September 21 is the International Day of Peace, which is a special day for people in Weifang, Shandong province. After Weifang became the second international peace city in China after Nanjing this year, by reviewing the humanistic value of the Courtyard of the Happy Way, Weifang people commemorated the just struggle and Internationalism of international expatriates and Chinese people uniting against Japanese fascists.
The United Nations proclaimed the International Day of Peace in 1981 and invited all member states, non-governmental organizations, and people from all walks of life to celebrate it in a way that would demonstrate the commitment of the United Nations to maintain peace among all peoples and nations.
The International Day of Peace was observed every year on the third Tuesday of September. Since 2002, the International Day of Peace has been celebrated on September 21. The resolution mentioned, “Thereafter the International Day of Peace shall be a global day of cease-fire and non-violence, and all States and peoples are invited to stop hostilities on this day."
Originally built in 1882, the Courtyard of the Happy Way architectural complex was a comprehensive place integrating a church, a school, and a hospital. However, during World War II, the Japanese army secretly set up a concentration camp for foreign expatriates in the Courtyard of the Happy Way in March 1942 and imprisoned 2,261 expatriates for three years. The army's harsh supervision and forced labor of Western expatriates left a painful memory in human history. At that time, the Courtyard of the Happy Way was also known as the "Auschwitz in the East.”
On February 3, 2021, Frederick Arment, president of the International Cities of Peace, announced the list of new international peace Cities to the world. Weifang is on the list, becoming another international peace city in China after Nanjing.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
9月21日，是国际和平日，对于山东潍坊人是一个特殊的日子。今年潍坊市继成为南京之后荣登中国第二座国际和平城市后 ，潍坊人通过重温乐道院的人文价值来纪念国际侨民与中国人民团结反抗日本法西斯的正义斗争及国际主义精神。
联合国在1981年宣布国际和平日，并邀请全体会员国，非政府组织和各界人士以一种方式庆祝这个节日，借以表现联合国承诺维持各个民族和各个国家之间的和平。国际和平日定于每年9月第三个星期二举行。自2002年起，国际和平日为9月21日。决议中提到：“宣布此后，国际和平日应成为全球停火和非暴力日，并邀请所有国家和人民在这一天停止敌对行动。”
乐道院建筑群始建于1882年，起初是集教会、学校、医院于一体的综合性场所。但二战期间，日军于1942年3月在乐道院秘密设立了外国侨民集中营，其中关押了2261名侨民，时间长达三年。日军对西方侨民实行严厉看管、强迫劳动，给人类历史留下了伤痛的记忆……在当时，乐道院也被称为“东方的奥斯维辛”。
2021年2月3日，国际和平城市协会主席弗雷德·阿门特先生向全球宣布新一期国际和平城市名单，潍坊荣登榜单，成为继南京之后中国又一家国际和平城市。
国际和平日 重温潍坊乐道院国际主义精神
September 21 is the International Day of Peace, which is a special day for people in Weifang, Shandong province. After Weifang became the second international peace city in China after Nanjing this year, by reviewing the humanistic value of the Courtyard of the Happy Way, Weifang people commemorated the just struggle and Internationalism of international expatriates and Chinese people uniting against Japanese fascists.
The United Nations proclaimed the International Day of Peace in 1981 and invited all member states, non-governmental organizations, and people from all walks of life to celebrate it in a way that would demonstrate the commitment of the United Nations to maintain peace among all peoples and nations.
The International Day of Peace was observed every year on the third Tuesday of September. Since 2002, the International Day of Peace has been celebrated on September 21. The resolution mentioned, “Thereafter the International Day of Peace shall be a global day of cease-fire and non-violence, and all States and peoples are invited to stop hostilities on this day."
Originally built in 1882, the Courtyard of the Happy Way architectural complex was a comprehensive place integrating a church, a school, and a hospital. However, during World War II, the Japanese army secretly set up a concentration camp for foreign expatriates in the Courtyard of the Happy Way in March 1942 and imprisoned 2,261 expatriates for three years. The army's harsh supervision and forced labor of Western expatriates left a painful memory in human history. At that time, the Courtyard of the Happy Way was also known as the "Auschwitz in the East.”
On February 3, 2021, Frederick Arment, president of the International Cities of Peace, announced the list of new international peace Cities to the world. Weifang is on the list, becoming another international peace city in China after Nanjing.
- Translated by Stephen Huang
Review the Internationalism of Weihsien Courtyard of the Happy Way on International Day of Peace
