The World Peace Flame
www.worldpeaceflame.org
Children Inspiring Hope received a candle lit from the World Peace Flame for the first project that was created. The World Peace Flame was created in July 1999 when seven living flames, lit by peacemakers on five continents of the world, were flown across the oceans by military air forces and commercial airlines and united into one eternal Flame. Since first receiving the flame, we have passed in on in assemblies and classrooms in the United States, Canada, and Ghana, West Africa. We feel the power of the spirit of the flame with each lighting and ceremony.
Testimonials
Chaplain Beth Lynch, Holy Innocent’s Episcopal School, Atlanta, Georgia
A beautiful and moving morning indeed!!!
After you left, I went to each class to light the individual candles from the class candles -some magical moments happened! In darkened rooms the class would gather around while I lit the candles – there was a reverence to it. When the kids began to understand the significance of their candle carrying the World Peace Flame and that they were “keepers” of sorts, they began to come up with hushed ways that they could use the candle at home and even share the flame with friends. One child was excited to share it with their grandmother who was coming to visit this weekend!
Thank you again for all the work and coordination you did to bring this powerful message to our community – both the Lower School and the Upper School. Peace be with you.
Ozawaanimkeeqwe , Wasausking Nation, Canada
What an exciting day! Everyone so enjoyed the project, right from the kindergartens up to the grade 8′s. The peace flame lite our ceremonial fire and we offered our medicines and each us offered our prayers of peace and harmony throughout creation. Our big peace drum was talked about and how that relates to us as anishabe people and the love and respect we need to continue to offer and give each other and the kindness that will guide and keep us we walk this road in life. The candle sat upon our beautiful drum and the spirits sang up a song which was sent out by our young men. The girls protected that circle and sang a song of peace to all four directions. It was amazing to have the whole school surround the drum in two beautiful circles, from the smallest child in kindergarten to the oldest youth in grade 8. The staff too were just overwhelmed by ceremony and talked about it all day.
The students worked on a project in their classroom and each class so enjoyed having the candle in their room for part of the day. The spirit of this peace flame truly touched us all. I have enclosed some pictures but as you know we don’t take pictures of our ceremonies but, I feel a picture could never capture the moment and feeling of what transpired today. The girls hand drum group sent out a song too right before the minute of silence. It was so touching!
Mrs. Jeanie Knight, St. Andrew’s School, Savannah, USA
I knew that this connection was something special- from the beginning. We have loved every minute of our connection with students in Ghana and our connection to you, and we look forward to a continued relationship with our friends. After you left, the children asked, “When will Amy be back?” ” How long will it be before we can work on our projects for the students in Ghana?” “What will be be doing to send to our new friends in Ghana?”
They asked about the peace flame – the expected questions about “Will we light the candle again?” ”How does the flame travel if it is not lit?” but they also asked, “Will we be able to light the flame again when we need it for peace?” and “If they light the candle in Ghana, will we be able to know that they feel the same peace that we do?” WOW -what an impact!!! I am so glad that they see the “candles of peace” each day in each of the classes that they attend. Small steps – but also really big ones!!
Peace Flags
Our first projects created were Peace & Friendship Flags, modeled after the Tibetan Prayer Flags. It is believed that the wishes of peace and hope are spread throughout the world as the wind blows. Each flag is unique, carry each child’s message of peace and they are a beautiful reminder of a connection that endures. Many classes have continued to share these as their cross-cultural exchange.
Pinwheels for Peace
www.pinwheelsforpeace.com
In recognition of International Day of Peace in 2009, two schools in the United States choose Peace Pinwheels as their exchange project. This idea came from the Peace Pinwheel project, an Art Installation project started in 2005 by two teachers in Florida. Our Pinwheels ended up in Savannah, Georgia, Cashiers, North Carolina, Ziavi-Bamefedo Village & EP Primary in the Volta Region, Ghana, West Africa.
The Peace Drum… more to come
Wasausking Nation teachers and elders Mrs. Deina Bomberry and Mr. John Rice shared the story of their Peace Drum with classes in Atlanta, Georgia in January of 2009. Their ceremonial Drum came through the vision of a child. Students from the Wasausking Kinomaugewgamik School first participated in the project on International Day of Peace. This is a beautiful story that is being shared passed down orally, that we are sharing as well to preserve the rich wisdom and peace that came of a child that truly inspires hope.
