethiopia, Mali and Niger in a manner that is consistent with their traditions and cultures, through locally driven projects that maintain choice. Who Does Turtle Will Help: Peoples in the remote bush with little recourse to medical, economic or educational aid; who are often ignored by their own governments; and who are reached by the world's major humanitarian organizations only in times of national catastrophes. Populations helped include the Tuareg and Wodaabe nomads of Niger; the Tuareg, Dogon, Fulani, Songhai and Bozo of Mali; the Mursi, Karo, Hamar and Borana of southern Ethiopia; the Kutia Kondh of India and the Khalk nomads of Mongolia. Mitra Kamali and Judy Butzine have worked together over the years on many art projects including those with youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. Mitra is originally from Iran. She brought Persian food for us to all enjoy. Sharon continued this menu and made Persian ice cream for a special treat with rosewater and walnuts. It was delicious. Keith gives universal honor to the ancestors and unity to this community gathering. Keith Johnson brought his drumming to the group. He enlisted Terrance as a student in training. Keith after giving honor to the night and to all of our ancestors he joined us in a song utilizing shekeres so we could all be performers and interact in a state of Unity. The evening was a perfect night to share this acknowledgment of Peace Around The World. The evening continued with spontaneous fire spinning performances by Sharon Stetter, Ben Boomer and Stacey Maxwell. Even C-C Braun, an ASU graduate student in dance tried her talent at this kind of creative expression. C-C had been a baton twirler in high school and twirled flamed batons. One of the primary goals of the Cultural Arts Coalition is to bring persons together to not only network, but to reinforce the power of the arts to communicate significant ideas of social consciousness in a Safe Space. The night ended on a sharing of a Sense of Place in a beautiful Garden and words of thoughtfulness concerning bringing Peace To Our World. Music used with permission by Keith Johnson Sankofa/Island Magic Arizona Roster Artist Drummer/Percussion modibol@juno.com