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URI CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE—2005 |
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Written by URI Cooperation Circles
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Thursday, 06 October 2005 |
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Page 2 of 20
Blantyre, Malawi. Joyce Ng’oma URI Malawi celebrated IDP at Chisapi Private Schools with pomp. Banners with words such as "URI MALAWI AND CHISAPI PRIVATE SCHOOLS CELEBRATE PEACE DAY," “MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH," and MTENDERE PA DZIKO LAPANSI" "MTENDERE"
What you are not able to understand translates to what has been written in English. We wanted everybody to know what the celebration was about. Almost all children put on hats with the above words. The banners were hung on walls and trees. About 500 people attended. The theme was "May Peace Prevail on Earth."
URI members arriving for the festivities.
The main celebration started as soon as the Member of Parliament arrived at the School. Seith Brewer opened with a Prayer for Peace then the little ones gave us a traditional dance. They looked adorable in white hats and wrappers around their waist and danced vigorously for peace as they sang: We want peace in Malawi and the whole world; we are proud of this day, stop fighting each other, love your neighbour.
After the colourful dance there were speeches made in the following order: by a student named Dauphen Kambewankako (12yrs) thanked URI for choosing her school as a venue and called on fellow students to know the importance of Peace among people. She called on parents to love each other and their families and Neighbours, among other things.
I was the second to speak. I thanked the owner of the school for agreeing that we use their premises, and thanked students and teachers for being readily available to join us and host the IDP. I gave the history of URI globally and in Malawi in particular; explained to them how they can join and some of the activities we have done.
One of the teacher's at the school, Mr. Peter Nkhwema, spoke after me. He thanked the people for their attendance. He told them how happy the school was to be the first in Malawi to be associated with such a function and wished everyone to be as peaceful as possible in what they do and help build Malawi.
The Group Village Headman Mnyaka spoke next. He thanked the Proprietor for building the school in his area and that activities such as the IDP mean a lot to his people now that they have seen and heard about it.
The last speaker was one of the youngest Member of Parliament Honourable Billy Kaunda, a very controversial and popular musician, whose songs are on sensitive issues and also promote the welfare of children and people in general.
He commended URI Malawi for hosting the function in his Constituency. He stated that the opposite of Peace is War hence the need to join hands and prevent war and propagate peace. He urged the people to solve their problems through contact and dialogue. He called for peace in Malawi, its neighbouring countries and the world as a whole.
Among the activities done were: Poems, Bible verses on peace, Drama, Kwaito dance and singing. The function ended with Candle lighting and a prayer by one of the teachers, M. A. Mulipa. At the very end, we gathered with all participants for a drink in the name of PEACE.
Let me end with a poem written specially for IDP and then one of the students' speeches. They wrote these on their own and at short notice. We are all very impressed with their dedication.
"PEACE" a Poem by Lucy Mangwiyo, age 10
Peace, peace what kind of an animal are you?
Peace means living together in harmony.
Why is it that fathers and mothers do not live in peace?
Why is it that there are conflicts in Sudan, DRC and Liberia?
Do not commit suicide, do not kill with a gun, no manslaughter, do not beat each other, that is what we call peace.
Give the world the peace it deserves.
Happy is a man who brings peace, a man who fights for peace, for the good of the world.
May peace prevail on Earth.
Give the world the peace it deserves.
Speech by: Dauphen Kambewankako, age 12
The Regional Coordinator for URI and URI members, The Member ofParliament, Chiefs, Parents, Fellow students, Ladies and gentlemen.
Today, CHISAPI Private School and the community join the world in celebrating the International Day of Peace. This is a good cause for us to meet today because without peace, we will experience the following: Violence, People quarrelling, Disturbances, War, Theft and Burglary, Rape, Torture, Pain and Cruelty. The students of Chisapi and the young people in Malawi do not like to live in fear when we see such things happening. by taking part today, we want to tell the world that we like PEACE. We realize that without peace there will be no development.
We students of Chisapi private school would like to see the following for Malawi and the world:
1. People discussing issues whenever there is a problem in a mature way.
2. People not fighting but laughing and smiling.
3. People helping each other in time of need, for example, in Malawi, we need to share food especially now when some people are dying of hunger.
It is our sincere hope that as everybody leaves this place, he or she should be speaking about peace.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 15 February 2006 )
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