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21st September 2006
Pupils from Market Harborough Church of England School join thousands across the UK to sing for peace.
On 21 September 2006, the International Day of Peace, a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, Peace Day, an unprecedented number of young people across the UK will unite to sing the Song for Peace No wars will stop us singing to show their commitment to Peace Day in their homes, schools, community and wider world.
Peace One Day, the organisation that drove the initiative to establish the day of global ceasefire and non-violence, NASUWT, the largest union representing teachers and headteachers throughout the UK, and Youth Music, the charity that aims to give all young people a chance to make music, have organised the Song for Peace project.
For this year's Peace Day, preparations have been under way for peaceful activities in all 192 member states of the United Nations a first in it's history. Key commitments include the first-ever life-saving activities specific to Peace Day in southern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and safe immunisation campaigns in 14 countries. Other notable activities taking place include sporting events in Rwanda by ex-child soldiers, a multi-faith festival in Israel, musical events in Australia and candle-lit formations in Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing. Smaller but no less significant commitments have been made by individuals around the world, from holding a minute's silence to making friends with an enemy something as simple as saying sorry.
No wars will stop us singing was first produced in Youth Music's Singbook. The music is composed by Ivor Novello award winner Debbie Wiseman and the lyrics are written by Academy award winner Don Black.
Commitments and celebrations taking place around the world will include a peace march in Sierra Leone; a multi-faith festival in Israel; parties and exhibitions in the USA; community events and sponsored walks in the UK; and sporting activity and debates in Burundi.
Song for Peace is the single largest commitment to date and will be documented in the sequel of the award-winning Peace One Day documentary, made in association with the BBC and Passion Pictures, the film that inspired and documented the creation of the first-ever day of global ceasefire and non-violence, 21 September.
Mrs Claire Walker, our music teacher said:
The children and staff have worked endlessly to learn the two harmony parts of the Song for Peace. The sound is very powerful and really shows how our school thinks carefully about world issues.
To mark the International Day of Peace, the school held a Service for Peace at St Dionysius Church. Each child made a windmill or flag with a message of peace written on it. This will create a "sea of peace messages" in the grounds. The children all wrote their own thoughts about PEACE on a paper "brick" which made a rainbow coloured PEACE WALL in the Music Studio. We have also been designing posters and writing prayers and poems for this special day.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of NASUWT, the largest union representing teachers and headteachers throughout the UK, said:
The International Day of Peace provides a great opportunity for everyone to focus on seeking to resolve conflict within the family, at school, in the community and across the world.
*** STOP PRESS*** 13/ 10 / 06
We have just found out that the school has won £100 for our recording of the song, 'No Wars Will Stop Us Singing'. Some parents told us after the service that there wasn't a dry eye in the house by the end of the song!
21st September 2007
Once again, we celebrated International Peace Day and children spent the day thinking about those living in war-torn situations as well as what their own interpretations of PEACE are. KS2 sang 'No Wars Will Stop Us Singing' in the quadrangle outdoors while KS2 watched through the windows surrounding the choir.
Year 6 put themselves into the shoes of children living in war zones. They tried to empathise with their fears. The pupils made Fear Monsters to show this.
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