Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in solidarity with the
world, and call on all other Members of the House to stand as well, and
join over 100 nations, 25 United States governors, hundreds of mayors
and over 1,000 organizations in nearly 140 countries in supporting One
Day in Peace. The bill, House Concurrent Resolution 363, which I
cosponsored with Representative Dennis Kucinich and many other
Representatives, calls for January 1, in accordance with the United
Nations General Assembly, to be a 24-hour period designated as One Day
in Peace when the people of this Nation and the world act for the most
part with unprecedented cooperation and good will. The Chairman and the
Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee have
indicated that they will not oppose this resolution being brought to
the floor now, and I urge all my fellow Congressmen to support this
effort. Let us fulfill the dream by marking 01/01/01 as the first One
Day in Peace worldwide. The bill urges people around the world to
gather with family, friends, neighbors, and members of their community
to pledge nonviolence in the new year and to share in a celebratory New
Year meal. It also encourages Americans who are able to match their new
year meal with a timely gift to the hungry at home or abroad. This
Resolution is important because it acknowledges, the need to work for
those goals that appeal to the greatest positive attributes of our humanity. My
friends no better time exists to lift up a new standard of peace and
goodwill in this world. Can you imagine, Mr. Speaker, if at the
beginning of every year, all of America, and indeed all of the world
proclaim aloud and at once, in unison and strength, that these are our
goals: brotherhood, charity, understanding, and peace. Such a
declaration has never before been made, but it can. I urge support of
H. Con. Res. 363 and support its overwhelming passage.