Each year, Saint Mary’s University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, partners with Peaceful Schools International and Barnardo’s Children’s Charity in Belfast to bring peace education to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Saint Mary’s University organizes a small group of students who travel to Northern Ireland each February to engage students and teachers in addressing issues surrounding peace and the importance of conflict resolution. 2010 marks the fifth year that students from Saint Mary’s visited Catholic, Protestant, and Integrated schools throughout Belfast to offer conflict resolution workshops.

“It is clear that, although weapons are for the most part silenced in Northern Ireland, the conflict still occupies the hearts of the citizens of this troubled region,” says PSI founder Hetty van Gurp.

Bridget Brownlow, Conflict Resolution Advisor at Saint Mary’s, says by working alongside Catholic and Protestant students, it is hoped the Saint Mary’s students will feel they have a hand in creating a more peaceful world in which everyone can learn in a safe environment.

“This initiative presents an opportunity for Saint Mary’s students to learn about the real impact of violent conflict on a society as well as an opportunity to share some of our conflict resolution skills,” said Brownlow.

Peaceful Schools International has worked with schools in Belfast, Northern Ireland, since 2002. Past activities include training workshops for teachers, a visit by Nova Scotia high school students, and a documentary film.

**This is the first in a series of stories and testimonials from PSI member schools about the impact we are having around the world. Stay tuned here for new stories as they are released!  

Leary’s Brook Junior High School, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, has been a member of Peaceful Schools International since April 2002. This time in our school history proved to be quite a challenge for the Leary’s Brook school community as it saw school reform move from a denominational school system to neighbourhood schools. The year prior to its inaugural membership in PSI, Leary’s Brook received students from 14 separate feeder schools. Building community was key to the school’s success, and membership in PSI proved to be the catalyst for the school in establishing an ethos of collaboration, caring and respect for all.

It was apparent in reviewing the membership criteria for PSI that this organization already had a vision for schools which was right in line with what we aspired to be. The decision to embark upon the Peaceful Schools journey was our next step forward.

Continue reading The School that Peace Built: Peaceful Schools Initiatives at Leary →

Schools across province take part in campaign to battle intimidation
By GORDON DELANEY Valley Bureau
Friday, September 10, 2010
NS Chronicle Herald

Many students throughout Nova Scotia were attired in pink Thursday as a reminder that bullying will not be tolerated in their schools.

Activities on the third annual Stand Up Against Bullying Day included the wearing of pink T-shirts, assemblies and projects about peace.

Some students made anti-bullying art and poetry, held discussions about bullying or had guest speakers and team-building exercises.

“But addressing issues of bullying needs to be something that happens all year round,” said Clare Levin, executive director of Peaceful Schools International, in an interview.

Continue reading Pink day spreads anti-bullying message →

How many summer camps offer solar cooking, guerrilla gardening, puppetry, and a dozen lessons in ways to make the world a more peaceful place?

We’re not sure exactly, but there’s at least one hosted by Peaceful Schools International, and it runs Aug. 16- 20 at Saint Mary’s University.

The Summer Peace Camp is a five-day interactive camp for youth ages 8 to 13 created to help children better understand peace and how people can live peacefully together. The program provides an opportunity for youth to come together to explore, experiment, and experience the value of peace through creative and fun activities.

“It’s amazing to see how willing children are to become engaged in the idea of peace and what it means to them,” says Bridget Brownlow, Saint Mary’s Conflict Resolution Advisor and an organizer of the camp. “Their ideas about how to achieve peace in the world last year made all the adults in the room really stop and think.”

Saint Mary’s is a committed member of Peaceful Schools International and is delighted to host the camp for a second year, said Brownlow.

Peaceful Schools International is a respected source of support and guidance for more than 300 schools in 13 countries working to build a more peaceful world. Saint Mary’s students have volunteered to assist with the camp. The work is an expansion of their volunteer efforts in supporting conflict resolution skills for youth in schools locally and internationally.

“We’re offering children an opportunity to actively use their creativity to learn ways of making peace at many levels,” said Saidu Timbo, a Peaceful Schools International volunteer from Sierra Leone who will be one of the facilitators at the camp.

N.S. schools should offer peer mediation course, says ex-teacher
By CLARE MELLOR Staff Reporter
NS Chronicle Herald (link to article on the Herald website)

Just like reading, writing and arithmetic, Hetty van Gurp wants peace education to become part of the curriculum in Nova Scotia schools.

The issue is personal for the former teacher who founded the charitable organization Peaceful Schools International in 2001. Her 14-year-old son, Ben, died in 1991 as a result of a bullying incident at the Halifax school he was attending.

Continue reading Advocate: Put peace on par with other academic subjects →

This summer, Peaceful Schools International is again hosting the Art of Peace Summer Camp for 8 – 13 year-olds. The camp, offered for the first time in 2009, provides children with an opportunity to creatively explore the meaning of peace – within ourselves, in our communities and in the world. Local artists and peace activists visited and will make presentations throughout the camp. Children will learn about peace through activities such as drama, puppetry, tie-dye, and writing. Participants also have the opportunity to learn about global peace through learning about what life is like for children their age in Sierra Leone and Pakistan.

“The peace camp experience was wonderful for our daughters Hannah (age 10) and Claire (age 9). The staff were committed and caring, and created an environment that allowed for Hannah and Claire to broaden and deepen their understanding of peace, co-operation, and environmental awareness while all the time having fun with new friends. They’ll be back next year for sure!.”
– Peter James (parent)

In 2010, the peace camp will run August 16-20 at Saint Mary’s University. 

The Canadian Living “Me to We” awards recognizes everyday Canadian heroes – the ones who put “we” before “me”. This year, Hetty van Gurp, founder of Peaceful Schools International was nominated for and won the award in the social action cateogry. A quote from the article:

“Hetty, a teacher, introduced a campaign called “Lessons in Living” in 1991; its aim, to teach students how to live and learn together. “It’s a child’s right to feel safe at school,” says the activist.”

Winners of the “Me to We” award were announced in the October 2009 issue of Canadian Living. Each winner receives $5,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.

On March 1, 2005, Richard J. Codey, the Acting Governor of the state of New Jersey, proclaimed the day as “Peaceful Schools International Day” in honour of Millstone River School becoming the first school in the state of New Jersey to become a member of PSI!

On March 1, 2010, PSI founder Hetty van Gurp will join the Millstone School community to celebrate this important day.