The True Meaning of PEACE

Hello! Ni Hao!

Today I want to share a story I experienced in China when I was a little girl.

Unfortunately, there is a long history between Japan and China, and many older generations don’t like Japan. Even the smallest part of it.

When I was in China, I was a little angry after I heard about Japan. I still remember that scary unbelievable moment.

“What are you folding, Kalin?” Asked my old homeroom teacher. “A paper crane from Japan. It represents peace, right?” My teacher’s face suddenly looked very angry. She pushed my hands away and dumped my little paper crane into the garbage bin. Later, she did say sorry to me, but she also taught me a lot about how the Japanese people hurt the Chinese. And from that day on, I started to hate Japan, even through sometimes I would like their food or clothing… But I still couldn’t forgive them.

Then one day, I met a young girl through the Peace Tree Club. Her name is Eisa, and we got along really well: we both like music, and we help each other. After, I found out she came from Japan, and I thought, I can’t still keep that kind of hatred inside me, and we became best friends. I learned now, when you are born, you are born with an opened mind, but when you grow up, many people will teach you negative things, so you have to be able to decide, whether they are right or wrong and use your own mind. Usually, you can feel what’s right in your heart.

I think I learned a lot in Canada, through the Peace Tree Club, and from my friends. I am sure some of you don’t understand the importance of the Peace Tree Club; But when you think about what is going in the world, you may begin to understand why it is important for each of us to create peace.

Like the great peace leader Mahatma Gandhi once said: Be the change you want to see in the world. WE ARE BEING THAT CHANGE!
Kalin Mo, 12

Canada Means PEACE

Hello, my name is Israa. I’m from Palestine. I like Canada very much because there is a lot o fighting in Palestine. Everyday, I was scared to live in Palestine. I couldn’t go outside to play, I couldn’t walk on the street because I would always be afraid. I would be killed. But here in Canada, everyone is free and we fell so lucky to live in such a peaceful country. This is like a dream for us. In Palestine, when we were in the school, my teacher taught us about Israel and she said Israel is very bad country. She drew a Star of David and she put on a very big ‘X’. But I felt in my heart something was wrong when she told us this. When I came to Canada, I saw a very different world. When I go to school, I learned a lot of things about peace. I always call my friend in Palestine. I said to them not all of the Israel people are bad and we have to create peace in the world. They laugh at me and they said peace? What is peace? They said that because there are no peace in Palestine and Israel. I also saw different people from different countries living together and making friends with each other in Canada, and I think that is wonderful. In that case, we have people from all over the world living together in one country in peace.

By Israa, 12.

From Palestine To Canada

Anas’s Speech

Hi, salaam alaykom everybody. My name is Anas, I’m from Palestine. I came to Canada on June 5th, 2006.
When I was in Palestine, one day my friend told me: “Come with me to write on the wall about Israeli soldiers. But I refused because I didn’t think it was a good idea. I remember when the President of Palestine came to my city. It was a wonderful time because he was seriously looking for peace. One day I asked my friend: “ Why do you hate Israeli people?” He said because they come to our country every night and shoot everywhere. And then I said to him: if we think like that, we can never make peace around the world. Also, even though peace only has five letters, it has huge meaning. We can share together, we can help each other, we can love each other, and we can make friends with each other.

By Anas, 13.