In the afternoon of Wednesday 16 September 2015, the Tehran Peace Museum (TPM) family held an event to mark and welcome the International Day of Peace (21 September). The ceremony was held by the TPM in collaboration with the United Nations office in Iran, and the Andisheh Cultural Center as its venue.

 A big group of peace activists, UN agencies representatives, Ambassadors and embassy representatives of several countries such as Austria, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Germany, Guinea, Indonesia, Japan, Sweden, and Iraqi Kurdistan (where its Halabja Monument and Peace Museum is the sister museum of the TPM); as well as well-known artists and film-makers like Ms. Rakhshan Banietemad and Mr. Homayoun Ershadi, and also members of Council for Promoting the Culture of Peace for Children and other NGO representatives joined chemical weapons survivors of Iran – Iraq war to commemorate this occasion.

The event started by speeches by Mr. Gary Lewis, the UN resident Coordinator in Iran, Ms. Elham Aminzadeh, the vice president on legal affairs, and Mr. Meysam Amroodi, the social and cultural deputy of Tehran’s Mayor; and followed by a short animation entitled “Simorgh” made by Meghdad Asadi Lari and also Iranian Folkloric museum by “Lian” ensemble led by Mohsen Sharifian as good examples of art for peace.

The last part of this ceremony was the message of the TPM on this occasion which has been read by one of the young volunteers of the museum and followed by one minute of silence on the memory of the all victims of wars and to pray for the world peace.

It is good to mention the master of the ceremony (M.C) was one of the chemical weapons victims who works with the TPM as a volunteer guide and narrator; and the whole event has been organized and held by the help of a big group of young volunteers of the museum.

International Day of Peace each year observed on 21 September and this year, with having this event few days earlier, the TPM welcomed the date and acted as the starter of series of events and observances all around the country to commemorate and promote the culture of peace nationally and internationally.

To see the photos of this event click here.