The inaugural meeting of the Global Peace Alliance in Surrey took place in the form of a World-Café style discussion at the City Central Library in Surrey, BC, CANADA on Saturday, September 28, 2013. The participants who took part in the discussion include many local community leaders and other peace-building and peace-loving people in the community.

This World-Café style discussion centred around three main questions: 1. As a peace volunteer, what are your biggest concerns about the state of state of the world today? 2. What kind of a peaceful world you would aspire for future generations? 3. What is needed to be done to build such a peaceful world?

The steering committee of the new global peace initiative undertook to draft the founding documents of the planned Global Peace Alliance (Vision & Mission statements, Purpose, Principles, etc.) based on the answers to these questions articulated by those who participated in the discussion and to call for another general meeting to review and ratify the draft documents.

Click here to view PART 1 of a TV interview Dr. R. B. Herath had with Shaw Community TV Channel 4 in September 2013 on the Global Peace Alliance in the making.

Click here to view PART 2 of a TV interview Dr. R. B. Herath had with Shaw Community TV Channel 4 in September 2013 on the Global Peace Alliance in the making.

SOME PHOTOS FROM THE GLOBAL PEACE ALLIANCE INAUGURATION (WORLD CAFE STYLE DISCUSSION) ON SEPT. 28, 2013.

Some photographs taken at this event:

Some of the participants present

Another table discussion in progress …….

BOOK LAUNCH – A NEW BEGINNING FOR HUMANKIND: A RECIPE FOR LASTING PEACE ON EARTH BY DR. R. B. HERATH

This book launch was ceremoniously held at the Surrey City Centre Library on Saturday, September 21, 2013. Surrey City Councillor Barinder Rasode officiated at this event on behalf of both herself and the City Mayor Dianne Watts.

Some of the photographs taken at this event:

The new book just unveiled ….

Surrey City Councillor Barinder Sihode who also represented the City Mayor Dainne Watts at the ceremony congratulating the author …

Some of the participants ….

Chanting of GPA Peace Reflections by a group at the ceremony …..

Flowers to the author and his wife Hemamala …….

A dance team from African Stages joining the celebration of the new book ….

Some participants dancing to a Bhangra tune …

PRESS CONFERENCE CALLED BY THE GPA ORGANIZING COMMITTEE TO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW GLOBAL PEACE INITIATIVE

This press conference was held on Monday, September 16, 2013, in Surrey. At this press conference Dr. R. B. Herath first addressed the media explaining how and why a group of local community leaders came together to announce the new peace initiative. This was followed by a Q&A series. RB and all other community leaders present took turns in answering the questions raised by the media personnel.

Below are some of the photographs taken at this historic press conference:

Some of the media personnel present at the press conference

Some of the community leaders present at the GPA 1st press conference

Dr. R. B. Herath addressing the media ….