On the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s death in 1948 UNESCO proposed January 30th as the School Day of Non-violence and Peace (DENIP). To mark the occasion the Pau Casals Foundation in association with Vendrell council and el Camp d’Aprenentge Pau Casals invited students from primary schools in Vendrell to spend 30th of January at the Casals Villa and the Pau Casals Auditorium working for peace.

Seven schools in Vendrell took part (Àngels Garriga Junior School, Pla de Mar Junior School, Teresina Martorell Junior School, Garbi Special Education School, Els Secallets de Coma-ruga Junior School, Pau Casals Junior School, Àngel Gumerà Junior School and Sagrat Cor School) along with 358 children and their teachers.

The participants were divided into groups to do different activities: children from different schools were mixed to play trust games together and each school presented the work they had done and the commitments they had made in class, which took the form of murals, songs, manifestos, creative devices and other projects.

The Letter of Peace gave out a selection of educational materials and information about the Geopeace project and particularly about peace in relation to Pau Casals.

The aim of communicating with the schools was to encourage the children to think about history in the key of peace, for them to realize that history was not just about war and for them to get to know the figures and events from their own towns and cities that have contributed to peace.

For this reason the students and teachers were encouraged to become part of the Geopeace network by suggesting new people, information and events from their cities, town and families that have played a part in peace throughout history.

It is very important to make the most of any opportunity to help students develop their values as part of our peace efforts.