Kyiv, Ukraine—International Day of Peace 2016 was celebrated in Ukraine by a congress of young Ambassadors for Peace.
The Third Congress of Junior Ambassadors for Peace was held on September 21 at the National Museum of History of Ukraine in World War II.
The congress was initiated by the Kyiv Specialized School No. 85 and Kyiv schools that are participants of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network. It was supported by the Universal Peace Federation, Youth Federation for Peace, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the Department of Education and Science, Youth and Sports of the Kyiv City Council (Kyiv City State Administration) and the Department of Education in Golosiyivskyy district state administration in Kyiv.
The 450 participants included children and teachers from 25 Kyiv schools that are members of the civil movement Children—Ambassadors for Peace, representatives of state institutions and NGOs, educators and visitors.
The congress was held under the theme “The Whole World – for Peace!” The children presented reports on their peacemaking activities and projects that they realized in their schools during the 2015-2016 school year.
At the beginning of the congress an "Umbrellas for Peace" project was held. The children colored umbrellas on the topic of world peace, using their imagination and creativity.
Among the special guests were Aleksandar Patarynsky, representative of the Embassy of Bulgaria; Natalia Shelepnytska, National Artist of Ukraine and an Ambassador for Peace; and Mrs. Zuzanna Zalalova, head of UN Volunteers in Ukraine.
Thirty young peacemakers who attended Peace School and worked hard in their schools during this school year received the Junior Ambassador for Peace honorary award. Fifteen schools received certificates as participants of the civil movement Children – Ambassadors for Peace. Eleven schools were awarded diplomas as participants of a Service for Peace volunteer project competition.
The handmade "Peace Tablecloth" was solemnly gifted to the museum during the event. It was made by children from more than 15 Kyiv schools. While creating the pictures for the tablecloth, children invested their heart, wishing to show their ideas about a peaceful world without borders, conflicts and wars. When all these pictures were put together, they created a beautiful canvas that was about 10 meters (almost 33 feet) long.
The congress ended with a bright “flash mob” titled "Dove of Peace. With Ukraine in the Heart." All the participants released yellow, blue and white balloons into the sky, wishing peace and harmony for Ukraine and all the world.