Starting today on the tenth anniversary of September 11, Nashville embarked on 10 Days of Peace events leading up to an International Day of Peace Party on Wednesday, September 21 at Centennial Park and the broadcast of Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness at 9:00 p.m. on NPT-Channel 8.
The film Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness is a one-hour documentary about a town coming together to take action after anti-immigrant violence devastates its community. The Not In Our Town National Week of Action and Nashville's expanded 10 Days of Peace initiatives mark an opportunity for Nashville to show the world how it thrives in its diversity.
Nashville’s events include a candlelight prayer vigil for peace, campus discussions, an Islamic Center-sponsored “fast-a-thon,” gang awareness programs, immigrant and refugee soccer tournaments, a Tennessee Returned Peace Corps peace picnic and more.
"What makes the work in Nashville such a powerful example of the Not In Our Town model," says Kathy Edson, NPT community outreach manager, "is that it brings different sectors of society — schools, law enforcement, faith, Islamic, Latino/Hispanic, and local government -— together in ways that link common experiences and issues, so that no one is excluded or left vulnerable to hate."
Nashville is one of 20 cities taking part in events this week in conjunction with the documentary. Supporting organizations include the National League of Cities, the National Council of Churches, the American Libraries Association and the American Federation of Teachers.
A complete listing of Nashville's remaining Not in Our Town 10 Days of Peace Events follows. For more information, contact Kathy Edson at kedson@wnpt.net.
Diversity Week @ TSU
Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness documentary screening followed by discussion
Free and open to the public.
TSU Avon Williams Campus
Auditorium 3rd Floor, 330 10th Ave., North Nashville, TN 37203
Monday, September 12
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Vanderbilt International Lens
Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness documentary screening with panel discussion.
Hosted by Kathy Edson, NPT and the Vanderbilt Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows
Free and open to the public.
Sarratt Cinema 1st Floor, Sarratt Student Center,
24th Ave. at Vanderbilt Place, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
Free parking is available in Zone 2 Lot 2 located at 23rd Avenue South and West End Avenue on the Vanderbilt University Campus.
Handicap Parking: Lot 19 behind Sarratt Student Center
Tuesday, September 13
7:00 p.m.
Diversity Speakers Day
Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness documentary screening and panel discussion
with Keynote: Richard Herman, author of Immigrant, Inc.
TSU Main Campus, Forum Auditorium, Floyd-Payne Center
3500 John Merritt Blvd., Nashville, TN 37203
Wednesday, September 14, and Thursday, September 15
2:30 PM – 6:00 p.m.
Fast-a-Thon
Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness documentary screening and panel discussion
Hosted by Institute for Conflict Resolution at Lipscomb University, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Islamic Center Nashville, Center for Refugees and Immigrants Tennessee.
Lipscomb – Ezell Center, 1 University Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37204
Free and open to the public.
Thursday, September 15
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness documentary screening and discussion
Frist Center for the Visual Arts
Thursday, September 15
12 p.m.
Share Your Diversity Thoughts Day
TSU Avon Williams Campus, Auditorium
Friday, September 16
2:30 p.m.
Metro Human Relations Commission's Strategic Planning Retreat and Screening of Not in Our Town: Light in the Darkness
The Metro Human Relations Commission will screen Not in Our Town during its annual retreat, Saturday, September 17, at Shelby Bottoms Nature Center. The screening will take place at 12:30 p.m. and will be followed by a brief discussion on how Commission programming can address issues raised in the film. The event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Caroline G. Blackwell, MHRC Executive Director, at 615-880-3374 or by email atcaroline.blackwell@nashville.gov
Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, 1900 Davidson Street, Nashville, TN 37206
Saturday, September 17
12:30 p.m.
Play for Peace Exhibition Soccer Tournament / NIC Soccer Exhibition
7 v 7 round robin soccer matches, showcasing the many nations of the Nashville soccer community followed by a time to mingle and player interviews.
Soccer is the world's sport, and right here in Nashville the world plays together in the Nashville International Cup. The NIC is a competitive men's soccer tournament hosted by InterFACE Ministries and her many partner churches, universities and corporate friends. The tournament features 200-300 players from 24 home countries- all living in Middle Tennessee. The NIC helps build community amongst the diverse people groups in our city and helps our city fall in love with the nations in Nashville.
NPT has invited the Nashville International Cup to put on exhibition matches on September 17th to highlight the diversity and unity of the NIC community. Please join your international neighbors for a day of fun soccer and friendship on September 17th from noon to 5:00 p.m.
The Sept. 17th NIC Exhibition is part of NPT's 10 Days of Peace and the Not in Our Town movement for genuine community amongst the nations in our communities. The event is free and open to the public.
Montgomery Bell Academy, 4001 Harding Road, Nashville, TN 37205
Saturday, September 17
12:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Community Open House & Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness screening
Islamic Center of Nashville
Saturday, September 17
10 a.m.
Diverse Community Sports Day
Nashville International Academy
Saturday, September 17
10-6 p.m.
Family Peace Picnic
Fannie Mae Dees Park a.k.a. Dragon Park, Park Shelter
Come join us in Dragon Park to snack on some worldly flavors and fun. The TN Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (TNRPCV) will be showcasing a variety of foods to sample and display items from countries where they served. Then author/illustrator Linda Ragsdale from The Peace Dragon will be leading all able artists in drawing peace dragons. Watch how letters, numbers and punctuation become the basic strokes of this peaceful messenger. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and family to taste, hear and see adventures from around the world; as we come together to share peace in our community.
The event will take place rain or shine (held under the shelter). Street Parking is available. The event free and open to the public.
2400 Blakemore Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212
Sunday, September 18
1:00 PM – 3:00 p.m.
The Taste of Peace: Comfort foods from around the world
Diversity is the spice of life and the flavor of Peace. How shall we serve it up? By indulging our guests with a smorgasbord of worldly treats, prepared by local chefs with recipes submitted by the international fellows from Vandy’s Hubert H. Humphrey program. You’ll meet this year’s candidates from over nine different countries; watch a clip of NPT’s new initiative “Not In Our Town”; and experience The Peace Master Class, an internationally collaborated school program for students for “living peace” through conflict.
Recipes provided for adventurous world cooks!
Icon in the Gulch – Ultra Lounge, 600 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203
Monday, September 19
7:00 PM – 10:00 p.m.
Meet the Peace Agents: FBI and TBI present Gang Awareness
Belcourt Theater
Tuesday, September 20
11 a.m.
Sing Your Art Out
In the key of peace, tune into some songs of love and hope and let your “art” speak on hearts you can decorate with your message. Once the evening is over, we’ll place the hearts all over the city where unsuspecting people will receive a secret smile. A silent auction of “heart” work will help support The Peace Dragon’s Peace Master Class, a “living peace” curriculum crated through an international collaboration of teachers, principals and policy makers in a program which aims to establish peace as the default mechanism for conflict. It is a free program and will be offered in the multiple languages.
The Listening Room, 209 10th Ave S # 200, Nashville, TN 37203-4124
Tuesday, September 20
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Grande Finale / 30th Anniversary International Day of Peace
Centennial Park Bandshell
Come celebrate world peace together.
Wednesday, September 21
7:15 PM – 8:15 PM
