We’d like to remind your readers, especially teachers, school governors and parents that members of Kingston Peace Council will soon be visiting schools in Kingston and Richmond to give assemblies to mark the UN Day of Peace on the 21 September.

This year’s theme is: ‘Who will you make peace with?’ The aim is to encourage children to realise that we can all work for a more peaceful world, starting with ourselves and our immediate relationships.

Peace Day was the idea of local film actor and filmmaker Jeremy Gilley who founded the organisation Peace One Day, which is now based in Richmond. The organisation’s work for peace and reconciliation is explained at www.peaceoneday.org.

2014 has witnessed massive coverage of the First World War – from the international events seen as the causes, to the effects of war on communities and individuals.

Kingston Museum had an interesting exhibition in the summer telling the stories of local people caught up in the turmoil of war. From now on photos of soldiers in the trenches are likely to be on our TV screens as we pass the poignant anniversaries of battles that took place 100 years ago.

Many people, including those who fought in more recent wars, believe that wars do not solve problems.

At Kingston Peace Council we believe that we can all benefit from thinking about how to work for peace in our own lives and beyond.

Teachers are already addressing issues of peace and conflict but sometimes an outside speaker can add a new dimension.

If you would like to arrange an assembly at your school please contact me. We have written to headteachers in all the schools in Kingston and Richmond with full details of the scheme.

Mary Holmes

Kingston Peace Council/CND 


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