Today is Peace Day

THE VIOLENCE Prevention Alliance (VPA), in collaboration with its partners, will today observe a series of activities in celebration of Peace Day which is being held under the theme, ‘Peace is the Way for a Better Day’.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, and Peace and Love in Society, the VPA will engage students in Peace Day activities across the island.

The highlight event will be the announcement of the winners of the Trees for Peace Competition for 2019 during an awards ceremony to be held at Maryland All-Age School in Hanover.

The competition, which was introduced in 2018, encourages schools across the island to designate a space for a ‘pace garden’ to plant trees and shrubbery, so as to provide an area for conflict resolution as well as relaxation.

Sixty-five schools at the early-childhood, primary and secondary levels across the island participated in the competition.

“The entries were outstanding, given the challenges with the drought last year,” said Professor Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA. “The judges were impressed with the entries and the level of work input to create the peace gardens,” she noted.

Professor Ward said that the competition not only saw teachers and students working harmoniously to create peace gardens, but in some cases, the entire community.

She said the aim of the initiative is to catalyse a conversation around peace in schools and to encourage schools to develop programmes, through the guidance counsellors geared towards peace building and conflict resolution.

“Empowering our children with skills to avoid the use of violence and to resolve conflicts where they arise, will facilitate building a more peaceful Jamaica,” said Ward.

Support and further endorsement for the project has also come from other stakeholders, including: CB Facey Foundation; JN Foundation; Food For The Poor; Trees that Feed Foundation; Mona GeoInformatics Institute; the Early Childhood Commission; National Council on Drug Abuse; National Environment and Planning Agency; Forestry Department; and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.