In conjunction with 140 International Cities of Peace around the world, the Sedona International City of Peace invites the community to participate in the global International Day of Peace on Wednesday, Sept. 21, and celebratory peace week events beginning Saturday, Sept. 17, and concluding Sunday, Sept. 25.

This year, numerous groups and organizations are celebrating peace throughout the Sedona community and beyond. Almost all the events are open to the public.

Everyone is invited to engage in making our world a more peaceful place especially during these troubling times. Here is the lineup of events:

Saturday, Sept. 17. Northern Arizona Restorative Justice, Peace starts with the individual, Ways to Live Restoratively, features online accessible practices developed by Howard Zehr, Restorative Justice pioneer. These will be posted throughout Sedona Peace Week on the NARJ website and Facebook page. These useful practices can be used immediately by anyone at anytime, and will create a more peaceful world starting from the inside out. Visit NARJ.com for more information.

Sundays, Sept. 18 and 25. Yogic Secret to World Peace — Singing and Chanting for Peace at the Sedona Kirtan Yoga Center. The singing and chanting of sacred mantras for world peace through kirtan will take place as well as a conversation titled The Yogic Secret to World Peace, followed by a delicious vegetarian dinner. Both events are offered free of charge, and open to all. The center is located at 3270 White Bear Drive, next to the Sedona Public Library. For further information, contact 399-9853 or 649-5868.

Sunday, Sept. 18. Silent Peaceful Meditation. Martin Birrittella, author of the “Field of Love” and founder of the Free Process, invites everyone to a 45-minute silent self-directed meditation period. Bathe in silence and reset the nervous system. Arrive on time.

Call 204-0067 for further information. This event will be held at 9 a.m. at the McLean Meditation Institute, 411 SR 179 in Sedona.

Monday, Sept. 19. Peace: The Personal Aspects, Lori Rubenstein. This 10-minute free peace talk and meditation led by Rubenstein, forgiveness teacher and board member of the Sedona International City of Peace will be held at 9 a.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 20. Fall Equinox Crystal Bowl Meditation and Peace Pole Re-dedication. The planet needs your energy now. Everyone will have a chance to play the bowls and send out the intention of compassion, acceptance, peace and harmony. Meditation will be followed by potluck. Call 284-4177 to RSVP to Luna VanAtta, Village of Oak Creek, 10 a.m to noon.

Wednesday, Sept. 21. Peace Day. There will be a brief talk on how to use the Stupa for Peace, followed by a led Tonglen [sending and receiving] Meditation by Ani Miranda, and concluding with a fire puja beginning at 9 a.m. at the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park, 2650 Pueblo Drive in West Sedona.

Everyday Peace, sponsored by Goldenstein Gallery and L’Auberge de Sedona in honor of the International Day of Peace. Intention setting ceremony and  dedication of a Wheel of Compassion sculpture by Sedona artist Sherab Khandro. “Imagine” by John Lennon will be performed by Suzi Schomaker. Linda Goldenstein will explain the wheel and a meditation will be led by Khandro.

Guests will have the opportunity to write their intentions down and place them in a bowl next to the wheel and spin the wheel. Inspired by the Tibetan Prayer Wheel, it is a contemporary sculpture by a Western artist formally trained in the sacred arts. The names of guests and staff will be housed in a special chamber at the base of the wheel itself to receive the billions of prayers released for peace, love and compassion as the wheel is turned. This event will be held from 11 to 11:30 a.m. at L’Auberge; carpooling is recommended.

Golf for Peace will be held at Oak Creek Country Club beginning at 9 a.m. There will be 100 Sedona City of Peace flags with blanks for the golfer’s names, and $200 in pro-shop gifts for the winners. Call Heather at 284-1660 at the Oak Creek Country Club to enter.

Peace by Piece. Students in Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek will make six-inch peace squares depicting what peace means to them or how they contribute to peace. All the squares will be connected to make a large quilt and displayed at the Sedona Performing Arts Center on Sept. 21 for students. The Sedona Chamber Ballet will present a five-minute mixed media piece to original music composed by Claudia Tulip, Deborah Williams and Rachel Kimber. Achmed Valk choreographed the work, Peace Beats, which will be danced by three Sedona children: Mari

Chang, Jessica LeBlanc and Miguel Jose Maldonado against the backdrop of Andrea Smith’s paintings.

There will also be a showing the film, “Peace by Piece,” and a peace song performed by singer/songwriter Adalia Tara. Nearly 800 children will all identify their squares by putting a sticker on them. Plans include a Skype call with Roger and Debbie Clemmons, who have also been conducting a Peace by Piece event in Houston. Glenn Scarpelli is the master of ceremonies.

Presentation of First Sedona International Day of Peace Award. The Sedona International City of Peace team will announce its first Sedona International Day of Peace Award. This year’s award will be presented to Patrick Schweiss at Pat’s Fabulous 50th Fiesta.

Mountain View Preparatory. Two lunchtime and one afternoon Drumming for Peace circles led by Lansing Day, Margaret Joy Weaver and the Interact Club for over 100 students as part of the youth-inspired Cottonwood International City of Peace activities. This is a closed event for students and teachers.

Thursday, Sept. 22. Come to Unity of Sedona at 6:30 p.m. for a special screening of  “Peace Pilgrim: An American Sage,” an incredible woman’s journey. The Peace Pilgrim was a mysterious lady who gave up her home, possessions and security to wander through the United States and Canada for nearly 30 years and 30,000 miles in the name of peace. Equipped with only a toothbrush, comb and the clothes on her back for her personal mission for peace, she relied on the kindness of strangers, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food. Those lucky enough to have known her were changed forever by her simple but cheerful presence and the profound message she shared: “This is the way of peace: Overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” This is a story about a powerful little woman who literally “walked her talk,” a special soul, still remembered and honored today for her dedication to peace. A $5 love offering is suggested with proceeds to be donated to Friends of Peace Pilgrim. The film will be shown in the sanctuary at Unity of Sedona, located at 65 Deer Trail Drive in West Sedona.

Friday, Sept. 23. Rabbi Alicia Magal will lead a Shabbat Service at 7:30 p.m. dedicated to peace at the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, located at 100 Meadowlark Drive in Sedona.  All are invited and welcome to attend. As we lead up to the high holidays, we are given the rich opportunity to reflect on the past year, and clean out the emotional and spiritual “crumbs” of our mistakes, misunderstandings and missteps that may have caused friction or hurt in our relationships, according to Magal.

Peace Within and Peace Between. Two days of peacemaking in the Muse House, using powerful tools, imaginations, memories and pens. This is a private event with
Sunday Larson.

Saturday, Sept. 24. Reaching a Peaceful Death through Medical Aid in Dying is a presentation on the ultimate peace — a peaceful death. As we all strive for a more peaceful world, a more peaceful country and a more peaceful life, we believe peace should also include the possibility of a more peaceful death ― a death free from lingering pain, intrusive devices and surgery and a body relying solely on the assistance of others. The Northern Arizona Chapter of Compassion & Choices will be presenting a program titled Reaching a Peaceful Death through Medical Aid in Dying. Already legal in several countries and five U.S. states, support for medical aid in dying — formerly referred to as death with dignity — is alive and well in Sedona and the Verde Valley, as well as in the rest of Arizona.

Everyone is welcome to come and share their story, learn more, support these efforts, and get involved in this important issue. This event is free and open to the public; it will be held at
10:30 a.m. in the Community Room at Canyon Mesa, 500 Jacks Canyon Road in the Village of Oak Creek. For information, visit compassionandchoices.org or choicesarizona.org.

Sedona International City of Peace, the 35th of 140 Cities of Peace around the world, was established in 2012 and promotes a culture of peace through events, and projects that seek to raise consciousness, expand connections and engage the community.