The enthronement of the Banner of Peace took place in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires
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This year the International day of Peace obtained status of a national holiday by the Decree of Ms Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President of Argentina. It is celebrated on September 21st. Delegation of the International Centre of the Roerichs headed by Mr Alexander Stetsenko, First deputy Director General of the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich, was invited by a local NGO “Mil Milenios de la Paz” to participate in the event.
The date September 21st became a national holiday due to the initiative of two Argentinian NGOs - “Mil Milenios de la Paz” and “Peace, Ecology and Art”. For many years both organizations have been popularizing peace-making ideas of Nicholas Roerich represented in the Roerich Pact and its distinctive flag known as the Banner of Peace. On the eve of the event the ceremony of solemn swearing and handing over of the Banner of Peace to the new Ambassadors of Peace was held in the Jose de San-Martin Hall of the National Legislative Assembly of Buenos Aires.
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For some years the above mentioned organization have been choosing Ambassadors of Peace. Among them activists of Latin America NGOs involved in the different fields of activity. This year the Banner of Pease was handed over to a Director of a Nursery School, a Head of the Problem Youth Socialization Department, a Training Center, a Voluntary Fire Brigade, as well as some organizations and persons in the field of Art and Culture.
Mr A. Stetsenko addressed the auditory with his greetings. He noted that the ideas and principles declared by N. Roerich in his Pact are still remaining relevant.
At the end of the ceremony the participants sang the anthem dedicated to the Banner of Peace.
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The ceremony of enthronement of the Banner of Peace in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires turned out to be the most significant part of the celebration. It was held by Father Alejandro Russo, Dean of the Cathedral, the Episcopacy executive secretary. It is the second enthronement of the Banner of Peace. The first one was held in 1931 in the Holy Blood Cathedral in Bruges during the First International Conference dedicated to the Roerich Pact.
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At the beginning of the ceremony Father Alejandro served a Solemn Mass, dedicated to the International Day of Peace. After that he celebrated the sacraments of enthronement of two Banners of Peace at the altar. One Banner was presented by “Mil Milenios de la Paz” organization and the second one was brought from Moscow. It is a exact copy of the Banner of Peace which was handed over by Svetoslav Roerich to the public Museum named after Nicholas Roerich together with the Roerichs Heritage. This Banner was given to the Dean by Mr. A. Stetsenko, Head of the ICR delegation. Then Father Alejandro invited to the altar the new-appointed Ambassadors of Peace and sanctified their Banners as the symbols of their dedicated activity.
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After the ceremony Mr Stetsenko passed on to the Father Alejandro a Catalog of the Museum named after Nicholas Roerich, DVDs with the ICR documentaries “Time to gather stones...” and “The Call of Cosmic Evolution”. In his turn as a mark of respect Father Alejandro shown the ICR delegation members the Cathedral treasure which deeply impressed Russian guests.
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