Tomorrow is a very special day in both real life and Second Life, it's a day of inspiration and unconditional love shared around the planet, a day when people are called upon to turn their thoughts away from wars, unrest and the usual traumas of everyday life and  think positively about peace, love and harmony.  This is the second anniversary of the Love Foundation's base in SL, after so many years of success in real life encompassing one hundred and forty countries taking part each May.  Philip McGillivary of the Love Foundation, has told me about the wonderful events to be held tomorrow, Philip said:

“After such an amazing and successful first ever virtual Global Love Day event on May 1st in Second Life last year, nonprofit, The Love Foundation, is creating a more spectacular celebration this year with a 24-hour event spanning all the world's time zones.

"Global Love Day, now in its eighth year, is being celebrated in over 140 countries around the world as a way to unite one and all in a celebration of love and compassion.  The Love Foundation honours each May 1st as a symbolic day of unconditional love and calls upon all people and all nations to gather together in the wisdom of peace and love. The online world of Second Life has proven to be an excellent addition to the many types of event being presented each year honouring this day.

"As TLF director Erik Grand said, "People can celebrate Global Love Day in a shared collaborative environment - regardless of their geographical location in the world - thanks to the three dimensional social network that is Second Life. We established our virtual presence here to better connect our global community in a way that affords a truly unique and immersive experience."

"Last year's event was a simple affair on a virtual tropical beach on one of Second Life's beautiful islands with dancing on the sand and meditation in a simple straw hut.  This year there's a vast pavilion with a stage bedecked with a classic grand piano, a movie screen, a dance floor festooned with balloons, and dazzling light effects. Especially new this year is the extensive schedule of special events including live and recorded singing plus a variety of world-spanning music styles with tracks spun by DJs for the avatars to dance the day and night away.  And between times there's yoga on the beach and dancing, courtesy of Second Life's music streaming, to 70s and 80s pop and other favourites.

"In addition to the ongoing party atmosphere and festivities, there is a unique and special meditation area this year as well - a gorgeous planet Earth spinning in the star-filled universe where avatars will gather in groups of 20 at a time for serene meditations guided by TLF directors at various times throughout the day.

"Celebrations for Global Love Day are also being hosted by groups in other locations throughout Second Life as well.  This year there will be open-mike love poetry reading, sacred dance meditation, dancing on rainbows and a live concert of love songs, all listed on the Events Programme for the day.  With the success of the Love Foundation's new-found presence in Second Life, many more people will have the opportunity to participate in Global Love Day this year.

"Following the achievement of Global Love Day in Second Life last year, the directors of The Love Foundation immediately sought and were awarded impressive office space in the Non Profit Commons sim where there continues to be a steady stream of visitors learning about The Love Foundation’s ongoing programmes and activities.

"As a kind gesture of support, the two avatars who created last year's event, Philip McGillivary and Rick Zackerly, completed their beautiful jungle setting called “Loving Earth.” They were inspired by the Pandoran forest in the Avatar movie and donated their creation to The Love Foundation.  With its sublime lighting and sound effects, and graceful elemental creatures, "Loving Earth" is a perfect setting for The Love Foundation's popular weekly group meditations.

"The Love Foundation’s founders, Harold W. Becker (avatar HB Eternal) and John Goltz (JT Christos) will be at the Global Love Day event this year, joined by other directors Erik Grand (Erik Evermore) and Philip Snow (Philip McGillivary) along with a host of avatar friends, including Rick Zackerly, Blonde Starsmith, Fleur Feila, MacZ Urbanowicz and Deborealis Messioptra who have been working diligently to bring this beautiful day together.

"The Love Foundation directors want to express their appreciation to the performers on the day, Pandora Breadbin and Tam Katzin, and DJs Step Portilo, Jaguare Braveheart , jaco Aboma and HarleyMC Homewood;  and those who are dedicating events on sims across Second Life, including Shambala Kimono, sabreman Carter and RebelMum Slade.”

Philip also gave me a copy of the schedule:

"We've got a packed 24-hour schedule for Global Love Day on May 1st 2011 to accommodate all the time zones across real life, from 12.00midnight to 12.00midnight SLT (Second Life Time).

We'll be dancing and partying all day, midnight to midnight, at our Global Love Day (GLD) beach auditorium.   http://slurl.com/secondlife/Arete/142/228/22 with special events included, both at our beach auditorium (see below) and elsewhere in SL (see further below).  Contacts: Philip McGillivary/Erik Evermore for all events at GLD beach auditorium.

Special events at the Global Love Day beach auditorium:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Arete/142/230/21

12 midnight  to 1.00am Group meditation - Global Love in You.  Host: Philip McGillivary (director, The Love Foundation)

3.00am to 3.30am  Videos featuring Tam Katzin (director of The Love Foundation) singing songs for global love and peace.

6.00am to 7.00am Group meditation - Unconditional Love.   Host: HB Eternal (Harold W Becker, Founder and President, The Love Foundation)

7.00am  Yoga on the Beach.   Lead: Deborealis Messioptra

9.00am to 9.30am Videos featuring Tam Katzin (director of The Love Foundation) singing songs for global love and peace.

10.00am to 12.00noon Reggae  DJ Host: Step Portilo 

12.00noon to 1.00pm Group meditation - Temple of Light. Host: JT Christos (John T Goltz, Co-Founder and Vice-President, The Love Foundation)

2.00pm to 3.00pm  Pandora Breadbin sings in live concert. See Pandora at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SutUB11Es1g

3.00pm to 5.00pm  Country  music  DJ Host: Jaguare Braveheart.

5.00pm to 7.00pm  Freestyle House  Host DJ: jaco

Aboma

7.00pm to 8.00pm Group Meditation - Thanks to the Earth.  Host: Erik Evermore (Erik Grand, director of The Love Foundation)

9.00pm to 10.00pm Worldbeats, Soul, Jazz, House, Funk, Afrobeats, Latin, Rai, Banghra..... if it shakes you to your soul, your DJ can play it!  Host: HarleyMC Homewood

Events dedicated to Global Love Day across Second Life:

5.00am Dancing on Rainbows, to 70s Pop, at our own Loving Earth meditation sim  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gemini/144/126/479 Host: Philip McGillivary

8.00am  Pilgrimage to Shambhala - ceremonial dance and sacred dance to the mythic, Pure Land of Shambhala, with the intent of recharging ourselves, returning to wholeness, clarity of life purpose and communion with the divine.  Location:  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vectra/96/216/2 Contact: Shambala Kimono

9.00am  The Love Poetry Path at Avgi, Avgi - Mature  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Avgi/216/140/23 -  love poetry reading, open mike.  Contact: sabreman Carter   

8.00pm SOAR live show at Star's Ballroom
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Star%20Journey/240/55/26
Celebrate Global Love Day with the Masters of Musical Moshiness :) One of the most sought after bands in SL, Somerset, Oh & Rhode ( SOAR) has a sound that reaches in and touches your very soul."

Many Thanks to Harold W. Becker and all his team and a special thanks to Philip McGillivary for his write-up about The Love Foundation.