ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A full day of events celebrating the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, which is recognized globally, will take place Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., along downtown St. Petersburg’s waterfront.
The free events are spearheaded by the Global Love Project, which is working with various community partners.
Programming for the day includes:
About three years ago, while dealing with a personal loss, Justin Lucci, founder of the Global Love Project, learned new ways to process what he was experiencing.
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“I learned about intention and the definition of intention is it’s the healing process of a wound,” he told Patch.
While walking his dog down Central Avenue each day, he’d bring chalk with him and write the word “love” or some other message of love on the sidewalk.
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“It became a practice for me,” Lucci said.
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In February 2022, he committed to writing these chalk messages on the sidewalks around the roundabout in the Edge District, at Central Avenue and 11th Street. After the first week, friends and eventually strangers began to join him every Sunday from 9 to 11 a.m.
“That first week was the only week I’ve done it by myself,” Lucci said. “And I’ve just been going ever since.. It’s been amazing, because chalking ‘love’ everywhere has created a community of people having a space where people come and connect has strengthened us.”
He eventually added a Tuesday night gathering at Vinoy Park, which has drawn as many as 40 people this past summer.
He’s also since incorporated the Global Love Project as a nonprofit organization.
When Lucci learned about the International Day of Peace, he realized there was an opportunity for his organization to celebrate the day in St. Petersburg.
“It is aligned with love and all the things that love stands for, peace being one of them,” he said.
He’s partnered with organizations throughout the Tampa Bay area, including St. Pete RunFest, Bob Devin Jones with the Studio@620 and the St. Pete Youth Farm to host different initiatives and programs in the week leading up to Saturday.
The Ekeko Gallery in St. Petersburg is showcasing works by local artists that are inspired by peace, love and hope through Oct. 5. Artists still have time to submit their art to the exhibit.
Each partner also focused on one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals through their programming, Lucci said.
“Things like no poverty, no hunger, life on land, life in water, infrastructure, equality,” he said. “Really big topics.”
Since this is the first year celebrating the International Day of Peace in St. Petersburg, he expects to build on the event next year.
Lucci stressed that even those who can’t come out for any of Saturday’s programming can still reflect on the day.
“The important thing is that this day is an opportunity for us to all check in on what peace means to us,” he said. “You don’t have to gather in the park. You don’t have to go for a walk. If we’re all doing it, collectively, I think, over time, we’re going to really understand what peace means.”
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