HANAPEPE — Peace Day events will start as early as Friday morning, said Gerald Hirata of the Kauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji. International Day of Peace is observed globally on Sept. 21.
“Hanapepe has two icons of peace — Sen. Spark Matsunaga and the Sparky’s Garden at the Storybook Theatre, and the Rev. Koichi Miyoshi, the former minister at Kauai Soto Zen Temple, who was in service when the World Peace Kannon Statue was raised,” Hirata said.
Eleele School students will gather Friday at Storybook Theatre to learn more about Matsunaga and create expressions, including posters and banners, for the parade Saturday that will start at the theatre and end at the temple.
“Following the Friday-morning session, the students will come to the temple to string paper cranes and have more activities around the Peace Day theme.”
The students are also beneficiaries of the Peace Day gathering that starts at 5 p.m. Saturday and runs through 7:30 p.m.
“I’ll be doing the chili,” said chef Carla Dusenberry. “We’ll also have a shrimp bowl. The money from this, and other activities, helps the Eleele School students.”
The public is invited to join in the Peace Day celebration that will include a sea of life-sized marine-life inflatables, costumes gallery, any foot fits by Aloha Slippahs, corn hole toss, origami paper crane folding, card games, personal peace messages, and talking story about peace. A special Eleele School expressions of peace exhibit will also be set up.
“As the students arrive from their parade, the church bell will be sounding, Taiko Kauai will be greeting the students, and everything will get underway,” Hirata said.
The Lihue Hongwanji Mission will be hosting a candlelight vigil Saturday starting at 7 p.m., followed by a musical movie inspired by Sadako Sasaki, “Peace on Your Wings,” in the church’s social hall.
The Peace Day weekend culminates Sunday when the Interfaith Roundtable of Kauai presents “Experiencing Peace Together,” a fun, free, family event celebrating Peace Day at Lydgate Park’s main pavilion from 2 to 4 p.m.
