International Day of Peace
Monday, September 21 is the United Nations International Day of Peace. As a Peaceful Communities School, it is very important that we celebrate such an important day.
One of the traditions at Cranston is to engage in the annual Pinwheels for Peace initiative:
One of the traditions at Cranston is to engage in the annual Pinwheels for Peace initiative:
From
The Pinwheels for Peace
Project
imagine...
whirled peace!
In today’s world, peace needs to become more than just a
word.
Everyday, we are bombarded
with television images, video games, music, and magazine articles/newspapers
that give importance to conflict and war. Violence has become commonplace and
accepted as part of our society and, for some, it is a way of life. It is our
hope that through the Pinwheels for Peace project, we can make a public visual
statement about our feelings about war/ peace/ tolerance/ cooperation/ harmony/
unity and, in some way, maybe, awaken the public and let them know what we are
thinking.
This is not political. Peace
doesn’t necessarily have to be associated with the conflict of war, it can be
related to violence/intolerance in our daily lives, to peace of mind. To
each of us, peace can take on a different meaning, but, in the end, it all
comes down to a simple definition: a
state of calm and serenity, with no anxiety, the absence of violence, freedom
from conflict or disagreement among people or groups of people.
A pinwheel is a childhood
symbol – it reminds us of a time when things were simple, joyful, peaceful. A
pinwheel is easily made using just about any type of material, from copy paper,
to thin plastic, to lightweight metal. The stick of the pinwheel can be as
simple as a pencil or as intricate as a carved stick or metal rod. Pinwheels
can be made as small as one inch in diameter or as large as desired – limited
only by the creator’s materials and motivation. Pinwheels can be minimal or
very complex – imagination, creativity (and a mild breeze) are the only
variables needed.
Everyone will create
pinwheels, pinwheels of all shapes and sizes – as part of the creation process,
write your thoughts about "war and peace / tolerance/ living in harmony
with others" on one side. The writing can be poetry, prose, haiku, or
essay-style – whatever writing form is appropriate as you express yourself. On
the other side, draw, paint, collage, etc. to visually express your feelings.
Assemble these pinwheels and on International Day of Peace, Sept. 21, 2015,
"plant" your pinwheels outside (at the schools, museum, public
places, etc.) as a public statement and
art exhibit/installation. The spinning of the pinwheels in
the wind will spread thoughts and feelings about peace throughout the country,
the world!
Pinwheels for Peace is an art
installation project started in 2005 by two Art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen
McMillan, who teach at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida, as a way
for their students to express their feelings about what’s going on in the world
and in their lives. The project was quickly embraced by their students
and the entire school community and by millions of art teachers, teachers,
parents, children and adults who desire peace in our world.
The first Pinwheels for Peace
were installed on Sept. 21, 2005. Since then, we have grown from 500,000
pinwheels planted the first year, to three and a half million pinwheels in
2011!
Please plan to join us
again, on Sept. 21st as we once again celebrate International Day of Peace with
"whirled peace!"
Although the project was originally conceived as a way for students to express their feelings, we are hoping that artists, non-artists, young people and not-so-young people - EVERYONE- participates. Peace is something that we all yearn for... Whirrled Peace!
Watch my blog this week for videos, books ideas and resources to learn more about Peace, International Peace day and Pinwheels Peace.
Thanks,
Mr. Southworth
