Peace Week

Dear Parents and Students,

On Sunday, 21st September, the UN marked the International Day of Peace with the theme for 2025 of "Act Now for a Peaceful World," focusing on individual roles in achieving peace through community action and by advocating for sustainable development. A key section of the mission of the IB programmes is to cultivate learners who will contribute to a more peaceful world and develop "inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect". Rudolf Steiner, the father of the Waldorf philosophy of education, also proposed education as a method to avoid conflicts and foster social stability, suggesting that educational programmes can help in achieving peace. Maria Montessori believed education was the only true path to lasting world peace, developing a philosophy where children learn global citizenship, respect, and responsibility through a prepared environment and "Grace and Courtesy" lessons. As a whole school body, we strive, therefore, daily to educate our students to understand the value of peaceful resolutions to conflicts, an awareness of their roles as global citizens and respect for others.

This week all primary children came together on Wednesday morning assembly to sing together the song they have been learning in music lessons since the start of term, the Montessori peace song Light a Candle for Peace by Shelley Murley, which we have also played as music in the mornings and afternoons. This was a wonderful opportunity for all three programmes to join together to sing in unison to share a collective hope for a more peaceful world. The Montessori children also led the assembly on peace and Miss Maria explained the link between seashells and peace. We thank our Montessori team and Miss Iro and Mr Andros, our music teachers, for helping to make this beautiful event such a powerful symbol of unity and innocent voices giving us all hope for a peaceful future.

The Island School welcomes students and team members from all over the world, a variety of different countries and holding different faiths and beliefs. Our diversity is our strength and helps our students to understand their roles as global citizens. The school treats all students, colleagues and parents with respect and equality, whatever their country of origin or political opinions or religious beliefs. The Island School does not promote any political agenda and encourages students to always consider peaceful resolutions to all conflicts.

In secondary wellbeing sessions this week students carried out a Seeds for Peace activity thinking about peaceful actions which can bring about change for good. They used a symbol of a pomegranate with seeds, as this week in Cyprus has been the pomegranate harvest. On Thursday students had a thought-provoking assembly from Mr Jason, our new Head of the Individuals and Societies faculty on the topic of peace.

In Montessori, children celebrated Peace week by introducing the Montessori Peace Flower, which represents:

• Self-awareness
• Community awareness
• Cultural awareness
• Environmental awareness

Each student created their own peace flower, and during the assembly, they offered their flower to another child or teacher as a gesture of kindness and unity.

Students have also been preparing beautiful artwork featuring peace doves, which will be displayed outside classrooms for all to enjoy. Our Pre-Primary students have also been learning the peace song and have worked on a short video performance to share with parents. They have created their own dove-themed art projects in line with our Montessori values.

On Monday and Tuesday this week we celebrated the festival of Rosh Hashanah for the Jewish New Year and offered children and team members apples dipped in honey in our canteen. The apple symbolises the fruitfulness and the honey the sweetness of the year ahead. We wish all members of our community celebrating Rosh Hashanah this week a blessed time with family and friends.

Finally today we have celebrated the Michaelmas Festival in Waldorf. Thank you to our amazing waldorf team for all their organisation and to all the waldorf parents who helped with games and food! However, we will talk in more detail about this festival and its significance in next week’s bulletin.

May I wish you all a peaceful and relaxing weekend with your loved ones

Best Regards
Deborah Economou
The Head of School