KAPA‘A — What are you doing at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21?
The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai‘i and its statewide network of Buddhist temples, the United Nations Association of Hawai‘i, and the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa KTUH radio station station invite everyone to Ring Your Bell for Peace Day at 9:01 a.m. Sept. 21.
“We envision this as an opportunity for all the people of Hawai‘i and the world to come together as one ‘ohana to promote peace during these very-challenging times in all of our lives,” said Rene Mansho, the Peace Day Committee Chair from the Honpa Hongwanji.
“It will be amazing to hear bells ringing at the same time for peace! We welcome our partners, the United Nations Association of Hawai‘i and the University of Hawai‘i KTUH radio,” she said.
On Kaua‘i, the West Kaua‘i Hongwanji, Lihu‘e Hongwanji and Kapa‘a Hongwanji will be participating in the Peace Day bell-ringing, and Kaua‘i people seeking further information can contact those temples.
Additionally, Roberta Yanagawa, the Kaua‘i Peace Day Committee representative, said invitations to join the event have been sent to the governors of all 50 states as well as the mayors of all the Hawaiian Islands.
Mansho said participation in the Peace Day bell-ringing from a participating temple, church, school, home, or favorite place is easy — all a person needs is a bell to ring, a smart phone, computer or other device and connect with other participants via Zoom.
Registration can be done online at hongwanjihawaii.com/peaceday2021/, contact Mansho at 808-291-6151, or email her at renemansho@hawaii.rr.com.
Once registered, instruction on set-up and joining the event will be sent.
Participants will log in through Zoom from 8:15 a.m. Sept. 21 for the bell-ringing that will be preceded by kane ka pu, or sounding of the conch shell, and pule (prayer), and a Minute of Silence to honor all who sacrificed to achieve peace.
At 9:01 a.m., bells around the world will sound for five minutes, with viewing on Zoom.
The sounding will be followed with Sharing Peace with the 2021 Ambassador for Peace Day Jake Shimabukuo, who will be performing Songs of Peace, along with Hawai‘i’s Queen of Music Melveen Leed.
In 2007, the Honpa Hongwanji Mission and its affiliated temples were part of the Hawai‘i state participation in Peace Day, the first state in the country to join more than 200 countries from around the world and the United Nations General Assembly in the day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace.
“The Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple will be participating in the Hongwanji event, just like we did last year,” said Gerald Hirata of the Kaua‘i Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji in Hanapepe.
“Due to COVID-19, the peace events were scaled down, with no gatherings taking place. There will be no public gathering by the school students for the bell-ringing or the decorating of the Kannon Peace Statue with cranes created by students from schools in the Westside complex. At the Kaua‘i Soto Zen, the World Peace Kannon will be a visual reminder of peace as we celebrate and strengthen the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples, decorate the World Peace Kannon statue with cranes created by students from schools in the Westside complex, and commemorate peace.”
The decorated World Peace Kannon statue will be available for viewing and reflection through Sunday, Sept. 26.
The Immaculate Conception Church in Kapaia will also join the bell ringing Sept. 21.
Hirata said both the Interfaith Roundtable of Kaua‘i and The Storybook Theatre of Hawai‘i will be hosting virtual events through Zoom.
The IROK event will be live on facebook.com/interfaithroundtableofkauai, and Zoom (meeting credentials available through the IROK website, interfaithroundtableofkauai.org) on Sept. 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. featuring engaging storytellers, a puppet show and songs of peace.
The Storybook Theatre is inviting all children on Kaua‘i to express their feelings and thoughts for “World Peace in Our Lifetime,” a goal stated by the late and former U.S. Sen. Spark M. Matsunaga.
Children are encouraged to write a cinquain poem that will be recited on The Storybook Theatre’s live stream Facebook and YouTube channels on Sept. 21 starting at 12:30 p.m.
Additionally, there will be five cinquain poems selected for excellence that will be recognized and read aloud on the Sept. 21 programming.
Terri Donovan Mansfield and the St. Catherine Church in Kapa‘a will host a short ceremony on Sept. 21 starting at 9 a.m. at the Peace Pole located on the church property.
During the ceremony, church officials will add new international prayers for peace representing the St. Catherine School grades to the peace pole, and following blessings, will close by reciting “May Peace Prevail on Earth” three times to connect with Interfaith Healing Prayer sister parish the Casa in Scottsdale, Ariz., that will be dedicating their Peace Pole on Sept. 21.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
