Centre for P.E.A.C.E. launches "Kapayapaan sa Puso at Diwa ng Kabataang Kyusi" (Peace as Seen in the hearts and minds of the QC youth) project in Quezon City schools

Seventeen Rotary clubs throw support

The Centre for Peace Education and Advocacy in Communities and Enterprises (Centre for P.E.A.C.E.) in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Masambong, Rotary Int'l. District 3780 and various partner institutions from both government and the private sector, launched the "Kapayapaan sa Puso at Diwa ng Kabataang Kyusi" (Peace as Seen in the Hearts and Minds of QC Youth), a "Quezon City Peace Initiatives Project" of the "QC Partnership for Peace" last August 18 (Friday) at the 4/F Rotary Center, Roces Avenue, Bgy. Paligsahan, Quezon City.

The launching was attended by Ricardo Belmonte, executive director of the National Youth Commission, Department of Education-National Capital Region and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) representatives, supervisors and principals from various Quezon City public elementary and high schools, Rotary Int'l. District 3780 Gov. Dan Espinosa, and officers and members of the seventeen participating Rotary clubs and the Centre for P.E.A.C.E.

A "Declaration of Peace" was signed by all participating agencies and organizations, establishing the "Quezon City Partnership for Peace," which will pursue the project's implementation among various participating schools in the city.

Seventeen Rotary clubs belonging to Rotary District 3780 that constitutes the entire Quezon City rallied around the project, which has two major components that include on-the-spot Peace-painting contests for elementary school students, and Peace essay-writing contests for high school students in the City. The participating clubs are the Rotary Clubs of Masambong, Balintawak, Biak-na-Bato, Capitol Hills, Commonwealth, Cubao Central, Cubao EDSA, Cubao Kamias, Cubao West, Kagitingang Cubao, New Manila West, Quezon City North, Quezon City Southwest, Sto. Domingo, Sub-City Mabuhay, Tandang Sora and Valencia Heights. Most of these clubs have adopted schools where they have independently sponsored Rotaract and Interact clubs among students.

According to Centre for P.E.A.C.E. Exec. Director and RC Masambong Charter President Don Flordeliza, Jr., the contests will be held in the premises of the participating schools during the month of September, which is World Peace Month. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had also previously signed an executive order declaring September as National Peace Month. September is being celebrated by Rotarians worldwide as New Generations Month, with emphasis on extending services to the youth.

"Winning students in the school levels will receive awards and prizes from their corresponding sponsor clubs. Winning entries will be judged again for the over-all winners with bigger prizes at stake for the young artists, most of whom come from poor families," Flordeliza added.

The "Quezon City Peace Initiative Project" represents the first leg of Peace-related events and celebrations that will be organized by the Centre for Peace nationwide, as a result of the national-level "Partnership for Peace" agreement signed by the Centre for P.E.A.C.E. with the Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, national Local Government Units organizations, Philippine National Police, the Quezon City government and the Rotary Club of Masambong last June.

TV and newspaper reporters covered the August 18 event.