A PEACE Pole stands in the Peace Garden at Mary MacKillop Catholic Parish Primary School, Birkdale, a testimonial to the community’s Harmony Day celebrations.
One of only a few in Australian schools, the special and unique symbol highlights the deep commitment the school has to social justice and the plight of those on the margins.
Year 5 teacher Meg Foley and her class organised a “beautiful” liturgy celebrating Harmony Day, which this year celebrated the theme “everyone belongs”.
Meg said the focus for the liturgy was a message of peace, enhanced by the acquisition of the Peace Pole.
“We also portrayed the strong message that we need to be the change we want to see in the world, we need to stop waiting around for the world to change.”
She invited her husband, Abdul Achigzai, a former refugee from Afghanistan, to speak so students could hear real-life experiences and stories they could relate to.
“Hearing Abdul’s stories made sense to a lot of the children, it brought the issue of war to their level,” she said.
She said Abdul told the students about what it was like for him growing up in Afghanistan, in war, without the opportunities that we have in Australia.
He spoke about the dangers of landmines; of not being able to retrieve a stray soccer ball as a child, because it had been kicked into a landmine area, too dangerous to go into.
He then spoke of the life he and his brother now had in Australia – being able to go on holidays, go to theme parks, and most importantly, attend school in safety.
Meg said Abdul emphasised that war was not as exciting as we see it here in Australia; in movies, games and books.
“He encouraged the children to be grateful for the life we have here, for peace and for the opportunities we have,” she said.
Every student at Mary MacKillop promised to act peacefully, by getting along and treating each other with respect and signed a piece of ribbon that was then hung on the peace pole as a pledge to act peacefully.
The Peace Pole was then paraded down to the Peace Garden where it has been erected for classes to visit.
I planned this liturgy in the hope that this legacy of peace continues with each child, that they can be the change that is needed in this world.
Principal Michael Kearney said it was through Meg’s leadership and the empowering of the children in her class that Harmony Day became a most meaningful one for all students at Mary MacKillop School.
