Toronto Peace Tree Ambassadors getting ready to take action on Peace Tree Day on June 1st by celebrating diversity through the arts! This year they hope to send many children less fortunate to school through UNICEF Canada.

What's on your mind?

Mitra Sen

It's officially Peace Tree Day today and children and youth in schools in many cities in Canada and around the world are celebrating and sending their prayers for peace for the children and families in Syria. This year schools in Russia organized their first Peace Tree Day celebrations and created their first Peace Tree that highlights the symbols of all our cultures and faiths TOGETHER.

We read about the little boy in Syria who saw his entire family being killed in front of him while he pretended to be dead. I cannot even imagine what this little boy had to go through and how he is surviving today. It makes us all realize why it is so important for each of us to do whatever we can to ensure our children grow in peace; to help them understand peace, embrace peace and find new ways to create peace, so they can one day live in peace...

As Jimi Hendrix once said so beautifully...

'When the power of love, overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.'

And as Mahatma Gandhi said so wisely...

'If we are to create peace in our world, we must begin with our children.'

I hope this little boy's call for help will inspire children and families around the world to see how we can work together to stop the violence and unite in peace...

11-year-old Syrian boy saw entire family killed, survived massacre by playing dead

www.globalnews.ca

‎11-year-old Syrian boy saw entire family killed, survived massacre by playing dead

Visit www.soundslikepeace.org for the countdown to Peace Tree Day on June 1, 2012!

Join children and youth in Russia, India, Australia, USA and Canada as they celebrate Peace Tree Day on June 1st. Please visit http://www.peacetreeday.com/celebrateptd.htm to discover the many ways you can celebrate Peace Tree Day in your school, community, organization and at home. 

Simple ways for children and youth to celebrate Peace Tree Day on June 1, 2012 (if it`s a holiday in your city, then pick the closest day you can to the festival)

1. Create a Peace Tree in your school, community, organization or at home and write your messages of peace on the symbols for children around the world and especially for those in Syria this year.  Organize a gathering on Peace Tree Day to send your prayers for peace for the families in Syria.  Take a photo of your Peace Tree and send it to info@peacetreeday.com, so we can post it at peacetreeday.com and make sure to label the name of your city.

Instructions to create a Peace Tree:   http://www.peacetreeday.com/peacetreedaykit.htm
Symbols to create your Peace Tree:  http://www.peacetreeday.com/peacetreedaykit.htm


2.  Videotape your message of peace and post it on Youtube on Peace Tree Day, June 1st...Label the video Happy Peace Tree Day from the city you are from eg.  Happy Peace Tree Day from New York.

3. Post a video on youtube of a dance that reflects diversity, peace and fusion and post it on youtube on Peace Tree Day, June 1 and call it Peace Tree Fusion 2012 from (the name of your city)

4. Send your poems and artwork for peace to info@peacetreeday.com that reflects celebrating peace and diversity together! The most creative, artistic, colourful and inclusive drawings will be highlighted at peacetreeday.com. Please include your name and age. We will require your parent's permission to post the drawing or poetry on our website.  

5. Videotape your class or choir or a group of children between 4 and 12 wearing clothes from their culture, standing in front of a landmark, singing the song 'Imagine' by John Lennon to the same key as the following video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0Eyw3l3XM   Then send us the mov file to info@peacetreeday.com and peacetreeinternational@yahoo.com with the name of your country. As soon as we get 15 different countries, we can compile them into one video and post it on youtube and on our site.  (please shoot using a tripod or make sure the shot is very steady and shot against a background that reflects your culture)

6. If your school or community would really like to celebrate Peace Tree in a big way, visit http://www.peacetreeday.com/celebrateptd.htm and let us know if you are celebrating, so we can share the information through our blogsite.

Hope you have a very inspiring Peace Tree Day on June 1, 2012 and let's celebrate diversity and create peace TOGETHER!

Peace Tree Day 2012

Peace Tree Day will be celebrated in schools this year. Peace Tree Ambassadors around the world will join hands in solidarity to pray for peace for the children in Syria and to send their messages of peace and hope. More details will be available soon at www.peacetreeday.com, so please check back.

Happy Peace Tree Day

Join us on June 1, at Mel Lastman Square for Canada's largest peace festival for children and youth. From 12:00p.m. to 2:00p.m. discover a world of diversity through the arts. The Peace Tree Concert will begin at 1:00p.m.where you will see the African-Cuban dance, Ogun, the classical Indian dance, Kathak, the Cha Cha Cha, the Lion Dance and much more. Happy Peace Tree Day everyone!

CALL FOR AUDITIONS for Peace Tree Day 2010

The Toronto Peace Tree Ambassadors would like to invite students from Grades 1 to 12 to audition for Peace Tree Day 2010. Please view guidelines at www.peacetreeday.com. Peace Tree Day in Toronto will take place at Mel Lastman Square, so we hope you'll all audition and join us to celebrate peace and diversity TOGETHER!

Peace Tree Day 2009

In 2009, Peace Tree Day was proclaimed in Brampton, Ontario and celebrated in Toronto, Vaughan, York Region, Brampton, PEI, Hyderabad, Gujarat, and Kashmir, India. Peace Tree Day in Brampton and Toronto raised $1,080 for War Child Canada and Free the Children.

Peace Tree Day 2008 raises $4,540 for UNICEF’s Myanmar/Burma Relief and Free the Children’s China Relief!

Peace Tree Day 2008 in Toronto was a great success. The Peace Tree Ambassadors were able to raise a total of $3,310 (plus matching funds from UNICEF) for UNICEF's Burma/Mynamar Relief Fund and Free the Children's China Relief Fund through their wonderful peace and diversity workshops. The children led workshops included African and Tabla Drumming, Cricket, creating a community Peace Tree, Aboriginal Ball and String Game, Paper Cranes for Peace, Mehndi Peace Symbols and many more fun activities. The Peace Tree Stand was also a big hit with children selling drinks from different cultures. Children dressed in kimonos, langhas, Chinese and Korean dresses added much colour and life to all the festivities.

Thanks to all the children and families who worked so hard to create their peace and diversity workshops to help other children and families around the world. The experience helped everyone understand how diversity enriches each of our lives and how to create peaceful communities.

Here are a few images of the festival in Toronto to give a flavour of the day. If you would like to volunteer for the 2009 Peace Tree Day celebration, please email info@peacetreeday.com or peacetreeambassadors@peacetreeday.com








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Peace Tree Day 2008

Peace Tree Day will be celebrated in six cities in 2008: Toronto, City of Vaughan, York Region, Windsor, and Hamilton. The Toronto celebration will be held on June 2nd at Denlow P.S. in the Bayview/York Mills area from 4:00 to 7:30p.m. Enjoy workshops on 'How to make origami paper cranes,' ''How to play African drums,' 'Mehndi workshops'and enjoy drinks from different cultures at the Peace Tree Stand as we help children raise funds for Unicef Myanmar Relief fund and Free the Children. Join us to celebrate peace and diversity together through the Peace Tree Spirit!

The Peace Tree Club Presents Literary Workshop at the CNE

On Sunday July 29th, our youngest members of The Peace Tree Club carried out a literary presentation at the Masala! Mehndi! Masti! festival at the CNE in Toronto. It was a wonderful event where Aiishwariya, one of the actors in The Peace Tree, read the book Sweet Samosa and The Peace Book. The children shared their views about what Peace means to them and created a Peace Tree at the festival. The Peace Tree Ambassadors included Priyana, 3, Jasaon, 5, Talina, 5and Aiiswariya, 10. Everyone really enjoyed the presentation and we now have some new Peace Tree Ambassadors who have joined the Peace Tree Network so we keep growing and spreading peace!

The Peace Tree Centre at Henry Kelsey

Welcome to our PeaceTree Centre at Henry Kelsey Senior Public School.

Peace Tree Stand--June 2nd

On Saturday June 2, 2007, a group of pre-schoolers and kindergarten students set up a Peace Tree Stand and sold drinks and treats from different cultures in order to raise funds for Free the Children. A group of Gr. 7 students worked with the little children to share workshops that reflected peace and diversity. They were able to raise $500 with which they were able to buy 5 goats and medical supplies for children and families in the war-torn area of Sierra Leone. The children were delighted to be able to help other children around the world to have a better life and future. Find out how you can help too. Visit http://www.freethechildren.org/.

Peace Tree Club Photos-2

Peace Tree Club Photos

A Peace Tree for your Organization, Business or Hospital

Many organizations, business and hospitals are becoming aware of The Peace Tree Spirit and would like to have a Peace Tree created for their institution. Students in schools are becoming more and more aware of the challenges faced by many children around the world and realize the need to assist those who are underprivileged.

By researching and creating a set of Peace Tree symbols (made from paper mache, Fimo, wooden cutout pieces), children can present the symbols to an organization, business or hospital that is interested in creating their own Peace Tree. After researching a charity of their choice, the students can donate the symbols to the institution and the institution in turn will donate $200 to $500 (depending on the size of the organization), to the charity of the students’ choice. Up to fifty dollars will go towards the school to cover the cost of supplies and the remainder to the charity. The institution will purchase the tree that will be turned into a Peace Tree.

Once the symbols are complete, students can visit the institution, do a presentation about the importance of the Peace Tree and decorate the symbols on the institutions tree. To inaugurate the Peace Tree students can sing the Peace Tree song and share and celebrate the Peace Tree Spirit with all the employees!

Postcards--2

Postcard

Postcards--1

Postcard Exchange Project

Peace Tree Club Photos-1

Photos from our Peace Tree Club.

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.