Peace Tree Day
Encyclopedia
Peace Tree Day is an annual festival
for children and families of every culture
and faith
to share and celebrate peace
and diversity
together. It was founded by educator/filmmaker Mitra Sen, the producer
/director
of the award-winning film The Peace Tree
.
and one Christian
, who dream of celebrating each other's festivals, Christmas
and Eid
. While working on the film, she came up with the concept of a Peace Tree that has the symbols of all our cultures and faiths on one tree to reflect the beauty of "diversity in unity". She also realized that it was important to create an inclusive festival that celebrates all cultures and faiths together as most of the festivals have their roots in only one religion
and not all.
proclaimed June 1 as Peace Tree Day in the city of Toronto
. The city of Vaughan
, Windsor
, Markham
, Richmond Hill
, Whitchurch-Stouffville
, York Region
, York Region District School Board
, York Catholic District School Board
and York Regional Police
have all proclaimed Peace Tree Day and have organized celebrations for June 1, 2007. Children in schools in Canada
, the United States
, the Bahamas, England
, Ireland
, India
, Pakistan
and Australia
are creating Peace Trees that highlight symbols from all our cultures and faiths on one tree.
in the City of Toronto. Crafted by their own hands, each child created a symbol of cultural or religious significance, and as an act of fellowship and harmony
, placed it upon the Peace Tree. Each participant, given the title of Peace Tree Ambassador, was encouraged to teach their family, friends, and entire communities the value of the Peace Tree project and Peace Tree Day. Peace Tree Day celebrations included workshops presented by children and seniors that shared literature
, music
, art
, dance
, and food
from around the world.
List of workshops during the Peace Tree Day celebration 2006:
, and organizations across York Region, Windsor, Hamilton
, Toronto
and Charlottetown
, Prince Edward Island
this year. Children in schools and film festivals around the world have started creating Peace Trees after viewing the film. In Toronto, students have also started Peace Tree Clubs, Peace Tree Centres and the Peace Tree Ambassadors’ Network has connected children around the world who have started the Peace Tree movement in their schools.
, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa
and many others. The Peace Tree, located in the center of the garden, highlights the symbols of every culture and faith to celebrate the beauty of "diversity in unity."
, the charitable organization founded by Craig Kielburger
. The Peace Tree Stand, created in celebration of Peace Tree Day, featured drinks and treats from around the world along with workshops reflecting diversity and peace. Drinks included Sharbat Alabalou from Iran
and Mugi cha from Japan
, Jeera Pani from India
, and sweet treats from different parts of Asia
. The workshops featured children drawing mehndi
peace symbols, making origami
paper cranes, drumming workshops and sharing books about peace. The little toddlers tried their hand at creating new rhythms on the tabla and African drums blending beats and creating new rhythms.
, South Africa
, England, Germany
, Ireland, Dubai
, and in the Bahamas.
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
for children and families of every culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
to share and celebrate peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
together. It was founded by educator/filmmaker Mitra Sen, the producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
/director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
of the award-winning film The Peace Tree
The Peace Tree
The Peace Tree is a 2005 family film written and directed by Mitra Sen, produced by Sandalwood Productions in association with Harmony Movement and CBC.-Plot:...
.
History
In 2004, Mitra Sen, the founder of Peace Tree Day, produced and directed the film The Peace Tree, which shares the story of two little girls, one MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
and one Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, who dream of celebrating each other's festivals, Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Eid
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
. While working on the film, she came up with the concept of a Peace Tree that has the symbols of all our cultures and faiths on one tree to reflect the beauty of "diversity in unity". She also realized that it was important to create an inclusive festival that celebrates all cultures and faiths together as most of the festivals have their roots in only one religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and not all.
Proclamation
In 2006, Mayor David MillerDavid Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
proclaimed June 1 as Peace Tree Day in the city of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The city of Vaughan
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
, Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, Markham
Markham, Ontario
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census...
, Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
, Whitchurch-Stouffville
Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario
Whitchurch–Stouffville is a municipality in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada, approximately 14 kilometres north of the City of Toronto. It is 206.74 square kilometers in size, and located in the mid-eastern area of the Regional Municipality of York on the ecologically sensitive Oak...
, York Region
Regional Municipality of York, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. It replaced the former York County in 1971, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area and the inner ring of the Golden Horseshoe...
, York Region District School Board
York Region District School Board
The York Region District School Board, also known as YRDSB, is the English-language public school board for York Regional Municipality located in Ontario, Canada. The York Region District School Board is currently the province's third largest school board, with an enrollment of over 115,000 students...
, York Catholic District School Board
York Catholic District School Board
The York Catholic District School Board is the publicly funded English-language Catholic school district authority for the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. Its head office is in Aurora....
and York Regional Police
York Regional Police
York Regional Police is a law enforcement organization that serves over 1.1 million residents in the York Region, Ontario, Canada, located north of Toronto...
have all proclaimed Peace Tree Day and have organized celebrations for June 1, 2007. Children in schools in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the Bahamas, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
are creating Peace Trees that highlight symbols from all our cultures and faiths on one tree.
Peace Tree Day Celebration 2006
On June 1, 2006, 300 school children and educators from over 40 schools across Southern Ontario, from Niagara to Durham, flocked to Nathan Phillip’s Square in downtown Toronto, celebrated the world's first Peace Tree Day celebration, proclaimed by Mayor David MillerDavid Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
in the City of Toronto. Crafted by their own hands, each child created a symbol of cultural or religious significance, and as an act of fellowship and harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, placed it upon the Peace Tree. Each participant, given the title of Peace Tree Ambassador, was encouraged to teach their family, friends, and entire communities the value of the Peace Tree project and Peace Tree Day. Peace Tree Day celebrations included workshops presented by children and seniors that shared literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, and food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
from around the world.
List of workshops during the Peace Tree Day celebration 2006:
- Storytelling (Sadako and the Thousand Paper CranesSadako and the Thousand Paper CranesSadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a non-fiction children's book written by American author Eleanor Coerr and published in 1977.This true story is of a girl, Sadako Sasaki, who lived in Hiroshima at the time of the atomic bombing by the United States...
) - Paper Cranes for Peace
- African Drumming Village
- Bharatnatyam Dance Place
- Tai Chi Centre
- Aboriginal Peace Art
- YogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
Corner - Peace Tree Day Card Corner
- Sushi Bar
- Tabla Beats
- Peace Tree Place
- Spin the DreidelDreidelA dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, played with during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.Each side of the dreidel bears a letter of the Hebrew alphabet:נ ,ג ,ה ,ש ,...
- MehndiMehndiMehndi or menhdi is the application of henna as a temporary form of skin decoration in India, as well as by expatriate communities from the country. The word mehndi is derived from the Sanskrit word mendhikā. The use of mehndi and turmeric is described in the earliest Vedic ritual books...
- Peace Planet
- Chinese LanternChinese lanternA Chinese lantern can refer to the following:*A collapsible paper lantern or sky lantern in bright colours used for decorative purposes, commonly painted with Chinese art and calligraphy motifs.*The shrub Abutilon x hybridum...
Peace Tree Day Celebration 2007
Celebrations were held in parks, schools, hospitals, campsCamping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, and organizations across York Region, Windsor, Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
this year. Children in schools and film festivals around the world have started creating Peace Trees after viewing the film. In Toronto, students have also started Peace Tree Clubs, Peace Tree Centres and the Peace Tree Ambassadors’ Network has connected children around the world who have started the Peace Tree movement in their schools.
Peace Tree Garden
In the year 2007, during the celebration of Peace Tree Day, the Police Services and sponsors unveiled the plans for the world’s first Peace Tree Garden. The Peace Tree Garden, located in Bruce’s Mill in York Region in Ontario, will incorporate plants from diverse cultures, include a medicine wheel around the Peace Tree and share peace quotes by human rights leaders like Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
and many others. The Peace Tree, located in the center of the garden, highlights the symbols of every culture and faith to celebrate the beauty of "diversity in unity."
Peace Tree Stand
In June 2007, a group of preschool and kindergarten children worked together to create the first Peace Tree Stand and raised $5,000 worth of medical supplies for Free the ChildrenFree The Children
Free The Children is an international charity and youth movement founded in 1995 by children's rights advocate Craig Kielburger. The organization is largely youth-funded, based on the concept of "children helping children." It specializes in sustainable development in countries of Kenya, Ecuador,...
, the charitable organization founded by Craig Kielburger
Craig Kielburger
Craig Kielburger, CM, MSM, OMC is a Canadian activist for the rights of children. He is the founder of Free The Children and co-founder of Me to We. On February 20, 2007, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada.-Early life:Kielburger was born in Thornhill,...
. The Peace Tree Stand, created in celebration of Peace Tree Day, featured drinks and treats from around the world along with workshops reflecting diversity and peace. Drinks included Sharbat Alabalou from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Mugi cha from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Jeera Pani from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and sweet treats from different parts of Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The workshops featured children drawing mehndi
Mehndi
Mehndi or menhdi is the application of henna as a temporary form of skin decoration in India, as well as by expatriate communities from the country. The word mehndi is derived from the Sanskrit word mendhikā. The use of mehndi and turmeric is described in the earliest Vedic ritual books...
peace symbols, making origami
Origami
is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...
paper cranes, drumming workshops and sharing books about peace. The little toddlers tried their hand at creating new rhythms on the tabla and African drums blending beats and creating new rhythms.
Peace Trees around the world
To date, the Peace Tree has begun to grow in India, Canada, USA, Pakistan, Australia, ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, England, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Ireland, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, and in the Bahamas.