Submitted by peace interna Yuliia Duleba 4th year IRD student 

International Peace Days is an annual international event happening across the world, including LCC International University. The event's objective was to strengthen ideals of peace and raise awareness about conflicts in different regions and daily life situations. This year the Center for Dialogue and Conflict Transformation ran it from September 18th to 21st with five major events looking at moving from violence to more peace featuring multiple journeys from “Surviving to Thriving”. 

The opening gallery, “Stories of Survivors,” was a special exhibition that allowed LCC students to share their personal stories and highlighted stories of other peace heroes who have shown resilience in different areas of life around the globe.  

Our “Panel of Stories” gave voice to four LCC students to share their stories of surviving and thriving, on journeys through and out of violence. The panel shed light on stories of poverty and child labour in Afghanistan, femicide in Albania, hatred towards the queer community, and domestic violence. “International Peace Days spread a loud awareness message about resilience and domestic violence; story panels made me emotional and motivated me to be a better person and understand the pain of individuals who went through traumatic experiences in their life” shared LCC 3rd year IRD student and Peace Center volunteer Vilius Višinskis. During the event, the peace center introduced “Thursdays in Black”.  This is a World Council of Churches advocacy campaign now running at LCC that aims to raise awareness in solidarity and constructive resistance to support victims of gender-based violence. 

“Minute of Silence” is a Peace Wave tradition taking place around the globe. It promotes reflections on the ideas of peace, unity, and solidarity. This year the minute of silence was also expressed through an interfaith group of LCC students, faculty and staff as the community gathered to remember countries in conflict praying give us peace- with the song “Dona Nobis Pacem “Releasing the Flames” was an extraordinary performance by the Lithuanian dancer Gina Žukauskienė inviting people to look at love as an effort rather than a feeling. A discussion followed about the power of love in our lives. 

International Peace Days this year was a reminder that our world needs peace. The focus of cultivating a culture of peace allowed us to come together as a community and acknowledge violence at all levels of society. As a way of laying the groundwork for peace, LCC students, faculty, and staff visited brave and vulnerable spaces to express unique and strong stories of resilience and thriving.