THE EDITOR, Sir:
IN RECENT times we have seen festivals of all different types in Jamaica. We have seen the Yam Festival, we have seen the Jerk Pork Festival, we have seen the Corn Festival and many more. All of these festivals have done well.
Let us then have our first Peace Festival as an amalgamated effort between Arnett and Tivoli. For such a festival I would recommend the following.
1. A special day be set aside each year for this event to be staged alternately in both communities.
2. Identify a piece of land located on the border of both communities, construct a peace monument on it and call it 'Land of Peace.' This would be done before the day of the festival.
3. On the day of the festival citizens from both communities would gather together on this spot. Devotional exercise, the raising of the national flag and the Peace Festival Flag would take place.
4. Holding hands, the citizen would march in a festive mood to the beat of marching bands to the Anthony Spaulding's Sport Complex (if by chance the first festival is held in Arnett Gardens).
5. In the initial stage I would not recommend that the festival go beyond 7:00 p.m.
Some of the activities I would want to see taking place on this day are as follows:-
a) Art and craft exhibition from both communities.
b) Finals of the Peace Day song and speech competition.
c) Volley-ball competition.
d) A 30-minute football match between Councillors, Members of Parliament and Senators from both political parties competing against each other.
e) A football match between both communities' Premier League football teams.
f) A one-hour street dance in the square in front of the sport complex.
g) Residents march hand-in-hand again to the Land of Peace where the National Anthem is sung, residents hug, kiss, shake hands and then return to their homes.
I am positive that this can work and that it will catch on in other communities as years go by.
I call upon Mr. Desmond McKenzie, Mr. Paul Burke and all other well-thinking Jamaicans to contact me, so that and we can get the engine for this Peace Festival turning. Something has to be done let the change start with us.
I am, etc.,
KEITH N. LOWERS
6 Avon Park Crescent
Kingston 5
