Earth Day will be celebrated today with the grand re-opening of the newly renovated Peace Garden, which will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, along with a private dedication of the Dean Richard D. Memorial Grove.

The Peace Garden, located just north of the new Henry Madden Library, was re-opened in February after re-landscaping was designed to visually tie the garden to the renovation of the Madden Library.

The events theme for Earth Day is, “The Green Generation,” and will include guests such as Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearingen, the garden’s original founder, Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor, President John D. Welty and Associated Students, Inc. President Graham Wahlberg.

Nancy Ford, widow of the late Dean Ford, will also be in attendance. The Dean Memorial Grove is located at the west end of the Peace Garden.

The ribbon cutting will begin at 11:45 a.m. and is registered as an official Earth Day event. Celebration’s will continue from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. in The Peace Garden and includes a teach-in on three key environmental challenges and sustainability fair offering information and volunteer opportunities.

President Welty explained that all events are free and open to the public and are aimed at tying the concept of caring for the planet and peace together.

“The Peace Garden is a place to draw inspiration, energy and stimulation for activism, and personal and social change based on the philosophy of nonviolence,” Welty said.

“Encouraging our community to be part of a very valuable social shift in the way we care for our planet is likened to those individuals honored throughout the Peace Garden who also committed their lives to social change.”