Rita Offutt, Editor

From Sept. 21 – Oct. 21, the International Council of Young Lasallians (ICYL) is hosting the 15th annual International Lasallian Days for Peace (ILDP). This year the theme is “Rise Together for Peace!” and the five weeks of the event will be marked by virtual activities to encourage reflection on inequality, isolation, peace and hope.

On Sept. 21, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, the Lasallian Region of North America offered an Opening Prayer Vigil and the global Lasallian community celebrated the start of the ILDP through a global online launch. Resources provided by the District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta Young Lasallians Council outline activities for each day of the ILDP. The activities are separated into five slideshows that correspond with each of the five weeks of the event. Each day has a different prompt and reflective questions on how to incorporate peace into daily living.

An article about the ILDP from La Salle University is featured on the website for The Brothers of the Christian Schools District of Eastern North America. In the article, Br. Ernest Miller describes the ILDP as “an annual opportunity to provide a globally shared period for Lasallians to commit to building peace.” He goes on to say that La Salle University students, faculty, and staff can foster peace in their lives by “[adopting] a personal commitment to the practice of nonviolence and reconciliation. Adopt a personal commitment to justice creation. We need to see everyday life as not simply ordinary, but the space in which the meaning of existence is disclosed in day-to-day activities and relationships. Beginning in our neighborhood, on our campus, in our family, and in our networks of friends, we must strive to build a wholesome community environment by practicing radical hospitality and inclusion of all peoples—helping others to live well together.”

On Oct. 6, La Salle University is hosting a one-hour virtual event entitled “The Quest for our Shared Humanity: Lasallians as Artisans of Peacebuilding” as part of the International Lasallian Days for Peace. More information can be found on the university calendar on the myLaSalle portal.