RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The second annual International Peace Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive.

The festival will focus on uniting our diverse communities. We will celebrate various cultures and help families connect with non-profit organizations and programs that provide services for different needs, according to sponsor VI-SH Koranne Foundation.

Supported in part by the City of Rancho Cordova’s Measure H Community Enhancement & Investment Fun, the festival is free and open to the public.

The festival will include recognition of local community leaders with Peace Ambassador awards for fostering communal harmony, keynote speech, panel of community leaders with Q&A, booths by different community organizations to give information on available services, music and dances from different cultures.

There will also be breakout sessions on promoting peace in our community: how to reduce gun violence, peace poetry, “Peace on your Plate,” “Laughter Yoga” for peace of mind, a children's art competition and more.

“Our aim is to demonstrate that peace is possible by taking actions at the individual and community level,” said VI-SH Koranne Foundation, adding, “We are also grateful to the Vice-Mayor Siri Pulipati of City of Rancho Cordova for sponsoring the event.”

The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 for “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace within and among all nations and people.”

This year, we commemorate the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the 76th anniversary of UN peacekeeping efforts.

Goals of this festival: Have dialogue in the community to bring awareness regarding how we as ordinary citizens can bring peace in our surroundings and our communities; bring unity in our diverse communities; help youth and families get information on services available through different organizations; and raise awareness of the importance of human rights in everyday life and show how they empower us all.