Seeds of Change Festival, Rotterdam, 2009
an article by Petra van der Ham and Rein Heijne

In the Netherlands several events took place during the International Peace Week (20-27 September). On the International Day of Peace, Monday 21 September, the cities of The Hague and Utrecht hosted various activities during the day, whilst in Amsterdam the so-called “Night of Peace” was held.

The week was ended with the lively Seeds of Change Festival in the city centre of Rotterdam, on Sunday afternoon. This annual festival was organized by the Rotterdam foundation "House of Erasmus" in cooperation with the national organization "IKV Pax Christi", and was inspired by the principles of the "Earth Charter". Besides celebrating the Peace Week the festival aims to promote the city of Rotterdam as a "city of peace" by stimulating a "culture of peace", in an open and easy accessible way.

After the opening speech by Jan Pronk, former Minister of environment and development cooperation and former UN Representative, a varied program took place Fortunately the weather was quite agreeable so many activities could be held in the outside, on a big square. Some 20 colorful stands were set up, where several organizations dealing with peace issues, presented themselves. Of course the international peace flag was run up, as well as a peace flag that was designed by some school children.

A large outdoor stage was the venue for world music, peace poets; and a peace rap performed by three children. After a debate on "peace in the world and safety in the city", two actors performed a theater play on Desiderius Erasmus and Rumi Mevlana: famous philosophers from the past, from the western (Rotterdam) and eastern world (Persia) respectively. They called upon the people of today to further promote a culture of tolerance and non-violence.

The apotheosis of the festival was the so-called "street table dinner", attended by some hundred, known and unknown, Rotterdam people. The dinner was meant especially for a selection of Rotterdam "heroes": people who, in one way or another, had unselfishly devoted themselves to the promotion of a peaceful and sustainable city. People from different cultural organizations enjoyed the delicious (Turkish) food. The dinner, opened with several (religious) blessings, served as a perfect symbol of mutual feelings of global solidarity. After sunset, people felt as if they were part of the Tales of a Thousand and One Nights!

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