Recognizing the UN International Day of Peace is a long-standing tradition here at Friends School, going all the way back to its establishment in 1981. There are elements of our celebration that look the same from year to year and others that change with the times or the day’s theme.
When we gathered in concentric circles around the Peace Pole last Tuesday, I observed that it was the first time in far too long that the entire school had been together in one place as last year’s celebration was altered by the pandemic. I shared some thoughts about the Peace Pole itself, remarking that it sends messages about who we are, about where we are, and about our wish for the world and our community.
The Peace Pole carries the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” in nine languages. In addition to the languages we speak here at school, English and Spanish, some of the languages were selected because of their global reach: American Sign Language, Arabic, Hebrew, Mandarin, and Swahili. The final two languages have particular meaning to FSMH: Hindi is the native language of Teacher Hanshi Deshbandhu, a long-time teacher and now trustee for whom our building is named, and Algonquin is the language group that includes the Leni Lenape, the original inhabitants of the land on which our school is located.
At the end of the gathering we sang our school song which echoes the Peace Pole’s wish and implores, “We need peace; let it begin with me.”
But how will peace happen?
In the week leading up to the Day of Peace, students, teachers, and family members considered a query based on the UN’s theme: “How can I/we make the world sustainable and equitable?” and wrote their responses on fabric strips. Representatives from each grade and a few teachers shared their responses aloud, including:
- We can reduce plastic use by taking our own bags to stores and use reusable water bottles and utensils.
- Give stuff you don’t need like food, clothes, or toys to people who need it.
Protect wetlands.- Pick up trash.
- Plant lots of trees.
- Grow your own food and share it with people.
- Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
- Help others and be fair to others.
- Support women’s rights and liberties.
- Listen to the needs of others.
These and at least 300 others are now knotted into two Peace Circles that are on display by the front entrance of the Hanshi Building. They are both a piece of art to be appreciated and an encouragement to make good on those commitments – to live out the testimonies of stewardship and equality – so that peace may prevail in our community and on Earth.
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