KUALA LUMPUR: ABOUT 100 people joined The Body Shop Malaysia to celebrate International Day of Peace at the Crystal Fountain in front of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur on Friday with “Pinwheels of Peace”.
The theme this year is “Right of Peoples to Peace”.
Participants rolled 18 giant pinwheels to the fountain before they were planted around the fountain.
Guests-of-honour includedDatin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Lisa Surihani and Sisters in Islam members. They wrote messages of peace, hope and love on the pinwheels, which is childhood symbol that represents innocence and joy.
Visitors were given smaller pinwheels and were encouraged to pin their messages of peace on a wall at the entrance of the mall.
The event also featured performances by the Young Choral Academy.
They sang Heal the World and Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson as well as Imagine by John Lennon.
Children from ELC International School also joined in the activities.
The Body Shop Malaysia chief executive officer Molly Fong said their peace campaign was timely, considering the recent Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
“Political, social and cultural divides threaten our daily peace.
“This is why we felt that it was our responsibility to give our customers, visitors and staff an avenue to say something.
“We wanted to spread the message of peace and say violence is never the answer.”
Fong was representing The Body Shop Malaysia managing director Datin Mina Cheah-Foong.
In a written statement, Cheah said The Body Shop Malaysia wanted to advocate peace to every individual it came into contact with.
This included their customers, Facebook and Twitter followers, colleagues, business and non-governmental organisation partners as well as the media, children in school and political figures.
“We must remind ourselves and educate our children about the value of peace,” she said in the statement.
The “pinwheel wall” at the entrance would be transferred to The Body Shop outlet in the mall following the celebration and it will remain there until the end of the month.
Pinwheels prompting messages of hope have also been placed in outlets nationwide since last month and will remain there until month’s end.
Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed on Sept 21. The United Nations has declared it a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, within and among all nations and peoples.