The PEACE Cranes; messengers of Universal Peace
There was a little girl called Sadako Sasaki who survived the bombing. She was then two years old. The radiation from the bomb gave her leukemia when she was ten. Sadako believed in an old Japanese story that if you made 1,000 paper cranes, you would be granted a wish. She decided to fold 1,000 cranes and wish for good health. She died before she could complete them, and her school friends finished making them for her. She said: "I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world." Each year, thousands of paper cranes from all over the world hang from the statue of Sadako in Hiroshima@aps@s Peace Park. The cranes and her message are a good way to remember that we must never give up on peace.

Peace Day was celebrated by the students of GIIS Indore by making paper cranes as symbols of peace as a remembrance of Sadako and the legend of thousand cranes. Students from Primary classes together made a large crane and peace posters before the Peace Day commenced and decorated the school for the occasion. This activity instilled in them the life-skill of collaboration, cooperation and teamwork.

On the day of the celebration, students, teachers and staff gathered in a special assembly which started the day with the prayer “EK TU HI SAHARA ... TU HI BHAROSA”, followed by a pledge for peace. A student spoke on the importance of peace. Slokas of “Shanti” or Peace were chanted by the entire school. Students recited a poem on peace and this was followed by an audio-visual presentation of the story of Sadako Sassaski, narrated by the Coordinator as she explained the values of the story. It ended with an inspirational speech by the Principal on Gandhi’s famous expression, “BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE” and the relevance of peace and non-violence in recent times. Students also participated and shared their own views on peace and kindness. The assembly closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

Students lined up for a Peace Rally with banners and posters prepared by them to disseminate the message of ‘Peace and Prosperity’ and universal values of ethics and discipline that are inculcated in them through MGCUV lessons.The onlookers really appreciated this involvement of students in this kind of social activity spreading such precious messages. The little ones of Pre-primary section also accompanied the Primary school children and the teachers as they sang “we shall overcome” and “hum honge kamyab.” Peace Day is marked every year at GIIS Indore to sensitize the children to the sufferings of war and its impact on humankind and how peace can be a stronger weapon than war.

“Gandhi believed in non-violence. His birthday is celebrated as Non-Violence Day as per directives of United Nations. The atrocity of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing, is the worst act of violence in history. So, the importance of Peace Day, according to me is the first block for the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Universal Values.” Said Dr. Justice C.S. Dharmadhikari as he appreciated the activities of the students towards promoting a harmonious and peaceful society.