It is so potent to see the passion and energy of youth shine through while working toward peace and justice. Truly, it lights an eternal flame of hope- knowing that no matter the state of the world, new generations will continue to engage in social action.
I walked into College Jeanne Sauvé, my old high school, and was shocked to see just how much awareness a few teachers and a dedicated group of students could create in their environment.
Walls covered with anti-war paraphernalia, billboards plastered with ‘Danger mines’ posters and ideas for action, and the floors covered with pick me up discs – how could you miss it. And this was all for the pre-event!
I spent the day educating the whole school about the humanitarian problem of landmines. Tons of questions and interest coming from this teenage audience … and a sense of awareness that I surely did not have when I was in high school. And they wanted more… more information … more ways to make a difference… and a project.
So I gave it to them.
The social justice group took on the planning of a huge school wide event, to be held on December 10th, the Universal Day of Human Rights. I did my part. I brought the panelists for the morning events- one of our volunteers who was a refugee and child soldier in Sudan, and a popular Islamic woman. It was an eye-opening morning, educating many who had never before been touched by these issues of just what a Muslim is (away from CNN and the scape-goating of the media) and what a refugee must endure.
But the afternoon was a whole different story. Away from traditional education and toward a more creative engagement. The social justice group blew me off my feet.
The creation of the sculpture: using materials that symbolized war and turning them into a vision of peace. It was brilliant, and all came from the imaginations of these young activists … the barbed wire forming the globe enveloped around a boy, half soldier, half child- an all too real dichotomy. Then there was the presentation of the whole event- the school choir prepared beautiful material on the hope for an end to poverty, a French rock band comprised of 5 grade 10’s wrote and sang a song about the challenges of being a refugee and the jazz band keep the crowd alive with their piece on slavery. The slide show on war-affected children gave a face to the many names and stories mentioned, allowing the whole school, along with teachers, parents and special guests to better understand the struggles of poverty and armed conflict.
I left glowing. Because I had found my solidarity- not protesting on the streets, not even with my own peers, but with an amazing group of youth who made a difference that day in their very own way. Breeding a little more tolerance, a little less apathy, and giving other youth a new way of seeing the world.
