A thousand Palestinian children directed a message of peace to the world on Wednesday as they convened in Ramallah to observe the International Day of Peace.
In an event organized by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and the European Union (EU), the children released white pigeons and balloons marked with inscriptions reading “We want to live in peace” into the air.
Palestinian Minister of Education Sabri Saidam, Deputy Minister of Education Basri Saleh, and EU representative Ralph Tarraf participated in the event, in addition to a number of representatives of international organizations.
Palestinian children commemorate International Day of Peace in Ramallahhttps://t.co/W46B1QZJjn pic.twitter.com/XxU2Pb0v72
— Ma'an News Agency (@MaanNewsAgency) September 21, 2016
“You make peace every day with your warm hearts, which refuse Israeli forces’ incitement against you,” Saidam told the children in a speech.
He added, “You show everyone that peace can only be made by the oppressed who have knowledge and love for life.”
Saidam added that the commemoration in the courtyard of Palestinian Ministry of Education sent a strong message to the world showing that Palestinians were committed to education, knowledge and raising children with values of respect for others and for human values.
Peace Begins With Love not WIth Guns
So let’s all give a little love for International Day of Peace.
#Gaza #Palestine pic.twitter.com/leYtkeQ0WF— Ali abusaad (@aliabusaad91) September 20, 2016
Meanwhile, Tarraf said that it was “heartening to see that future generations share our vision of a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and urge us to act upon it.”
“I join Palestinian children who want to express their hopes for a better future in which they can live in peace and dignity,” Tarraf added.
A young Palestinian girl delivered a speech on behalf of the children, in which she called on the world to protect Palestinian children and fight ignorance, poverty, and hunger.
Today is the International Day of Peace but not for places such as Palestine, Syria, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa. #SayNoToWar
— . (@akhinator96) September 21, 2016
The International Day of Peace was first declared by the United Nations in 1981, and has since been observed every year on September 21.
(MA’AN, PC)
