Washington ceremony will have Yukon link

by MARGARET SPEIRS
A Whitehorse Star Archive story originally published August 9, 2002

An opportunity for Yukon children to participate in a celebration of peace and remembrance will come to Whitehorse this weekend.
Local youth will have the opportunity to create a cloth design that depicts their vision of peace and have it added to a quilt of similar work by children around the world.
The Children’s Peace Quilt, created in 2000 at a Pentagon Peace event, is scheduled to be part of a special remembrance ceremony in Washington on Sept. 11, the first anniversary of the New York terrorism attacks.
It’s now 1.6 kilometres long, according to Whitehorse resident Barbara Collins, who will host the River of Life and Oneness of Spirit alternative healing fair, where the peace quilt project will take place.
The quilt was modelled on a “parent cloth” envisioned by James Twyman as “a simple, effective way to bring peace to the world.”
Children all over the world have created their own cloth pieces to add to the quilt.
Some have contributed sections of their baby blankets or placed their own visions down onto cloth.
Collins learned about the quilt from Dawn Ferguson, an American who has been travelling the world to interest children in participating in the project.
Ferguson was on a trip here last year when she met Collins, who jumped at the chance to include Yukon children.
The local realtor said Ferguson “is just waiting for a Yukon piece,” which will be the first Canadian contribution.
Collins said the American hadn’t thought of Canada as a participant. She’s not sure if Ferguson is taking the idea to other parts of the country.
Collins has already received six quilt pieces. Her four-year-old granddaughter dabbled gold paint onto a piece of cloth that resulted in an image resembling an angel and a child.
Another cloth piece, created by a six-year-old, depicts green trees with golden trunks on white cotton.
One child’s artwork consisted of the Earth, the word “love” and a blue, red, yellow and green rainbow.
At the fair, children wishing to create their own design will be provided with a 30-centimetre-square piece of white cloth. After completing their artwork, they may contribute it to the quilt or take it home.
The quilt pieces will be sewn into a one-metre-square cloth and sent to Washington where it will be added to the peace quilt.
The quilt will then be on display in Washington on the Capitol lawn during the Sept. 11 peace ceremony.
Collins believes children are serious about peace and love. She said they have a lot of wisdom and knowledge, good traits for our future peacemakers.
She hopes the energy of the Yukon reaches out wherever the quilt is taken.
Yukon youth will be able to create their own quilt pieces at the fair, which is taking place today through Sunday at the Yukon Baha’i Institute on Lake Laberge.
In addition, the fair will have a variety of workshops and lectures for everyone.
Dinner will begin at 5:30 this afternoon and the opening ceremony will start at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s and Sunday’s events will begin at 8 a.m. with breakfast.
Camping and RV services will be available.
Free bus service will be provided from Fourth Avenue and Ogilvie Street for anyone wishing to attend who requires transportation.
To request bus service or for more information, call Collins at 667-4485.