Staff and students from across all three of our colleges joined together this week to mark the International Day of Peace, a global initiative dedicated to promoting peace and harmony across the world. In addition to tutorials thinking about peace, what it means, and what brings us individual peace, members of the Íæż½ã½ã community were encouraged to actively participate by sharing messages on sticky notes and attaching them to symbolic ‘Peace Trees’.
Established in 1981 by the United Nations with the aim of “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples,” the International Day of Peace is observed annually on 21 September. This year’s global theme is ‘Cultivating a Culture of Peace’, allowing individuals, communities, and nations to reflect on the ideals of peace and the ways in which we can contribute to creating a more just and harmonious world. As International Day of Peace fell on a Saturday this year, we chose to celebrate the day with tutorials and activities across the week.
Our International Day of Peace event gave students a chance to reflect on how they find individual peace, as well as to express their hopes for a more peaceful future. Sharing what brings us peace, whilst reading the thoughts of others, provides a reminder that peace is not just a distant ideal but something that can be cultivated to grow within communities. A diverse range of activities, such as speaking to friends, walking in the park, listening to music, practising Yoga, singing, watching football and prayer, were posted on the trees. In addition, students also reflected on global issues that affect peace, such as war, racism, and genocide.
Tafina Davidson, Head of Student Services, reflected on the significance of recognising the day, saying: “It’s so important for us as a college to actively recognise days like this. Peace begins with small actions, and by giving our students the space to reflect on what peace means to them, we hope to inspire them to be ambassadors for positive change both within our college and in the wider community.â€