International day of peace: Smiles give new meaning to peace

Children at Mashal Model School deliver messages of tolerance .

ISLAMABAD:

With smiles on their faces and their bodies radiating palpable cheer, schoolchildren geared up to make the day count at the Ayub Kiran Centre on the warm Saturday morning.

It was no ordinary day. They were celebrating the International Day of Peace, organised in collaboration with Mashal Model School and Right to Play at the academic centre, which comprises an open ground in Sector F-6.

The students performed skits, poems and interactive games, promoting the message of peace, tolerance and harmony. This year’s theme recognises the UN General Assembly’s Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace and affirms promotion of peace is vital for the full enjoyment of all human rights.



The event also showcased artwork by students which illustrated their interpretations of a peaceful world. The schoolchildren and participants signed the UNESCO Peace Manifesto and pledged to contribute for peace in the world.

Master Ayub, the school principal and a recipient of the Pride of Performance Award, shared his goal and commitment to make a difference in society. Ayub, 56, has been running the school under the open sky for nearly three decades.

“In order to progress, we need peace, love and tolerance,” he said, while also emphasising the intertwined roles of education and play to build a prosperous society.

Zeba Husain, owner of the Mashal Model School, encouraged children to brainstorm, negotiate and resolve conflicts through peaceful methods as, she considered, was being taught in her own school which caters to children from under-served communities including internally-displaced persons and rag-picking street children as a means to reintegrate them into society.

Right to Play Country Manager Iqbal Jatoi said that the increasing violence in the Pakistani society was because of various reasons such as deprivation, poverty, disease, lack of resources, political ideologies and bad governance.

He underscored the transformative power of sports that enables people to reflect and learn in a peaceful manner. “We need to sensitise and educate the young generation who have the potential to change attitudes and perception. It is essential to initiate the awareness with children to build a better future.”

Mansoor Ahmed, former hockey Olympian, who has been participating in Right to Play programmes, highlighted the principles of discipline and realising one’s strength to become successful individuals.

“Sport transforms personality and enables you to learn in different situations and circumstances. Play teaches you teamwork and helps children to bring in tolerance and appreciate new things,” he said. Ahmed played three consecutive World Cups and the World Cup Hockey Championship in 1994.

Right to Play is an international organisation which is engaging more than 30,000 children and youth in peace celebrations across the country. Moreover, they have engaged 200,000 children in several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2014.