The Right to Peace – The Way Forward’
The Manchester Peace Coalition (MPCo) in collaboration with the Manchester Municipal Corporation and the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) started PEACE WEEK on Sept 16 at the Andrews Memorial United Church where the Secretary of MPCo Mrs. Doreth Jones gave a detailed overview of the week’s activities. Mrs Diana McIntyre-Pike, President of the International Institute for Peace (IIPT) Caribbean and Marketing and PR representative for MPCo, shared a special peace message from the Founder and President of the IIPT, Mr. Louis D’Amore who commended the Chairman Dr. Clifton Reid of his outstanding leadership of the Manchester Peace Coalition since its inception in 2013 when the IIPT declared Mandeville as the first Peace Town and Brooks Park as the first Peace Park in the Caribbean.
The theme of the Peace Week activities is THE RIGHT TO PEACE – the way forward, which will feature on September 19 a PUBLIC PANEL DISCUSSION at the Cecil Charlton Hall from 6:00 pm featuring speakers Kimberly Ashley representing Hon. Horace Chang, Minister of Security, Mr. Fitz Jackson Opposition spokesperson for Security, Dr. Clovis Nelson representing the Jamaican Diaspora, Mr. Damian Hutchinson, Peace Management Initiative, Superintendent Wayne Cameron, Jamaica Constabulary Manchester, Mr. Patrick Green representing communities and Ms. Roxanne Whyte representing the youth.
On Friday September 21 – in celebration of World Peace Day, there will be a civic ceremony at the Mandeville Greens with guest speaker from the University of the West Indies, Professor Anthony Harriott at 5:30 pm which will be followed at 8:00 pm with a PEACE VIGIL – candle light and counselling.
On Saturday September 22- Community Peace Games will be held at Brooks Park from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm which will be followed at 7:00 pm with a PEACE CONCERT which is free of cost to the public.
According to the Chairman of MPCo, Dr. Clifton Reid, the proposed plans for the way forward is to establish Manchester as the first Peace parish in Jamaica together with Peace Villages in collaboration with the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) which has also declared Jamaica as the Home of Community Tourism based in Manchester.
For further information: Diana McIntyre-Pike, Marketing & PR President IIPT Caribbean tel: 876-507-6326 – iiptcaribbean@yahoo.com
