Singing together is an incredibly powerful tool.
That's why One Day One Choir are assembling a global choir to mark World Peace Day...
One Day One Choir are encouraging people around the world to take part in the International Day of Peace, which happens every year on 21 September. This ‘global choral project for peace’ is busy building a huge choir of singers around the world who will be singing for peace and unity. Its creator, Jane Hanson, offers the following ideas to help you take part.
Singing for peace and unity with One Day One Choir on Peace Day is inspiring and uplifting
It ticks so many learning and educational boxes, from community and social engagement, PSHE and personal development, to arts, music, humanities, politics, religion, mindfulness, mindset and global awareness and connectedness. It also links your school and pupils to thousands and thousands of others around the world who will be doing the same thing on Peace Day.
An assembly, short lesson, concert or school community singing session
This could be focussed on peace and unity and use singing as the core collaborative part of the experience. You can use your preferred format for the assembly or lesson, especially if you have successful ones that you already work with. Both One Day One Choir and Sing Up have free songs and assembly suggestions to help as well.
Feedback from schools has shown that children are inspired and reassured by these Peace Assemblies
Children love to know that thousands of other children around the world are doing the same thing. Feel free to use our map to show the schools that have signed up, you may also want to flag up schools in other countries who have joined in, especially those in Pakistan and other Islamic countries. You might also like to share the fact that the word “Islam” is derived from the Arabic word meaning “peace”.
You can sing what you like but we have some free songs
Help yourself to the free songs on our website here - including the new One Day One Choir round here, which you could teach in the assembly - or to the free songs provided by Sing Up here.
Children need more than ever to develop ways to understand and process the increasing unrest and violence in our world
We need to help children to think about and discover how they might find peace within themselves, as well as having a personal voice in the wider process.
World Peace Day assembly ideas
Suggested Introduction
Today, Sept 21 is World Peace Day, a special United Nations day which aims to encourage people, especially children, all over the world to think about what peace is and consider actions they can take to make a difference in their own lives and communities throughout the coming year. (if you can’t do the 21st then any time that week is fine).
What is peace? Ask pupils for suggestions and ideas
These could be anything from freedom from fear and violence and not being at war to being quiet and still, feeling safe, protected and secure. Peace is also about experiencing and practising kindness, fairness, justice, love and consideration for others as well as learning to be patient and finding ways to deal with anxiety and worries, and learning about, understanding and accepting differences. Then there’s conflict resolution - finding ways to make peace with one another when things have gone wrong or learning how to practise anger management and self control, or trying not to provoke or fight or get into trouble in the first place. You may also wish to look at the benefits of peace in learning, living and working together and general happiness and fulfilment.
Encourage children to understand that peace is not just a lack of conflict
Peace is also the ability to find ways to be peaceful within ourselves, even if there is chaos, noise or activity going on around us at school, at home or outside. You might also highlight that peace and promoting peace is at the centre of all world faiths and that we are each responsible for contributing to peace and peacefulness; we all have the inner power and ability to create this in our own different ways.
Readings
These can be anything from things that children have written themselves to popular or readily available general readings about peace, unity and harmony from secular and/or multi faith sources.
Time for reflection
This could be anything from a short silence or maybe some mindfulness breathing or quiet personal thoughts on how to be more peaceful, to contemplative readings or maybe a prayer or a spiritual or philosophical poem or words.
Singing for peace - the focus of the assembly/event
You could share with children the power that singing together has, for example that it connects us more than any other activity, triggers our feel good chemicals, improves our health and happiness, makes our hearts beat at the same time and is one of the very few things we can do together regardless of our ability, age, faith, beliefs, social views and background. It also makes us feel more peaceful and positive and is a great way to unite the school and start the day off on a positive note. You may also wish to invite special guests or friends and family to your peace assembly or go out and sing in the community.
Please let us know that you are joining in and please tell others
We run the project for free so we really appreciate your connection, collaboration and support. Thankyou.
Sign up to sing with One Day One Choir on World Peace Day at www.onedayonechoir.org - and please help us to reach others by spreading the word and posting about us on social media.
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