Peaceful Schools International

News

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 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.

For more information, please see http://peacefulschoolsinternational.org/peacecamp/peacecamp10.htm.

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Watch a clip from CBC News about the camp (begins at 18:31).

News Release from Saint Mary's University

For More Information:

Steve Proctor
External Affairs
Saint Mary's University
(902) 420.5513
E-mail:
www.smu.ca

Welcome to all new PSI member schools, 2009-2010

PSI would like to welcome all of the new members that joined in the 2009-2010 school year (June 30, 2009 – June 30, 2010)! We now have over 320 member schools in 17 countries around the world.

We look forward to working with our newest members, and with all of our other members over the coming year.

See a full list of all PSI member schools.

Afshan Academy, Karachi, Pakistan
Agha Primary & Secondary School, Karachi, Pakistan
Al-Makhadoom Public School, Karachi, Pakistan
Beaver Valley Community School, Thornbury, Ontario, Canada
Capital City Grammar School, Karachi, Pakistan
Christian Home Mission School System, Monrovia, Liberia
Cranmore Integrated Primary School, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Derrydown Public School, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Gbonkelenken Christian High School, Makonkorie, Gbonkelenken, Sierra Leone
Golden Career Primary & Secondary School, Karachi, Pakistan
H.M. Iqra Academy, Karachi, Pakistan
Makambray Community Primary School, Makambray, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
Mapaki Primary School, Mapaki, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
Maso Community Primary School, Maso, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
Mathombo Primary School, Mathombo, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
Mayagba Primary School , Mayagba, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
Mi'Kmawey School / Potlotek Adult Learning Program, Chapel Island First Nation, Nova Scotia, Canada
Morning Glory Public School, Pefferlaw, Ontario, Canada
Paki Masabong Junior Secondary School, Mapaki, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
R.C. Bumban Primary School, Bumban, Paki Masabong, Sierra Leone
Souvenir Elementary School, Laval, Quebec, Canada
St. Michael School, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
St. Xavier's College, Bareilly Up, India
Stars Model Matriculation School, Tamilnadu, South India, India
Westwood High School, Saint-Lazare, Quebec, Canada
Whanganui Awa School Wainui-a-rua, Wanganui, Aotearoa, New Zealand

Westwood High School, Junior Campus, celebrates commitment to peace

On June 11, Westwood High School Junior Campus in Montreal celebrated their commitment to peace with a PSI flag raising ceremony. The ceremony was held outside under peaceful skies and warm temperatures. The whole ceremony was handled by students and was very well received by invited guests and school population. A celebratory BBQ and games day was held afterwards.

Westwood staff and guests holding the PSI flag before it was hoisted.

From left to right: Monik Graham representing the staff of Westwood High School Junior Campus, Nathalie Richard representing the town of St. Lazare, Carol Gray, Director of secondary Schools Lester B. Pearson school Board, Marc Viau, Sureté du Québec School Liaison Officer, Hans Bulow, Principal WWJR, Alana Quinn-Leroux Principal Westwood Senior, Judy Grant PSI coordinator LBPSB

Thorndale Elementary School is a peaceful place to be!

This article was written by staff at Thorndale Elementary School in Pierrefonds. Why not try out their "Thorndale Hug" idea at your school?

Thorndale Elementary School in Pierrefonds is a wonderful place to be. The sense of community and warmth has been commented upon many times by staff and visitors alike. We are proud members of Peaceful Schools International and we try to live up to the mission of PSI, and we continue to build our reputation as a peaceful place of learning.

This year we have been busy. Our Peace Pal team did a great job promoting peer mediation throughout the grade levels. We raised money for Haiti relief, made community Christmas baskets, organised some aid for Africa via our principal and our kindergarten teachers. We raised $600 dollars for one of our pastoral animators to organise the building of a well in a remote village in India.

Most recently we created the "Thorndale Hug". Each student made a paper hand print with their name and a word which signified peace for them. The whole school gathered outside in the shape of a heart all holding posters showing their "helping hands".

Our friend and PSI mentor Judy grant came in last week and created an art project with grade 5 students, celebrating religious and cultural diversity. The crafts were displayed both on our peace tree at school and at the peace tree at the school board offices.

So, all in all, another great year at Thorndale school. We wish everyone in the Lester B Pearson community a very happy, relaxing and peaceful Summer!

Advocate: Put peace on par with other academic subjects

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.