Five people and two organizations will receive awards during the 20th annual Peace Day Awards ceremony in Desert Hot Springs this weekend, coinciding with International Day of Peace.
The free event will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at Miracle Springs Resort Joshua Tree Room, 10625 Palm Drive.
The ceremony will have opening remarks on peace from Cathedral City Councilwoman Rita Lamb and will introduce Stephanie Manesis, director and producer of Zen Lily Films, as this year’s keynote speaker.
Additional speakers will include Bob McKechnie of the Cathedral City Peace Initiative and Desert Hot Springs Councilman Gary Gardner.
The recipients of the Peace Day awards will include:
— Marcie Maxwell, former state representative of Washington;
— USO of the Desert;
— Palm Desert Councilwoman Karina Quintanilla;
— Joshua Dunn, Gaza ceasefire activist;
— Anyse Smith, community leader;
— Rev. James Bowes of Peace Lutheran Church in Palm Desert;
— Inland Coalition for Immigration Justice in San Bernardino.
The ceremony is co-sponsored by Jon Castro Veterans for Peace Chapter and American Veterans Post 66 of Palm Springs, and will be open to the public with light food and refreshments available.
International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly “to devote specific time to concentrate the efforts of the Unites Nations and its member states, as well as the whole of mankind, to promoting the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all visible ways,” city officials said in a statement.
This year’s Peace Day’s theme is “Act Now for a Peaceful World: Cultivating a Culture of Peace.”