40 Days of Peace - endorsed by the Charter for Compassion

2 min to read

The 40 Days of Peace begins January 16th, 2024

For a second year, Compassionate York Region/Richmond Hill is suggesting some activities that can be done for the next 40 days to help instill a preference for peace.

Here's some history and ideas to help instill a priority of peace.

History

In 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community. He spoke to his dreams of an America which would explore remedies that would lead to better jobs, just wages, more than adequate health care, homes for all and equal education. King did not intend for his message to be just for the United States, but it was steeped in hope for a global direction—demanding an end to international suffering and the expectation that common humanity would be able to obtain and live the rights expressed in the 1948 United Nations Declaration for Human Rights.

In his book, King outlined The Triple Evils of POVERTY, RACISM and MILITARISM. These concepts are interrelated, all-inclusive, and stand as barriers to our living in the Beloved Community.

King developed model for social action outlined in the:

Six Steps for Nonviolent Social Change

Information Gathering
Education
Personal Commitment
Negotiation
Direct Action
Reconciliation

The Charter for Compassion participates in the 40 Days of Peace celebrating the extraordinary grassroots, national and global challenges that MLK has charged us to follow. Please read further explanations at 40 Days of Peace (charterforcompassion.org)

Why 40 days?

There are a few explanations to engage in an activity for 40 days:

Cultural or Religious Traditions – e.g. rituals, prayers, fasting, or historical significance (i.e. Noah’s Ark story)
Behavioral Change and Habit Formation - it takes between 21 to 66 days to form a new habit.
The word “quarantine” is derived from the 40 days.

What is Peace?

Can you start this 40 days by defining what peace means to you. There is psychological and societal peace.

And maybe revisit your ideas after 40 days.

If posting to social media is something you do, include the hashtags #40DaysofPeaceCompassionateRichmondHill #40DaysofPeaceCharterforCompassion

Suggested activities

There are places to visit, events to attend, online activities (including a few by the Charter for Compassion), books to read and documentaries to watch to bring peace front of mind.

This will be updated. Suggestions are welcomed.

There is a value for engaging locally. It is saying that peace does prevail here.

Here are 3 Peaceful Symbols to see in Richmond Hill:

Here are activities happening in Richmond Hill during this 40 Days of Peace that espouse the steps for non-violent social change.