A peaceful gathering

Young Chang

With music, among strangers as well as friends, religious and

community leaders from throughout the county will gather Sept. 21 to

peace out.

Changed from a “peace walk” to this year a “peace jam,” the 9th

annual Orange County Peace Jam will be held at the Orange Coast

Unitarian Universalist Church in Costa Mesa instead of its usual home

of Triangle Square.

“It’s not like walking around Triangle Square, easily,” said

Reverend Karen Stoyanoff, from the Unitarian Universalist church.

“Our campus -- there are no easy streets and it’s not as conducive to

having a walk. On the other hand, the music stuff is even better.

We’re going to be able to do more with sound and everything.”

Musical features include performances by such Southern California

groups as And the Angels Sing, vocalist Brian Taraz and the Orange

Coast Unitarian Universalist Church Choir. The style of music will be

joyful and upbeat.

“We’re there to celebrate... that we love peace,” Stoyanoff said.

The Peace Jam is held every September to observe the United

Nations’ International Day of Peace, which is always on the third

Thursday of the month. Next year the tradition will likely return to

Triangle Square and back to its walk-form. Costa Mesa Mayor Linda

Dixon will give the opening remarks this year. Participating area

groups include the Baha’is of Orange County, Amnesty International of

Orange County, the National Association for the Advancement of

Colored People and the United Nations Assn. of Orange County.

The Baha’is started what was until this year the Peace Walk nine

years ago after they had approached other groups including the

Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council.

“We were looking for a community project that we could get

involved in that would help make the world a better place,” said Lane

Calvert, vice chair of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Costa Mesa, a

leading group in the Baha’i community. “And we are very active on the

national level with the United Nations.”

Stoyanoff said her church and her faith also support peace.

“Both the Baha’is and the Unitarian Universalists believe it’s

part of the living out of our faith to have peace,” she said. “We

believe that part of what we have to stand up and say is... for peace

and to honor those groups working for peace and justice.”

Aside from the music, there will be other expressions of peace.

Students from a Mission Viejo high school will enact a Model United

Nations session, a representative from each of the participating

groups will also speak. But there will be no preaching.

“It’s to celebrate peace and to be together as a sign of support

for peace,” Stoyanoff said.