HOLMES BEACH – Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on Sept. 21, and each year, students at Anna Maria Elementary School (AME) hold a celebration of peace at the school known as Peace Day.
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly (UN). Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Each year the UN designates a specific theme for the day, and this year’s theme was “End racism, build peace.”
Students spent the day putting on performances, flying international flags and enjoying presentations from guest speakers such as Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island President Jim McDaniel. During his presentation to the students, he used three different kinds of apples to explain how – just like the apples – people may look different on the outside, but are the same on the inside, regardless of race.
The Manatee High School Drum Line was also on hand to perform.
“Every grade level got up and sang a song for Peace Day,” AME principal Mike Masiello said. “Every class also did a different craft project, some did shirts, some did Peace Day plates, and they all did bulletin boards with themes like what does Peace Day mean to you. It’s a lot of fun and the kids learned a lot about diversity while having a great time.”
Masiello also said his staff and students are thrilled to be able to once again have events like Peace Day where students, parents and staff can all get together in person after two years of no activities or restricted activities due to COVID-19. He said as long as there are no drastic changes regarding COVID, all the plays and gatherings this year are back to the way they were pre-COVID.
“Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights,” according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.”
