International Peace Day

International Peace Day & Power of Poetry
Thursday, September 24 (12-2pm PT)
Irvine Auditorium (Hybrid Event)

Contact: Marie Butcher (aka Boucher)
mbutcher@middlebury.edu or peacepoetrypolicy@gmail.com

Overview of the Event: Community members are warmly invited to attend the annual recognition of International Peace Day & Power of Poetry on Thursday, September 24 at the Irvine Auditorium at the MIIS campus from 12-2pm.

This hybrid event will honor poets who are contributors to the multilingual anthology, Doves Born of Flames: Poetry of Resilience from Many Lands edited by Marie Boucher, Poet Laureate of Monterey County &MIIS Professor & Head of the English for Academic & Professional Purposes.

International and local poets from the collection will convene from around the world—both remotely and in person for this special honoring of “International Peace Day and the Power of Poetry,” weaving their words together on peace, justice, and resilience for this official release of the multilingual poetry anthology, Doves Born of Flames.

Poets will be reading from countries as far as Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, South Africa, Poland, and more. The event will feature readers and translators from among the MIIS faculty & alumni, during this special occasion to celebrate our multilingual community—with many languages represented, including: Japanese, Shona, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, and Persian, all with English translations.

Viviana Guzmán, internationally acclaimed, Grammy-nominated flautist, will open and grace the gathering with her magical flute. Viviana has taught masterclasses in 156 universities around the world and currently teaches at University of California Santa Cruz and conducts the Peninsula Youth Orchestra Flute Ensemble.

The International Peace Day Event 2026 is co-sponsored by the Collaborative of Conflict Transformation, Language Studies at MIIS, and the International Poetry Gathering of Monterey.

Location: Irvine Auditorium, 499 Pierce St., Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in Monterey, CA & Online: register at Event Brite

Time: 12- 2pm PT: Your prompt arrival is appreciated. 2-3pm: Book signing & light reception to follow in the foyer. The event is free and open to the local & international community online.