Central School students carried handmade peace signs and greeted morning commuters in downtown South Berwick on Sept. 21 during a brief morning parade celebrating the International Day of Peace.
Students walked around the school before stopping along the sidewalk in front of the building, where they displayed their signs to passing motorists. Many drivers cheered them on, and drivers of some large trucks joined in by sounding their horns, which caused cheers and laughter from the students.
“We want our students to know they can contribute to their community, even at a young age,” Principal Nina D’Aran said. “The parade was a simple way to share a message of kindness and respect before their school day, and it was wonderful to have our neighbors take a moment out of their morning to encourage them.”
Art teacher Brenda Stewart organized this year’s parade and activities as she has for years.
The United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Peace in 1981 to encourage peace among nations and peoples, according to the United Nations. The first observance took place in September 1982.
Originally scheduled to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly’s annual session, the observance did not have a fixed calendar date. In 2001, the assembly designated Sept. 21 as its permanent annual date.
