The Peace Guardian

Journey to Harmony - Light the Passion, Share the Dream (Beijing 2008 Olympics)

Volume 7 Issue : January – March 2023

VPAto Nurture Greater Peacebuilding Work in 2022

Children Offer Solutions On How Peace Can BeAchieved in Their Communities

VPA Expands Drumming for Peace Programme

Several children have offered suggestions on how peace can be achieved in their communities through peace letters that were written in observation of International Peace Day in September in a competition that was organised by the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the Early Childhood Commission

As part of its Peace Day celebrations, the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) expanded its drumming programme ‘Drumming for Peace’ to five additional schools.

Dr. Elizabeth Ward, chair of the VPA, stated that the Drumming for Peace project is an expansion of the Drumming Therapy Project, the latter being part of a collaboration with the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) where children in children’s homes operated by the CPFSA, were engaged.

Town Primary and Junior High School in St. Ann and the Salvation Army at Hanbury Home in Manchester.

The winners of the competition are: Zorian Douglas from Hollywood Basic School in St. Ann who was placed first; Akaysia Northover of Hillside Primary and Infant School in St Mary who is the second place winner and third place winner, Abby-Gail

“The Drumming Therapy Project has done very well over the last two years and we think that the initiative would have greater impact if it were expand- ed; based on this, over the next few months, we will be launching the programme in five new schools,” she informed. The institutions to be engaged are: Jones Town Primary School, Kingston High and the Kingston Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) School Leavers Institute, Steer programme to train university students, community leaders and professionals in Peace Resiliency and Wellness (PRW).

We teamed up with Sistren Theatre Collective, Groots Jamaica, Island Coffees Ltd and peace ambassadors to launch ‘Creatives For Peace’, an initiative that will enable young people to

The launched of the expansion took place at the Kingston YWCA on South Camp Road on Tuesday, March 7. The day’s activities included a small private reception, featuring a drumming circle which was supported by professional musicians who have volunteered to lend their time and expertise to the initiative. Meanwhile, for other Peace Day activities, Peace and Love in Society in collaboration with Project STAR staged a Peace Day Concert on the same day at the Calabar Infant, Primary and Junior High School on Sutton Street in Kingston.

National Peace Day 2023 Celebrated Under the Theme ‘Be the Peace’

National Peace Day was observed on Tuesday, March 7. The VPA and its partners had a slew of activities in observation of the day. Here are highlights from PALS & Project STAR, along with VPA engagements.