Resources

Guide to hosting an SOPP ceremony

For those who are interested in organizing their own SOPP ceremony, we have put together this brief guide, based on past experiences in conducting ceremonies at Fuji Sanctuary and around the world. The guide provides an introduction to the Symphony of Peace Prayers and outlines the basic elements of the ceremony to help you design and plan your own unique event!

Download: Hosting guide in English (PDF)
Download: Hosting guide in Spanish (PDF)
Download: Hosting guide in Italian (PDF)


Prayers for peace in each country
A powerful invocation for peace

When we pray for peace and harmony to prevail in each country and region on earth, we are celebrating both our diversity and our interconnectedness as one large human family. Our prayers send out a strong energy that elevates and celebrates each nation and people.

In this part of the ceremony, national flags are often used as a tangible symbol of each nation, a focal point for people to shift their attention to that country and pray for the peace of its people. Any regions of the world not represented by the national flags can be represented by an Earth flag.

With or without flags, praying for peace in each country and region adds to the vast energy pool of love and peace generated at the Symphony of Peace Prayers. The most commonly used prayer is:

May peace be in (name of country or region).

You may also wish to incorporate the universal prayer and message, May peace prevail on Earth, at any point during the prayers for each country.

At many prayer gatherings, participants offer a prayer for each country in the country’s own official language(s). For those interested in trying this method, we offer this alphabetical list of prayers for peace in each national language.

Download: Prayers for the Peace of Each Country in Each National Language (PDF, updated April 2024)

Another way to send waves of peace to each country is to speak the word ‘peace’ after the country’s name is announced. The word peace is one of the most powerful one in any language. In the Japanese culture, particular attention is given to words and their power to create, a concept known as kotodama. We send a tremendous message to the world when we intently intone the prayer May peace be in… (country), followed by the word ‘peace’  in the official language(s) of the country. Give it a try! Below is a list of countries, arranged by continent, with a peace prayer in English and the word ‘peace’ in the official language(s) of the country. (If you have another language to add, please feel free to contact us – we are always happy to expand the list! And of course, the list can be created in any language!)

Download: ‘Country / Peace’ in each national language (PDF, updated April 2022)

You may also wish to add special element before the prayers for each continent – a photo, song, poem, or anything else to connect participants with that part of the world.


United Nations
Member States

The list of UN member states is regularly updated online and provides an excellent reference for SOPP ceremonies and prayer gatherings. You may wish to add countries or regions which are not represented at the UN, such as Tibet, Taiwan and Palestine.


Fuji Declaration and “We Are All Shining Divine Sparks”

Launched at the SOPP in May 2015, the Fuji Declaration celebrates humanity’s oneness within our diversity. It is a call to all humanity to awaken to the divine spark within us and co-create a new civilization based on harmony, respect, and cooperation. Reading and affirmation the declaration fits naturally with any SOPP celebration. The five points at the end of the declaration are particularly useful in getting people thinking, talking, writing, and acting for peace! Read and download the full Fuji Declaration here.

Composed in 2015 for the inauguration of the Fuji Declaration, “We Are All Shining Divine Sparks” joyfully conveys the essential spirit and message of the SOPP. Share the song with friends and SOPP participants using any of the following videos:

Video: “We Are All Shining Divine Sparks” (English with lyrics)
Video: “We Are All Shining Divine Sparks” (English with nature images)
Video: “We Are All Shining Divine Sparks” (Karaoke sing-along – English lyrics)


Celebrating the earth and the universe

The prayers below were composed for the SOPP ceremony at Fuji Sanctuary. If you find them inspiring, please feel free to use them in your own events and to share them with others.

 Prayer for the Oneness of All Living Things

Peoples of all nations,
All plants and animals,
Mountains, oceans, water, air and sun –
Though they appear as separate existences,
The same vibration of life
Resides in all of them.

The Earth is one great living being.
When all living things attain great harmony,
A bright new future for the planet will unfold.

We offer this prayer
That all life on Earth will become one
And resonate in a symphony of love and harmony,
As one shining star in a harmonized universe.

May peace prevail on our planet Earth.
May peace be in each and every life.
May all life on Earth become one with all life in the universe,
Evolving together to create a radiant future.

May peace prevail on Earth

Creation of the Universe 

When we quiet our mind and pray,
we feel the prayers of all living things.

Our prayers become the energy of love and healing,
embracing the Earth, humanity, and all living things,
and bringing all back to life.

The creation of a new planet Earth begins.

Even when human beings forget to pray,

the earth, the seas, the mountains, and all living things
go on praying for the time when humanity will awaken.

When we quiet our mind and pray,
we feel the prayers of all living things.

Our prayers become light, illuminating the divinity
in each and every human being.

At that time, the Earth, humanity, and all living things become one,
and a new universe begins.

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