On Sunday the 18th of September, YHA South Australia will host the third annual YHA Adelaide Peace Festival in Light Square.  The Adelaide Peace Festival is commemorating World Peace Day - The United Nations International day of Peace (the 21st) and raising awareness of "Peace One Day" (www.peaceoneday.org)

Light Square in the city will be brought to life with a showcase of live music, dance, visual art and roving performance as well as a spread of stall holders offering everything from hot chips to henna!   The Australian Youth Hostel Association (YHA) is a not-for-profit international budget accommodation and travel organisation provided mainly to promote and educate peace, understanding and tolerance between all people.

The festival is dedicated to celebrating peace with music, dance, activities, workshops, food, information and much more. Festivities commence at 12 pm until 8pm AND IT’S ALL FREE!

Peace One Day all began about 6 years ago when British actor and filmmaker Jeremy Gilley made a documentary about his quest for world peace. Jeremy spent years writing letters, persuading politicians and tirelessly filming everything he did. In 2001 the UN Assembly declared that beginning 2002, the International Day of Peace should be observed on the 21st of September each year, as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence - An invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during that day.

”If you build a house you start with a brick. If we want to build peace why not start with one day?...” Jeremy Gilley (founder of Peace One Day)

Steve Cannane, presenter for Triple J's current affairs show "Hack" will be taking time out of his busy schedule to host the event.   Senior Kaurna Elder Georgina Williams will open the festival with a Kaurna greeting and share some of her poetry.

Sydney musician Lior (Triple J Hottest 100 and first nomination for the Triple J inaugural ‘J Awards’ for Album Of The Year) will be taking the stage in the early afternoon.  Lior is one of the few Australian artists to be selected for the world circuit of WOMAD festivals.  Lior of Middle Eastern heritage, an influence close to the surface of his music.  His debut album released last year is entitled "Autumn Flow."  

“What an absolute gem of an album. At times its so beautifully intimate it feels like Lior is whispering in your ear…” - Kathy Mcabe, The Daily Telegraph."

Sophie Koh (Triple J unearthed) from Melbourne and a seasoned performer, will charm you with her sweet melodies.  Sophie's debut album is entitled "All The Pretty Boys."  Thami Soli (Thami Mlotshwa and the Trio D'Afrique) recently performed at the 2004 Adelaide Fringe, and the Kool Kat Club at the Cabaret Festival this year. He has been described as

"So brilliant an entertainer that he could easily command a football stadium-sized audience... he charms unforgettably with an angelic voice, rascally humour and all-round flamboyance." Adelaide Review, 2004.

Thami performed along with our home-grown favourite crooners Problem Pony.  The Ponies recently launched their second album called "To catch the moon" which is a sweet melancholic array of lilting melodies that will charm even the hardest souls. Their buddies The Yearlings who also recently launched their second album "Wind Already Blown" performed at the Harvest festival earlier this year, will continue the mood with their flowing harmonies of love and loss.  The Casio Brothers  (The Swedish masters of hip hop) will bring a smile to your face as soon as they walk on stage - with such boundless energy and enthusiasm they get any crowd going, in fact they recently appeared on Australian Idol.  Trochus is a five piece ska/reggae band drawing together talents from a wide cross section of musicians from Adelaide and as far north as Cooktown and the Torres Strait. Their songs reflect the socio political, environmental and human rights issues of people all over the world highlighting those specifically of the indigenous people of Australia. Our other very special guests include Drum Atweme, a drumming group of 7-12 year olds from Alice Springs combining Afro/Cuban and Brazilian samba with their local indigenous dialect. 

Between musical events there will be performances by Studio Flamenco, Las Chicas Bombas, Soul Capoeira, Cultural Fusion (Sudan) and Japanese Dance Theatre. From Port Adelaide we have the Kurruru Dancers who are a group of young Indigenous women performing contempory dance. Plus drumming from Ataru Taru Taiko and The Amazing Drumming Monkeys.  If all that wasn't enough to keep you busy we have live art, henna & face painting, fire twirlers, juggling, clowns and kids fun stuff, clothing, books, ceramics, prints, African jewellery, Nepalese Fair Trade goods.  Also participating on the day will be Conservation Volunteers, Oxfam, World Vision, Amnesty International, Engineers Without Borders, Peace Not War Music Project, Wilderness Society, Urban Forests Million Trees Programme and heaps more. Tafe SA Adelaide Campus will also be marking this day as the opening to their multicultural week. If you are into a bit of activity, will also have volleyball, table tennis and bocce - so why not get a team together?

In between the music and festivities you can relax and indulge at the Healing Arts Village. A peaceful retreat of healers, clairvoyants, body workers and aura-readers available all day to pamper and soothe your body mind and soul.

So bring your blanket and grab some of the wide variety of food available on the day, sit back relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere ....

Enjoy!

The purpose of International Peace Day

Koffi Annan - Secretary General of the United Nations - speaks about the purpose of International Peace Day: ("Real" format live video stream, get free alternative player here)

View a transcript of the speech here