On our backcover is a collage of paper doves decorated with messages of peace. A group of about sixty people—the majority children—gathered in a local park in Murrindindi, Australia, to fly “Giant Peace Doves” (see photo), plant indigenous trees and reflect on the opportunities to celebrate peace in their own community and on conflicts around the world. They wrote down peace messages on the small paper doves, Fern Hames and Sue Donnelly of the Murrindindi Roots & Shoots said, adding that they had wanted to send these to the United Nations “to give a voice to children in an Australian country town, to encourage them to feel that they can make a difference; that individuals can make effective contributions”. The peace doves were presented in October 2004 to Raymond Sommereyns of the United Nations Department of Public Information by Australian teachers and producers Stephen Cutting and David Arnold on behalf of the local programme.
For the last two years, hundreds of Roots & Shoots groups worldwide have joined together to fly Giant Peace Doves and mark the International Day of Peace on 21 September. These doves are meant as a symbol and celebration of the yearning for peace of all peoples, according to Roots & Shoots Global Peace Initiative. Begun in response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September, the Initiative has provided resources for its members to promote tolerance, compassion and cultural understanding in their home communities. It recognizes that living in a world of diverse nations, communities and cultures offers both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge, it says, is to “overcome the barriers that separate us and hinder our ability to work and live together. The opportunity is to increase understanding of diverse lifestyles and customs. Through this process, we can not only build stronger communities but also improve the environment for all living things.”
Roots & Shoots was founded in 1991 by Jane Goodall to engage and inspire youth through community service and service learning. The first Giant Peace Dove was conceived and created by Matthew Hoffman, Director of Jane Goodall’s Giant Peace Dove Campaign, and Robert & Kelly Cornett of Puppet Farm Arts, to commemorate “Dr. Jane’s” appointment as a Messenger of Peace by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
|
Print 