Date/Time
Date(s) - 12/31/2025
6:00 am - 7:00 am
Location
Unity Temple on the Plaza
Categories
Celebrate the dawn of the new year by joining us for the 40th-annual observance of the World Peace Meditation, an inclusive interfaith gathering dedicated to compassion, unity, and global harmony. The event is free and open to all — everyone is welcome.
- Interfaith & Cultural Rituals — The morning unfolds as a tapestry of spiritual traditions: the melodic Muslim Adhan (call to prayer), Native American smudging to cleanse and purify, quiet periods of meditation, devotional music including Sufi-inspired pieces, and more.
- Collective Prayer for Peace — Members of the Greater Kansas City Interfaith Council will offer heartfelt prayers for peace from their diverse faith traditions — reflecting our shared aspiration for goodwill and harmony.
- International Peace Light — As a symbol of hope and unity, we will share the continuous “International Peace Light,” a flame rooted in the grotto of Bethlehem, passed person to person as a message of peace and friendship.
- Communal Meditation — At the heart of the gathering lies silent meditation — a moment for us to come together, cultivate stillness, and send our collective intention out into the world.
Bodhisattva Award Ceremony
A meaningful highlight of the event will be the presentation of the Bodhisattva Award, given annually by Rime to honor a person or organization in the Kansas City area whose work reflects the highest ideals of compassion, loving-kindness, and wisdom — the essence of a “bodhisattva,” a being committed to benefit all sentient beings.
This year’s recipient is Kansas City Defender, a Black nonprofit community media platform dedicated to engaging Gen Z and Millennials across the Midwest through news, culture, justice, business, and community-building. As a proud Abolitionist organization rooted in the tradition of the radical Black press, the Defender’s work exemplifies selfless service, community empowerment, and the bold pursuit of justice and harmony.
Keynote Speaker: Rabbi Michael Zedek
Rabbi Michael Zedek is Rabbi Emeritus of both Temple B’nai Jehudah in Kansas City and Emanuel Congregation in Chicago, where he served as a spiritual leader beginning in 2004. He previously served as CEO of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, during which the Federation earned national recognition for innovative fundraising and programming. A respected scholar, teacher, and community activist, Rabbi Zedek has been honored with numerous awards, including a Fulbright-Hays Grant and recognition from the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
A prominent voice in interfaith dialogue, Rabbi Zedek founded and hosted the long-running radio program Religion on the Line and is a frequent presenter on spirituality across the globe. Since 2021, he has served as Rabbi-in-Residence at Saint Paul School of Theology. He is also the author of Taking Miracles Seriously: A Journey to Everyday Spirituality and continues to teach, write, and inspire audiences worldwide.
Why This Matters
The tradition of the World Peace Meditation traces back to an original global prayer gathering on December 31, 1986 — a simultaneous call for peace, love, forgiveness, and unity worldwide. Since then, our annual gathering in Kansas City has grown into a cherished tradition that brings together people of many faiths and backgrounds in a spirit of solidarity, reflection, and hope.
Through this collective act of mindfulness, ritual, and community, we reaffirm our shared commitment to peace, healing, and mutual respect — beyond boundaries of religion, race, or culture.