All community members who make up the diverse University of Wisconsin community — regardless of their religion, political views, gender or nationality — are invited to participate in a peace rally on Library Mall Sunday.

Peace Day @ UW was organized by a student organization in an effort to bring the International Day of Peace to UW students, faculty and local community.

The rally will begin at 5:15 p.m. with an address from UW political science professor Howard Schweber, followed by remarks from UW Dean of Students Lori Berquam and a moment of silence to remember those who have died around the world as a result of conflict. 

“I will be speaking about the dangers of authenticity,” Schweber said. “I want to suggest that for deep conflicts to be resolved it is necessary for the participants not only to accept the validity of the other’s worldviews but … to be willing to give up some of our own.”

Schweber was chosen from among 24 nominated individuals after he submitted a proposal for the topic of the speech.

Peace Day @ UW Committee Chair and UW senior Todd Brogan said Schweber has a presence in Madison and would bring a unique perspective on peace.

“He doesn’t just want to give a speech that pats people on the back,” Brogan said. “He wants to challenge people to reevaluate themselves and each other.”

The day will end with a screening of “The Day After Peace,” a documentary about the efforts of Jeremy Gilley, a British filmmaker who was instrumental in the founding of the International Day of Peace.

Brogan was inspired to organize Peace Day @ UW after seeing Gilley speak while working as an intern at the United Nations.

“I walked away very inspired by what he had done and that the day does actually work,” Brogan said. “It isn’t just a symbolic day we put on the calendar and ignore.”

Brogan hopes to make a worldwide event local and pointed out the day is focused on reaching peace and is not inherently anti-war.

“Even though it is called the International Day of Peace, it is not just about governments and constitutions,” Brogan said. “It is about normal, everyday people changing their perspective about their communities.” 

The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations in 1981 as an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. In 2002, Sept. 21 was established as the official date for the event. 

Brogan said its popularity has grown steadily since that day, along with its effectiveness.

“Peaceful resolution of deeply rooted conflicts does not come cheap,” Schweber said. “If the goal is a serious one, then part of the price that we are willing to pay has to be a surrender of elements of our own self-definitions.”