Celebrating Peace, Reconciliation, and Community

International Day of Peace 2025: Cultivating Reconciliation in Tacoma

On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Tacoma Sister Cities hosted its annual International Day of Peace at Thea’s Park.

This year’s theme of “Cultivating Reconciliation” brought together neighbors, students, artists, and civic leaders to reflect on peace as a shared, everyday practice.

Location: Thea’s Park, 405 Dock Street

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Program Highlights

• Live music by Steve and Kristi Nebel

• Trumpet solo of Imagine by John Lloyd

• Welcome remarks from Mayor Victoria Woodards

• Youth performance by Fawcett Elementary School Choir (Light a Candle for Peace)

• Reflections from Theresa Pan Hosley on Tacoma’s history of Reconciliation

• Global insights from Frances Lorenz on the 2025 Global Peace Index

• Original performance by Annie Pederson (Feels Like Home)

• Poetry and music by Lucas Smiraldo and Sean Gaskell (Thirteen Hours)

• Peace perspectives from Diane Powers and Sean Arent

• Moment of Silence led by Reverend Drew Ebersole

• Closing chorus: May Peace Prevail on Earth in multiple languages

• Final trumpet: Let There Be Peace on Earth by John Lloyd

• Thank You Note

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us—and to our honored speakers, performers, and volunteers who made this event so meaningful. Your presence reminded us that peace is not just an ideal, it’s a practice rooted in community, carried forward by each of us.