The Posters I do with children are quite separate to the Peace Education Program.
Picture One:
Many people were talking about the stabbings in Britain. I was told that the children at Blackmans Bay Primary were frightened. I thought we had to do something about this and make peace much bigger. We had over 200 Posters on display at the local library and large sheets of paper and coloured pens for visitors to the library to write or draw their peace. This was restorative work in action. It was on display for one month.
Picture two:
This lady closely examined each poster at the library, then wrote her own piece.
Picture Three.
The following year the library claimed it was double booked, although I had booked in the previous October. Harcourt’s Real Estate choose a restorative approach. For the International Day of Peace they removed all their FOR SALE notices in their windows and replaced them with the children’s posters.
Pictures Four, Five and Six
Glenorchy Council has a Safe Bystander Intervention Project. I was able to work with Lisa Rudd from the Council and children from Moonah Primary School on Posters Peace Is Possible- Peace Begins With Me. Over !00 Posters were displayed for three months.
Picture Seven.
Peace comes to Parliament.
Previous Mayor of Glenorchy, Kristie Johnson, was elected as an Independent Member of Parliament. She asked if there was a piece of work to hang in her office at Parliament House. This is the Poster. She invited the grade Four Student, his School Principal and myself to Parliament House to see it in place. The student was given a framed copy, morning tea and a tour of Parliament House.
My work with children is quite separate to the Peace Education Program.
What did I learn? That everyone from a four year old, to a gentleman of ninety three, are interested and have their own stories of peace. We can work restoratively to bring awareness, hope and change personally, and also in the wider community.
I approach peace simply as a human being, relating to other human beings with respect. I have some wonderful, fruitful relationships with three Mayors, seven Politician’s, Green, Independent, Labor and Liberal, who all wholeheartedly help.