The World Collegiate Association for the Research of the Principles (W-CARP) Philippines took part in the recent celebration of the 3rd International Day of Peace on September 21, 2007, Friday with Service For Peace (SFP) Philippines in the advocacy of the United Nations' call for a one day cessation of animosities and hostilities in all countries and combatants everywhere around the globe. In a letter from the office of the Secretary-General, United Nations, New York, USA anent to the said occasion, it is indicated that the day is meant to be a global cease-fire, a twenty-four hour respite from fear and insecurity elicited by conflicts plaguing so many places around the world.

The occasion is also said to be an opportunity to take stock of everyone's efforts to promote peace and well-being for all people everywhere, to appreciate what have so far been already accomplished and to revitalize and encourage stakeholders in peace-building work to dedicate more themselves to all that remains to be done. Concurrently, said occasion brought into the line the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) to instigate and spearhead locally the annual celebration of the National Peace Consciousness in the whole month of September of every year. In a message from the Office of the President, Malacanan Palace, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commended OPAPP for calling the entire Filipino community to observe the celebration with much hope and enthusiasm and align with the worldwide outcry of the United Nations for world peace.

She lauded, at the same time, welcomed the participation of the youth sector in such endeavor, being an important component of a national peace constituency that works to keep the torch of peace burning. Declaring with the theme, "Para sa Kabataan at Kinabukasan: Kapayapaan, Atin To!" (Literally, For Our Youth and Our Future: Peace is Ours!), she further pointed out that the observance affords our youth the opportunity to preserve the gains of the peace process and to take stock in building a peaceful and progressive society.

As the main convener in celebrating the International Day of Peace locally, SFP Philippines together with its affiliates organized related activities and service projects in five different locations through its key programs, Leadership through Service and Muslim-Christian Cooperation. Service projects were conducted in two different Gawad Kalinga (G.K. literally means ˜to give care) villages in Quezon City: GK Escopa and GK Laura; one in a Muslim community, Brgy. Culiat, Tandang Sora, Quezon City ; and a clean-up drive was initiated and held by the Wesleyan University of the Philippines (WUP) in their different respective college premises.

After the service project, WUP organized a formation of peace symbol in their campus ground and the signing of local declaration with the Cabanatuan City Mayor and University President making September 21st a school holiday. Sun Hwa International Academy Foundation (SHIAF) joined the celebration by taking part in the simultaneous one-minute silence and prayer for peace, ringing of bells, lighting of peace candles and releasing of peace balloons at 12 noon of the day all over the world.

On the other hand, W-CARP Philippines shared the same spirit with SFP Philippines by sending its volunteers from its service-learning-oriented project, Bayanihang Kabataan para sa Kaunlaran ng Bayan (B.K.K.B.- Literally, Youthful Heroism for the Progress of the Nation) in the first three locations mentioned above. Student volunteers came from different colleges and universities within the National Capital Region (NCR) and the Unification Theological Seminary-Asia through the invitation by Dr. Aldrin Nituma, National President, W-CARP Philippines.

It is part of W-CARP's initiatives in becoming an active partner in the global inter-cultural and inter-generational peace-building efforts of its affiliate organizations espousing the United Nations' ends to extenuate, if not eradicate, the intensity of friction between and among conflicting nations or parties in all levels or aspects of human relationships. As an international campus-based student organization whose objective is to become a vanguard in raising conscientious young student leaders who will stand up as positive global change catalysts carrying the battle cry of transforming the world into one God-centered human family, W-CARP Philippines intends through its involvement in the said occasion to encourage and scout potential and deserving student leaders for appointment as Collegiate Ambassadors for Peace, a joint-project with the Universal Peace Federation (Abel-type UN). Collegiate Ambassadors for Peace is a global college student-based network of leaders representing the religious, racial and ethnic diversity of the human family, as well as all disciplines of human endeavor.

All appointees become part of the global student movement, Student Peace-building Corps. The occasion culminated with the assembly of all volunteers from the NCR service projects in the afternoon at 3:00 o'clock pm for the "Musikapayapaan" (A Night of Music for Peace), a live band show down, in San Andres Sports Complex, Malate, Manila. The program commenced with ecumenical prayers by the representatives of different religious groups and a video doxology duet by famous Opera singers, Josh Groban and Charlotte Church, "Prayer". Following the video rendition of the Philippine National Anthem, the energetic emcee, Ms. Haidy Alizan, Past President, Rotaract Club Manila Bay, did a roll call to all volunteers from different projects in the assembly and gave an overview of the International Day of Peace.

A video showing of the different service projects that took place earlier part of the day and a documentary video about the host of the projects, SFP Philippines, were also presented introducing its history, vision and mission statements, four affirmations and their key programs. Present to give their messages of peace were guest speakers Mrs. Alizan, Chairman, Brgy. San Andres Bukid; Roberto Ross, President, Rotary Club of Manila Bay; An OPAPP representative, Major Ebra M. Moxier, Al-Haj President, Imam Council of the Philippines; A representative from the office of the City Mayor of Manila on behalf of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim; and Dr. Samuel M. Salvador, VP for Academic Affairs, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila. Gov. Leonida Baby Bayani Ortiz, Red Cross Chairman of the Board of Directors, SFP Philippines was also present in the earlier part of the program but had to leave earlier for an important commitment.

W-CARP Philippines Headquarter staff were also present supporting the event: Dr. Edmon Pacson, VP for Education, Witnessing and Outreach; Dr. Ann Marlita Montejo-Arevalo, Acting VP for Leadership Development; Ms. Sharleen Estiandan, Secretary-General and the W-CARP Philippines NCR Regional Directors from the various WCARP Centers in NCR. Nonetheless, SFP Philippines, utilizing the goals and objectives of the International Day of Peace celebration, linked the activity as a build-up promotional opportunity advertising to and encouraging everyone who attended the assembly to support the upcoming Global Peace Festival rally on December 4-6, 2007.

After the peace messages of the guest speakers, the 2nd part of the program commenced with the presentation of talents by the winners of W-CARP's Inter-Collegiate Sing and Dance Competition held just the day before the International Day of Peace, September 20, 2007 in Rizal Technological University-Mandaluyong.

They performed as opening acts before the live band showdown proper. After showcasing their winning pieces, the Tong IL Moo Do National Demonstration Team also presented their breathtaking martial arts ballet skills. The live band showdown formally started at 6 o'clock pm. Eighteen bands, mostly composed of young members, played in the whole course of the showdown. Each of them performed their three mostly original pieces of composition advocating peace. The whole night was a lively jamboree of youthful passion, an occasion also for both modern and ethnic cultural exchanges through music mostly of underground type.

Young audiences were truly exhilarated especially with contemporary performances rendered by the bands. In wrapping up to conclusion, the day's event was very successful with the cooperation and preferential support of the program's host affiliates and needless to say, the all-out investment of SFP staffs headed by Dr. Caroline NiÃonuevo-Alzate, National Executive Director, SFP Philippines in organizing the program. In the nutshell, the celebration's aims which emphasized to make peace not just a priority but a personal passion transforming enmities into an opportunity for reconciliation and strengthening bonds in human relationships regardless of cultural, ethnic, racial or religious differences were sent across to peacemaking stakeholders concerns and considerations through the charismatic and sincere efforts exerted by SFP staffs and its support groups.