Educational communities in Spain celebrate the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace every year around January 30th, a day sponsored by the UN in memory of Gandhi’s death and which is part of comprehensive education, in this case in relation to values education.
It’s about recognizing that peace is not just the absence of conflict, but also an active attitude of caring for oneself, others, and the environment. Therefore, those who care, respect, collaborate, and leave a positive mark were celebrated.
In Valladolid, the Saint Augustine High School of the Augustinian Recollects previously launched a social experiment, which the students were not notified about: during the week, the cleaning service did not go through the classrooms, hallways or stairs.
The accumulated waste, which is usually disposed of without the students actively noticing, became a pedagogical tool. The impact each person has was made visible. The activity culminated in a collective cleanup.
After recess, a video was shown to spark a discussion about the kind of space they want to live in. Then, students from 5th and 6th grade, as well as secondary and high school students, went to the preschool and primary classrooms to participate in activities with the younger children about visual and noise pollution and to understand the concept of “ecological footprint.”
In addition, during lunchtime and with the “early birds” program—a kind of kindergarten for the youngest children— there were crafts focused on the values of respect, friendship, solidarity, and coexistence. They made peace doves, murals with positive messages, and drawings about unity and camaraderie.
This fostered imagination, fine motor skills, dialogue and reflection adapted to their age, as they began the day sharing, collaborating and understanding the importance of living in harmony with others.
The joint event took place at the Sports Center. It included a peaceful demonstration by the students in support of the environment, a collaborative activity involving trees, recycled waste, the reading of manifestos, body percussion, and visual messages advocating for active and sustainable peace.
Students dedicated to raising awareness of ecological habits among others, who form the so-called “Green Team” during the year, and student representatives planted trees as a symbol of the future.
The message for everyone was that each person can become an agent of change and that peace begins with every daily gesture, and leaves a mark.
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