From staff reports
Published: Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:45 a.m.

Cecilia St. King, Peace Troubadour, will perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Thomas Auditorium at Blue Ridge Community College in conjunction with World Interfaith Harmony Week.

The United Religions Initiative of Henderson County, a member of the United Religions Initiative global interfaith network and Blue Ridge Community College will celebrate the first World Interfaith Harmony Week, Wednesday through Feb. 7, with a concert featuring Cecilia St. King, Peace Troubadour, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Thomas Auditorium, Blue Ridge Community College.

Facts
Want to go?
What: Concert featuring Cecilia
St. King
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bo Thomas Auditorium,
Blue Ridge Community College
Admission: Free; love offering
Information: 828-435-1337 ,
[email protected]
First proposed by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan, the week was established by the UN General Assembly in October 2010 in recognition of the importance of “mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue” for peace.

URI, an organization founded on the principle of enduring interfaith cooperation for peace and justice, endorsed the resolution in a letter to King Adbullah in December and called on its 500 member organizations to join in the inaugural observance this year.

The URI of Henderson County is one of 500 grassroots Cooperation Circles in 78 countries around the world. Founded under the leadership of Mary Page Sims 14 years ago, the Henderson County circle is one of the oldest in the network.

The Rev. Gary Prichard is the chairman.

St. King “happened to have a connection with Mary Page Sims, one of the founders of the URI in Henderson County,” Prichard said.

The local URI holds an annual event at the start of each year, Prichard said.

“This one is a little bit special,” he said. “I hope people leave with a sense of hope.”

St. King has appeared on NBC’s “Today” and on CNN and has presented concerts on stages around the world. Born in Jamaica, St. King moved with her family to the United States when she was 8 – She works as a recording artist and also owns a children’s entertainment company.

St. King was only a few blocks away from the World Trade Center when it was struck by the first airplane on 9/11.

“I saw the first tower on fire,” St. King said. Six months after running from the fall of the center, she was diagnosed with throat cancer. She spent time healing in a monastery in New Zealand and turned her tragedy into triumph by being a voice for peace. Her album “Listen Up Heart” is a collection of 12 tracks that range from ballads to rock.

“We would especially like to invite any young people in the area who may have an interest in peace,” Prichard said. “This is a program that would have wide appeal to young people.”

For more information, contact Prichard at 828-435-1337 or at [email protected]. The local URI website is www.academyforpeace.org.

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