More than 400 students from The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) participated in a worldwide event to celebrate the International Day of Peace on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. The students at all three MCA campuses (Chatham, Morristown, and Short Hills) formed circles and held hands while singing “Light a Candle for Peace” at precisely 9:30AM. The Montessori Children’s Academy, along with other participating schools in our time zone, joined in the Sing Peace Around the World campaign that aimed to have this special song travel around the globe continuously for 24 hours from New Zealand to Hawaii. This was one of the largest International Day of Peace events ever, and for one special moment, we were united with many others in an effort to promote peace in our world.
The International Day of Peace was started by the United Nations in 1981 to inspire peace and peace education around the world. In 2009, Shelly Murley, a Montessori teacher and the composer of “Light a Candle for Peace”, developed the Sing Peace Around the World campaign to support the UN’s efforts and to promote children’s participation as peacemakers. It was an immediate success, with over 65,000 children from 35 different countries participating in its inaugural year. This year, over 150,000 children from 65 countries joined in for the peace celebration!
Peace education is an important component of Montessori education, as Dr. Maria Montessori, herself, was an advocate for peace and was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. At The Montessori Children’s Academy, we endeavor to promote within our students a sense of compassion for others and a responsibility to contribute to the good of our global community. To listen to a recording of the song “Light a Candle for Peace” and to watch videos of children who participated in the 2016 Sing Peace Around the World event, please visit www.singpeacearoundtheworld.com. For more information about our schools and programs, please visit www.themontessorichildrensacademy.com
