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POST FESTIVAL Coverage:

• SarahAnderson.Zenfolio.com - 2010 Peace Day Festival Gallery by Sarah Anderson Photography
• BigIslandVideoNews.com - Peace Day Parade (video)
• WestHawaiiToday.com - A Day Of Peace (article)
• StarAdvertiser.com - Island Images(photos)
• DamonTucker.com - The 4th Annual Honoka’a Peace Day Parade (photos)
• BlogTalkRadio.com - Meet Miles Okumura
  

MORE FESTIVAL RELATED PRESS RELEASES:

• HONOKAA TEACHER TO RECEIVE
  STATE 2010 “DISTINGUISHED PEACEMAKER” AWARD

HONOKAA, HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND—Miles Okumura, a teacher at Honokaa High School and Chairman of the Peace Committee of Honokaa Hongwanji, will receive the 2010 Peace Committee Distinguished Peacemaker Award at a special presentation Tuesday, September 21, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  The event, which is free and open to the public (...)

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)

• Poetry Slam Plus Peace Author Captain Paul Chappell
  Part of the Peace Day festivities September 18-19, 2010

HONOKAA, HAWAII-THE BIG ISLAND—The usually quiet Honokaa community will welcome a series of energized events during the week of its 4th Annual Parade & Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace, Sunday, September 19. On tap, a live Poetry Slam for peace, with special appearance and booksigning by peace advocate and US Army veteran Paul Chappell, Saturday September 18, 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Feel My Bean coffee house and restaurant in Honokaa. (...)

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)


• T. KANESHIRO STORE ‘OHANA TO BE HONORED AT “PEACE DAY” PARADE AND FESTIVAL

HONOKAA, HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND—The 4th Annual Parade & Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace will honor the T. Kaneshiro extended family, stalwart community supporters and owner-operators of the landmark T.Kaneshiro Store in Honokaa for over 70 years. Cousins Roland and Gary Kaneshiro, the co-founder and patriarch Tomimasa Kaneshiro (Gary’s father), and other members of the extended ‘ohana including past and present employees, will be featured in the Peace Day Parade on Sunday, September 19, 2010 as “Community Contributors” and this year's “Honored Guests.” (...)

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)

• YOUth: Creating a Peaceful Future
  Win Prizes in the “Peace Poster” Contest for All Students

HONOKAA, HAWAII-THE BIG ISLAND—“Youth and Future” are powerful themes for this year’s Peace Day celebrations around the globe. Young people can focus on creating a more peaceful future, by entering the Peace Poster Contest, part of the 4th Annual Parade & Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace, Sunday, September 19 in Honokaa. (...)

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)

• “PEACE DAY” PARADE AND FESTIVAL GETS READY TO ROLL OUT

HONOKAA, HAWAII’S BIG ISLAND--Downtown Honokaa joins the United Nations International Day of Peace on Sunday, September 19, for the 4th Annual “Peace Day” Parade & Festival. Stepping off at 11:00 a.m. from Honokaa High School, the Parade is a “moving stage” of marching bands, colorful floats, acrobats, performance artists and international dancers. Last year’s Parade featured stilt-walkers, rock & roll music, Honokaa High School Jazz Band, award-winning taiko drum groups, marching bands,marimba music and much more, and was broadcast via a live webcast linked to websites of other Peace Day celebrations around the world.

Click here to view entire press release(Adobe PDF)

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• PEACE, DRUMS AND ROCK & ROLL
  Join the Parade & Festival for United Nations International Day of Peace
  Sunday, September 18, 2011

HONOKAA, HAWAII‐THE BIG ISLAND—Taiko drums, marching bands, bon dance, jazz, rock & roll, hula and more—Honokaa town is tuning up for the 5th Annual Parade & Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace, Sunday, September 18, 2011. Stepping off at 11 a.m. from Honokaa High School, the Peace Day Parade is a “moving stage” of music, dance and entertainment with a message.

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)

• CHILDREN’S PEACE POSTER EXHIBIT AT WAILOA ART & CULTURAL CENTER, HILO
  September 2‐29, 2011

HAWAII‐THE BIG ISLAND—The Wailoa Art & Cultural Center in Hilo will open a colorful new exhibit of creative children’s Peace Posters on Friday, September 2, in its Fountain Gallery. Selected from hundreds of entries from previous years, the collection is provided by the Peace Committee of Honokaa Honpa Hongwanji as an outreach for their annual Parade & Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace (taking place this year on Sunday, September 18).

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)

• The Peace and LOVE in Honoka’a
  Peace Parade to Honor Peace Corps Couples and Volunteers
  Photo by Sarah Anderson

On October 14, 1960, at 2:00 in the morning, Senator John F. Kennedy addressed students on the steps of the University of Michigan Union.

“How many of you who are going to be doctors, are willing to spend your days in Ghana? Technicians or engineers, how many of you are willing to work in the Foreign Service and spend your lives traveling around the world? On your willingness to do that, not merely to serve one year or two years in the service, but on your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country, I think will depend the answer whether a free society can compete. I think it can!” (...)

Click here to view entire press release (Adobe PDF)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Alice Moon, (808) 933-9772
PEACE PARADE AND FESTIVAL BRINGS NATIONAL TALENT TO HONOKA‘A

The 2nd annual Parade and Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace is like no other event on the Big Island. The town of Honoka‘a on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island will join the world in observing the United Nations International Peace Day on Sunday, September 21, 2008, the intent of which is to promote and propagate the values of peace, compassion and interdependence.

The Parade begins at noon featuring a “moving stage” of bands, floats, clubs, school groups, performance artists and dancers who will wind their way down Mamane Street from Honoka‘a High School. Following the parade from 1 to 3 p.m. is a festival celebrating Peace Day in the County Sports Complex with food, vendors, information booths, entertainment and more.

More than 40 groups will perform in the parade and festival this year, including halau hula, bands, taiko drummers, dancers, and other talented performers

The highlight of this year’s parade will be a performance by the Chicago group known as the Jesse White Tumbling Team. Since its inception, more than 10,000 young men and women have benefited from this program, thanks to founder, Jesse White, who is also the Illinois Secretary of State. White established the Jesse White Tumbling Team to serve as a positive alternative for the children residing in Chicago’s public housing communities. He wanted to keep them away from gangs, drugs alcohol and smoking and set the at-risk youth on a path to success. 

This team’s acrobatic performances have been showcased around the world and can frequently be seen during half-time shows for the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and Major League Baseball games. The team has also appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show starring Jay Leno, Good Morning America and more. They have also been featured in the movies, Heaven is a Playground and Ferris Buehler’s Day Off.

Though they have performed all over the world, this is the team’s first trip to Hawaii, thanks to generous a generous sponsorship by American Airlines.

“I’m honored to bring my team to Hawaii,” said White. “They are looking forward to putting on a show that the community can appreciate and will long remember. We are looking forward to visiting the beautiful island of Hawaii.”

Event chairperson, Miles Okumura, said that bringing the Jesse White Tumbling Team to The 2nd annual Parade and Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace is an awesome addition to the event.

"The story of Jesse White’s dedication to the inner city youth of Chicago is awe-inspiring,” said Okumura. “He is one of the most influential public officials in the Sate of Illinois, yet for over 40 years he has maintained his passion and dedication to his tumbling program. I hope the people of Hawaii turn out to show their appreciation when he arrives here with his troupe.”

White himself is also excited to be a part of the message that the parade and festival stand for.

“I’m a long believer that there should be peace among the people and nations of the world,” he said. “I appreciate the thought behind this wonderful and meaningful event and I’m just glad we can be a part of it.” 

Also joining in the parade and festival to share their talents as part of the global community supporting the missions of peace and the values of compassion and interdependence are the Rock Bottom Rock Band, Honoka‘a High School Jazz Band, the award-winning Hui Okinawa Taiko Drum group, YWCA keiki hula halau, Kohala Pathfinders Drill Team, and the Hilo Hongwanji Dharma School Ukulele Orchestra, among others.  Peace will be presented in every form — from an individual to a broader focus on local and planetary community issues.

Last year’s event gave the small community of Honoka‘a a big voice with more than 1,500 people in attendance and news coverage on all the major local television network stations.

Hawaii is the only state to have proclaimed a permanent official Peace Day. Proceeds from the Honoka‘a Parade and Festival will go towards community services, including educational programs, charities, environmental activism programs and various peace initiatives.

The Parade and Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace is presented by the Honokaa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in cooperation with the United Nations and numerous community organizations. Major sponsors include the County of Hawaii, Department of Research and Development — Tourism Division; Hawaii Honpa Honwanji Buddhist Temple; T. Kaneshiro Stores; and Waianuhea Bed & Breakfast, who is sponsoring the student poster contest.  For parade or vendor application forms, visit www.peacedayparade.org. For more information on how to get involved, call (808) 640-4602 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Parent Category: Content

MARCH, DANCE AND DRUM FOR PEACE
2ND ANNUAL PARADE AND FESTIVAL FOR THE UNITED NATIONS
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

Downtown Honoka‘a will join the world in observing the United Nations International Day of Peace on Sunday, September 21, 2008 when its 2 nd Annual Parade and Festival marches down Mamane Street, complete with colorful costumes, eclectic music and international entertainment. This one-of-a-kind Big Island event begins at noon featuring “moving stages” of bands, floats, clubs, school groups, performance artists and dancers who wind their way down Mamane Street from Honoka‘a High School. Following the parade from 1 to 3 p.m. is a festival celebrating Peace Day in the County Sports Complex with food, vendors, information booths, entertainment and more.

Peace will be presented in every form — from an individual to a broader focus on local and planetary community issues -- as more than 30 different community groups step off down Honokaa’s Mamane Street, including hula halau, Taiko drummers and other talented performers. Last year’s events gave the small community of Honoka‘a a big voice with thousands of people in attendance and news coverage on all the major local television network stations.

“This is by far the largest and most significant Peace Day event in the state and, as far as I know, the only such celebration worldwide,” said event organizer Miles Okumura. “This is a great opportunity for everyone to come out and demonstrate to the world their support of peace, compassion and awareness of universal interdependence.”

The United Nations has been celebrating the International Day of Peace for more than 25 years but the official Hawaii Peace Day was signed into law in 2007. The intent of the Honoka‘a Parade and Festival is to promote and propagate the values of peace, compassion and awareness of universal interdependence.

Hawaii is the only state to have proclaimed a permanent official Peace Day. Proceeds from the Honoka‘a Parade and Festival will go towards community services, including educational programs, charities, environmental activism programs and various peace initiatives. The Parade and Festival for the United Nations International Day of Peace is presented by the Honokaa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in cooperation with the United Nations and numerous community organizations.

For more information call (808) 640-4602 email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.peacedayparade.org

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