For Immediate Release:
July 25, 2007

Contact: Barry Gruber – 212-799-2244

UNIVERSAL PEACE DAY – Sunday, August 5th, 2007

THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMBING OF HIROSHIMA

Join a day-long FREE event beginning at the Central Park Bandshell,
and continuing at the NY Buddhist Church & The Riverside Church
featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Iron Chef Morimoto and a Hiroshima Survivor

Peace Concert at Central Park Bandshell* – (entrance 72nd Street)
Noon - 5 pm, Music, Poetry, Dance with performers from Japan & the US
with Kathleen Chalfant, Shinji Harada, Ray Korona Band, Laraaji & others.
*if rain, the event will be at 1PM at the NY Buddhist Church

Hiroshima & Nagasaki Commemoration Ceremony
at The New York Buddhist Church – (331-332 Riverside Drive at 105th St)
5:30 pm - Film: “The Lost Generation”
6:00 pm - Interfaith Peace Memorial Gathering
7:15 pm - Candle Lighting & Peace Bell Ceremony (at exact moment of the bombing)
7:20 pm - Silent Peace Walk to:

Interfaith Peace Ceremony & Concert
at The Riverside Church – (490 Riverside Drive between 120 -122 Sts)
8:00 pm - Interfaith Service, Music, Dance and Hiroshima Survivor with Iron Chef Morimoto, Hiroshima Survivor Koji Kobayashi and David Amram
Hosted by Randi Rhodes of Air-America Radio

New York City – August 5, 2007 – Universal Peace Day transforms a remembrance of horror into a re-dedication of life. Join a day-long free event to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Sunday, August 5th. The event begins at noon at the Central Park Bandshell (72nd Street) with numerous performers from Japan and the US. At 6:00PM at the New York Buddhist Church, there will be an Interfaith Peace Memorial Gathering and at the exact moment of the Hiroshima bombing (7:15PM), a Candle-lighting and Peace Bell Ceremony will take place. Followed by a Silent Peace Walk to The Riverside Church, where there will be an interfaith service, speakers and performers from Japan and the US.

At the Central Park Bandshell (72nd Street) from noon-5:00 PM, there will be a concert and speakers - among the participants are: Tony nominee Kathleen Chalfant, Japanese rock-star Shinji Harada, Magpie, Moogy Klingman (co-writer of You Got to Have Friends), Ray Korona, Laraaji and Hiroshima survivor, Koji Kobayashi, as well as traditional Japanese Dancers, IchiFuji-kai and Japanese Drummers, Taiko Masala.

At the NY Buddhist Church (Riverside Drive & 105 St.), beginning at 5:30 PM, film showing of "Lost Generation.” At 6:00 PM, there will be a Memorial Service led by Rev. TK Nakagaki, and performances, music, poetry and testimonies, featuring Seizan Sakata (bamboo flute), Russell Daisy and Carletta Joy Walker. At 7:15pm (the exact moment of the bombing), there wil be a Candle-lighting and Peace Bell Ceremony, followed by a Silent Peace Walk to The Riverside Church.

At 8:00 PM at The Riverside Church (Riverside Drive & 120 St.), Randi Rhodes of Air America radio will host the event. There will be an interfaith service, performances and speakers including Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto, born in Hiroshima; Koji Kobayashi, hibakshua (Hiroshima survivor); David Amram, multi-instrumentalist; Shinji Harada, Japanese rock star; and Bunken Nagano, Japanese classical guitarist.

The concept of UNIVERSAL PEACE DAY is to bring people around the world together to share their vision of peace. The legacy of UNIVERSAL PEACE DAY, sponsored by ART FOR THE PEOPLE, began in 1984 in Central Park where Peter Yarrow and others performed, followed by a candle-lighting ceremony at the exact moment of the Hiroshima bombing. The New York Buddhist Church, (the center of Japanese community since 1938) has observed Hiroshima/Nagasaki on August 5th for the last 13 years. The Riverside Church has historically been an active leader of promoting peace in the city.

This day-long free event is co-sponsored by The Riverside Church, The New York Buddhist Church, and The Universal Peace Initiative.

For more information: univpeaceday@aol.com, www.universalpeaceday.com, or call 212-799-2244

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