Happy United Nations Day!
On Thursday, October 24, the children of Winfield Children’s House gathered to celebrate United Nations Day. Each year, we celebrate this important day with a peace ceremony. This year we held a peace ceremony at the Children’s House and another at the Toddler House for the infant and toddler children.
Leading up to United Nations Day, the preschool and Kindergarten children were constructing classroom paper chains, with messages about peace and friendship. At the Children’s House peace ceremony, each of the 3 early childhood classrooms carried their paper chains out to the Peace Pole in front of our school buildings. Our Peace Pole says “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in four languages. The children helped to link together all three paper chains to make a large chain that could decorate the area around the Peace Pole.
To begin the Children’s House Ceremony, the children gathered in a large circle and sang “Peace Like a River.” Each classroom prepared thoughts about feeling peaceful or how to make peace that were read aloud to those gathered. After each classroom had a chance to share, our School Director shared the story of the life of Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori’s dream was that children would carry messages of peace throughout their lives and all around the world. Montessori believed that children were the key to creating a more peaceful world. The ceremony including a few more songs and ended with the song, “Go Now in Peace,” as the children began recess on the playground.
At the Toddler House, the ceremony took place on the Toddler House playground on both Thursday and Friday. The toddlers also created a paper chain and connected the links to hang on the playground fence. They sang peace songs and learned a bit about the life of Maria Montessori. There is a Peace Pole located outside of the Toddler House building, as well. It says May Peace Prevail on Earth in 3 languages and show animal tracks on the other side to symbolize caring for the earth.
Next time you visit, please take a moment to check out the Peace Poles on our campus and ask your child to teach you a song from the peace ceremony.
If you are looking for a way to learn more about the United Nations with your child, visit http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/ for activities and information for children of all ages.