Join us on Saturday, Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, for a community celebration of peacemaking. We will assemble at 5:15 pm in front of the Bennington Town Hall, next to the Peace Park, where we will begin with a few moments of silence for all victims of war. This will be followed by readings of quotes and short passages from old and new peace activists- from Gandhi to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Come share in these important reflections; if you wish, bring a short reading of your choosing.

Following the gathering, we will walk to the Unitarian Meetinghouse on School St. for light refreshments & a 6:30 pm screening of the documentary film, A Bold Peace. The film will be introduced by Dr. Joseph Olejak of the Old Chatham (NY) Quaker Meeting.

Regarding A Bold Peace, director Matthew Eddy writes, "Over 65 years ago, when Costa Rica became the largest nation in the world to disband their military, they redirected national resources towards public education and universal health care, fostering a wide middle class and a society committed to inclusion. Since then, Costa Rica has earned the number one spot in the Happy Planet Index, a ranking of countries based on measures of environmental protection and the happiness and health of its citizens. This documentary brings attention to Costa Rica's inspirational national project, examining the true value of happiness, health, and nonviolence as a defense policy. Pointed contrasts are made with recent U.S. debates over austerity, the military industrial complex and the "permanent war" economy."

This International Day of Peace event is sponsored by the Greater Bennington Peace and Justice Center, in coordination with Campaign Nonviolence, a project of Pace e Bene, and co-sponsored by the Old Chatham Quaker Meeting.

Admission is free and open to the public. For more information please visit our website at www.greaterbenningtonpeaceandjusticecenter.org