Sponsorships are now available for the Third Annual International Day of Peace at Jaycee Park in Cape Coral.
The local event coincides with other days of peace being celebrated worldwide, but the only difference being that Cape Coral’s version will be on Sunday, Sept. 19, two days earlier than the rest.
Zachari VanDyne, a intuitive life coach and peace activist living in Fort Myers who has organized the event over the last three years, said it has something for everybody.
“It is very much about empowerment, education, awareness,” said VanDyne. “Everything I do is community driven, all of my vendors and artisans are local community members.”
Over 600 people attended the event last year, but VanDyne said this year he is expecting more than 800. Many of the residents who attended in 2009 brought canned food items and organizers collected over 600 pounds of food for the Cape Coral Caring Center. This year they are also encouraging people to bring a non-perishable food item.
International Day of Peace will feature a variety of artisans, food, refreshments, live music and raffle drawings. Pets are also invited to attend the event and other animals will be on display, such as wolf breeds from the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Naples.
Vendor booths will also be occupied by Arts for Act, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Coalition for Change and EPAC Environmental Services, said VanDyne.
“It’s about coming together as a community and creating an umbrella of peace,” he said.
The first International Peace Day was created by the United Nations in a 1982 resolution. Over the last 30 years it has grown to include millions of people and serves a political and personal cease fire.
Each year VanDyne starts a petition to represent the peace movement and sends it to Gov. Charlie Crist. For more information on the worldwide event, visit www.internationaldayofpeace.org.
The event in Cape Coral is Sept. 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at Jaycee Park on 4215 S.E. 20th Ave.
For more information, contact VanDyne at 560-5224 or by e-mail at SWFL4Peace@email.com.