NEWPORT, R.I. – Salve Regina University has partnered with Odyssey Networks to support its “A Million Minutes for Peace” campaign.
The campaign invites people of faith and spirit to visit
www.AMillionMinutesforPeace.org and fill out a simple “pledge” promising to pause for one minute at noon on the United Nations International Day of Peace on Sept. 21. Participants then use this time to pray in their own way for both world peace and the inner peace that creates harmony.
Pledges may be made individually or in “block” form on behalf of a congregation, school or group. A list of the pledgers will be presented to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, following his ringing of the Peace Bell at the official observance of the International Day of Peace.
“The Mercy Center, on behalf of the University, is very supportive of this important project,” said Philip Fiadino, pastoral minister and liturgist for Salve Regina’s Mercy Center for Spiritual Life. “War still exists around the globe, and surely prayer is one way to attempt to bring about world peace, harmony and justice. Our hope is that the entire Salve community can join together and pray. Sometimes students tell me they feel helpless in the face of the tragedy of war; this is a way to become involved. It can be a significant step to help alleviate world hunger from more disasters and to stop the shed of blood from needless deaths.”
In addition to the peace pledge the Million Minutes for Peace website offers a unique video prayer wall, containing peace prayers by people from diverse faith groups and many walks of life. Visitors can upload their own video prayers for possible inclusion on the wall.
Resources for promoting peace and living peacefully are also included, along with original videos of peacemakers at work in the world and a daily blog called “The Power of One” that deals with individual stories of actions that are changing the world little by little.
Odyssey is supporting the campaign with bi-lingual (English and Spanish) online advertising, social media, viral marketing with the co-operation of a multitude of partners and faith groups, public r elations, and an award-winning public service announcement that will appear on national television and radio.
Last year’s inaugural effort brought thousands of pledgers from more than 114 countries worldwide.