By Brooklyn Damken, Marketing Coordinator
On Monday, September 21st, 2026, I had the honor of volunteering for Peace Day Chicago at Daley Plaza with several of my Greenheart colleagues. While our organization has been involved with the annual event for several years now, this was my first time attending, and I’m grateful for the sense of unity I was able to witness and feel that day.
Peace Day was officially established by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1981, but Peace Day Chicago has been held for even longer, with 2026 marking the 48th anniversary of the event! Organized by The Peace School, the day brings together cultures from around the world and celebrates diversity.
From the moment I arrived, its purpose was clear, and I had a great appreciation for the people who worked so hard to make the event possible, as well as the attendees from all backgrounds and cultures, including hundreds of local Chicago Public School (CPS) students! The students appeared eager for the event to begin and to learn more about countries outside of the U.S., with many of them enjoying Greenheart’s resource table, led by our very own Local Coordinator, Tammy Zilinski. She informed them about our exchange program for high school students and quizzed them on cultural and geographic facts.
I escorted members of the Chicago Consular Corps to their seats, ensuring they were prepared for the ceremony. This gave me a unique chance to speak with people from various countries across the world, including Haiti, the Philippines, and Macedonia, proving how diverse attendees are and that we can all come together to create equality and harmony in the world.
The ceremony began promptly at 11:30 a.m., with a few opening words and introductions of several notable guests. This was followed by a minute of silence for world peace. If you’ve ever spent time in Chicago, you know that silence is an incredibly rare occurence, so to sit there in the absence of the sound of people’s voices, looking at their calm demeanors, wishing for change, was a beautiful thing. It struck deep, knowing that, amidst the crazy happenings you hear about from all around the globe, most people are really just hoping that we can all get along one day and treat each other with love and respect, regardless of any differences.
The day also included several electric performances, demonstrating the excitement that comes with learning about various cultures, with a Turkish dance, a Bollywood dance, and a Korean drum dance. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see people smiling, cheering, and dancing along to the music, even if it was completely unfamiliar to them.
Peace Day concluded with a massive 196 flag ceremony, with each country’s flag—from Argentina to Zimbabwe—being carried by a CPS student and/or a consular proudly representing their home country. Seeing the joy on the students’ faces was especially beautiful because it was a clear indication that the future is in the hands of a generation looking to promote peace and bring people together.
Thank you to The Peace School for making this possible year after year! I, along with the rest of the Greenheart team, look forward to attending the inspiring event again!