By Julie Mandoyan | September 19, 2012 - 16:00 GMT 
For its first involvement in an outreach event to mark Peace Day, the Latin American office of Global Truce NGO Coalition coordinator Interpeace will join several other civil society organizations in Guatemala to construct a ‘chain for peace.’
Around 2,000 individuals are expected to meet in downtown Guatemala City. The ambitious goal of the event is to form a human chain 17 blocks long, beginning at a peace monument in front of the municipal headquarters and ending at the peace monument outside the National Culture Palace. Each individual ‘link’ in the chain will be given the possibility to pass along a rose to the next person. At the end of the chain, a white rose bouquet will be placed at the Peace Monument with the message ‘peacebuilding is everyone’s commitment and involvement.’ In addition to individuals participating on behalf of local NGOs, it is expected that artists, athletes, intellectuals and national leaders will also take part in the activity.
Guatemala represents a particularly meaningful setting in which to celebrate Peace Day. With the northern triangle of Central America a stage of recurrent violence and a continuing crisis in institutional trust, citizen involvement in Peace Day is a means to bring together different organizations around one simple call for peace based on shared values and tolerance and respect of diversity.
Some further reflections on the peacebuilding work being undertaken by Interpeace in Guatemala can be found in an article from our most recent issue.
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