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HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. On a day usually marked by somber remembrance ceremonies, Hastings residents and local musicians gathered to celebrate peace and humanity through music Tuesday.
The September Concert was held at Fulton Park outside the Hastings-On-Hudson Public Library on Tuesday. It was one of many concerts held around the world to promote peace.
Lets take the day and turn it peaceful, said Elisa Zazzera, a volunteer with the September Concert. For us, its all about peace.
The September Concert began in 2002 as a grassroots way of promoting peace and humanity in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. Since then, the concert has spread to more than 200 locations around the world, according to the organizations website. The concerts are free and organized by volunteers and local musicians in each location, Zazzera said.
Although the world is a place full of madness, and especially today we remember horrible things that have happened in the past, we can only move on from here, musician Adam Hart said.
Attendees were encouraged to sing along using lyrics sheets, and most people joined in, swaying, clapping and singing songs about hope, peace and pacifism. Musicians performed the gospel song, This Little Light of Mine, and even people who kept quiet during other songs couldnt help but tap a foot or dance along with the music. Small children, too young to remember the Sept. 11 attacks, joined in the celebration of dancing for peace.
The concert means different things to each person, said Zazzera. For some people, it is a commemoration of Sept. 11, while for others it is simply a celebration of peace and progress, she said.
With the New York City skyline visible in the distance, Zazzera said the organization couldnt have found a better place to hold the concert.
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