Children offer solutions on how peace can be achieved in communities

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 2021, in a competition that was organised by the Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, and the Early Childhood Commission.

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 Gooden of Chalky Hill Primary and Infant School in St Ann. They are winners of the four- to five-year-old category.

Meanwhile, the winners of the six- to 12-year-old category are Christopher Laraque of Old Harbour High School in St Catherine, who was placed first; second-place winner is Alecia Hall of Sunbury Primary School in Clarendon; and Ajanni Grandison, who is the third-place winner, at Mineral Heights Christian Preparatory in Clarendon.

The winners of the 13-plus-year-old category are: Adesa Smith of Bishop Gibson High School in Manchester, who was placed first; second-place winner is Javaun Simms of Newell High School in St Elizabeth; and third-place winner is Danecia Rumble of Ferncourt High School in St Ann.

The letters were written on the theme ‘Sustaining Communities for a Peaceful Country’. Adesa Smith’s recommendation is that peace can be achieved if law-enforcement officers engage in peace initiatives with residents, community activities such as workdays, sporting activities and conflict-resolution strategies.

“These methods may be used to enhance peace at the community level, which in turn will result in a peaceful country,” she wrote.

Christopher Laraque believes that if proper measures are put in place to deal with crime from the grassroots level, the cry for peace will eventually vanish.

“I believe that the way forward out of our dilemma is sustaining communities for a peaceful country. This simply means that in order for us to have a peaceful country we must first sustain our communities, especially those that are troubled,” he said.

Douglas wrote, “I believe we all can help in sustaining our communities for a peaceful country. A hug, a smile, a helping hand, a heart full of love and trust in God is what Jamaica needs.”

Northover of Hillside Primary and Infant School said that in order to sustain communities we must live in love and harmony.

“Peace is love and gentleness, it also means that no child anywhere would know violence. In order to sustain communities we must live in love and harmony,” she noted.

The winners of the competition were awarded tablets and bookstore gift certificates. More than 50 entries were received from several students at the early-childhood, primary and secondary levelS across the country.