About Peace Day

46th Anniversary of Peace Day Chicago
Monday, September 23, 2024. 11:30 am - 1:00 pm.
Daley Plaza - 50 West Washington Street, Chicago.
Free! All welcome!

  • World Peace Flag Ceremony and Interactive Call to Peace

  • Live world music and cultural performances

  • One Minute of Silence for World Peace

  • Remarks on peace by local leaders

  • Peacebuilding, cultural and community
    organizations on hand for networking

VOLUNTEER FOR PEACE DAY! Learn about Volunteer opportunities here.

CARRY A FLAG IN THE PEACE DAY CEREMONY! Apply to carry a flag here.

Chicago pioneered the celebration of Peace Day and serves as a model for cities throughout the world. Three years before the United Nations established the International Day of Peace through a resolution in November of 1981, Chicago officially created Peace Day on September 7, 1978. Peace Day Chicago has been held in cooperation with the U.N. International Day of Peace since the first U.N. observance on September 21, 1982.

In addition to the public Peace Day celebration in Daley Plaza, we provide resources so that students can engage in Peace Day activities at school. Learn about our in-school Peace Day activities here.

The Peace School, the founding organization of Peace Day Chicago, is a U.N. Peace Messenger organization. The Peace School formed the Chicago Build the Peace Committee in 2008 to work in close cooperation with other organizations dedicated to peacebuilding with the support of public figures who serve as the committee’s Honorary Co-Chairs.

CHICAGO BUILD THE PEACE COMMITTEE
Honorary Chair: Mayor Brandon Johnson

Honorary Co-Chairs

Nancy Andrade, Chair/Commissioner, Chicago Commission on Human Relations

James L. Bennett, Director, Illinois Department of Human Rights

Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia, U.S. Congressman, 4th District of Illinois

Pedro Martinez, Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools

Amb. Reyna Torres Mendivil, Consul General of Mexico; Dean, Chicago Consular Corps

Maria Pappas, Cook County Treasurer

Toni Preckwinkle, President, Cook County Board

Juan Salgado, Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago

Committee 

Jennifer Kim, Committee Chair, The Peace School

Victoria C. Brady, ABJ Civic Arts Center

Henry Cervantes, The Peace Exchange

Mónica Félix, Ph.D., Chicago Cultural Alliance

Debbie Ferruzzi, Humanity Rising

Lydia Howe, The Peace School

Sana’a Hussien, United Nations Association – Chicago

Patricia Merryweather-Arges, Rotarians in Action in Chicago

Nitha F. Nagubadi, Psy.D., Culture City

Michael Ma, WorldChicago

Burrell Poe, Chicago Peace Fellows

Haldis Toppen, Greenheart International

Credell Walls, Forest Preserve District of Cook County