Featured photo: Saroja Reddy, coordinator of Genesee County Committee for Community Peace (GCCCP) talked to the Courier about the Annual Peace and Unity Day Celebration
Written by Tanya Terry
Leaders from seven different faiths will initiate prayers one at a time as part of an amazing upcoming event. One hundred or more people are expected to attend the local event centered around peace and unity at the beginning of next month. Saroja Reddy, coordinator of Genesee County Committee for Community Peace (GCCCP) talked to the Courier about the annual event.
“We’re getting two speakers to speak about peace and what is happening in the community,” Reddy said. “Our goal is to get more and more people aware of what is happening in our own area. We hope when people talk about what they are doing, other people will want to do something because of what they’re doing. We want to educate people and spread peace between people in schools, in the neighborhood and at work. Peace and unity and equality-those are the things that we want.”
Reddy added the speakers for the event are typically from Genesee County.
However, this year, Anu Kosaraju, of Detroit, who serves as a commissioner on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, will also speak.
“Her focus on the commission is hate crime,” Reddy said. “She also chairs the Voting Rights Committee and the Education Equity Committee.”
In addition, Dan Dulin, a psychologist who serves children and families at Mott Children’s Health Center, will speak to event attendees. Dulin holds a degree in humanistic and clinical psychology, according to Reddy.
The event always takes place at the University of Michigan, in Flint, by the Gandhi statue, in Willson Park, on or near Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.
“He stood for peace, not violence-peace and unity,” Reddy said of Gandhi.
Gandhi’s birthday is October 2. This year’s event takes place the day before, on Saturday, October 1.
Reddy will offer the opening remarks, welcoming those in attendance at 9:30 a.m. Two senior students will act as emcees: Aman Taladi and Diya Kanwar.
Reddy explained most of the time the chancellor of the university will speak for a few minutes, followed by universal prayer. According to the University of Michigan Flint’s website, Debasish Dutta is serving as the eighth chancellor of the university-a role he first assumed August 1, 2019.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Flint will play band music in the garden.
Then, the event will move to the Michigan Rooms at the university for a program, usually lasting 1 ½-2 hours.
An award is given every year to someone who is making a difference towards peace in the community. Reddy explained this peacemaker is one who is making an impact not only because of their job, but on their own.
Entertainment will be provided by Indian children who have been taught dancing by Ashoka Rao, according to Reddy.
“They’re going to dance in colorful Indian costumes for three minutes.”
Another group of children will sing a Peace Song.
There will also be a children’s essay writing contest. The children will be asked to answer through their essays what peace means to them on the day of the event.
“We do that every year. We have judges who judge the essay contest.”
For the contest, a first prize will be awarded in each age division of $75, with the second prize being $50 and the third prize being $30. The age divisions for the contest are: 9-12th grade, 6-8th grade and 3rd-5th grade.
After the program, pizza, salad and cookies will be served. In the morning, coffee will also be available.
No reservations are needed.
“Anyone can come and enjoy the program.”
The celebration begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, October 1 at the University of Michigan-Flint, Willson Park, 448 Wallenberg Street.
