Somersfield Hosts Intl Day Of Peace Ceremony
The Somersfield Academy community came together on Friday for its annual International Day of Peace Ceremony, held ahead of the United Nations International Day of Peace on Monday, September 21.
A spokesperson said, “The ceremony brings students and staff together each year at the school’s Peace Pole for a shared moment of reflection on the importance of peace and the role each of us can play in creating a more peaceful community.
“The ceremony also marked the introduction of Somersfield’s Student Leadership Council for 2026–27. Led by the Council’s President, Sydney Troake, and Chair of Diversity, Yemaya Iris, the ceremony encouraged students to consider peace not simply as a global ideal, but as something practised through everyday choices.
“In her address, Troake challenged the community to rethink the idea of peace as something created only by governments or world leaders. Instead, she spoke about the strength it takes to resolve conflict through empathy and forgiveness, reminding students that “anyone can add to a conflict, but it takes strength to stop one.”
“Iris reflected on the history of the International Day of Peace and this year’s global theme, “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.” She encouraged the community to recognise that peace is built through justice, equality, and mutual respect, and called on students to speak out against bullying and discrimination while creating space for voices that are too often unheard.
“At Somersfield, peace education is woven throughout its continuum of Montessori and International Baccalaureate [IB] programmes. Maria Montessori recognised the important role education plays in building peace, while the IB places intercultural understanding, respect, and responsible action at the heart of its educational philosophy.
“These principles align closely with Somersfield’s mission to inspire socially conscious, independent thinkers. The annual ceremony gives students and staff an opportunity to pause together and consider how peace is lived each day, not only as a global aspiration, but through the choices we make in our classrooms and our wider community.
“The ceremony concluded with a minute of silence in solidarity with those affected by conflict around the world, reaffirming a message shared throughout the morning: peace starts with us.”
Student Leadership Council for 2026-27
- President: Sydney Troake ‘28
- Vice President: Lola Reape ‘28
- Chair of Diversity: Yemaya Iris ‘28
- Chair of Student Life: Djibril Aw ‘29
- Chair of Communications: Christina Lee ‘29
- Secretary: Amaro Aw ‘29
- Treasurer: JitHom Liew ‘30
- Council Member: Ameina Soares ‘30
- Tiger House Captain: Cairo Tucker ‘29
- Mako House Captain: Kayla Moniz ‘28
Sydney Troake, President of the Student Leadership Council, stated, “Good morning, everyone. What is it that you picture when you hear the words “world peace”? Perhaps we picture countries ending wars, soldiers returning home, or world leaders negotiating and signing treaties. When we think about peace, we often think about something bigger than ourselves. Something that other people create, like presidents, organizations, and activist.
“But peace can also be small. It can be something we all contribute to, and something we all have a responsibility to protect. So, what if peace isn’t something only world leaders create? What if peace is something each and every one of us has a responsibility to contribute to?
“We know that peace isn’t simply what comes after war and violence. True peace isn’t necessarily achieved when a conflict ends. Sometimes, anger, resentment, and division remain long after the fighting stops. Peace requires people to choose a different way forward. It means communicating rather than retaliating, being willing to compromise, and making an effort to resolve conflict.
“And that takes courage. It takes courage to apologize first and admit when we are wrong. It takes courage to listen when we are angry, especially when we believe we are in the right. And sometimes, it takes courage to forgive.
“That is why conflict can feel easier. It is easier to respond to anger with anger, to seek revenge rather than forgiveness, or to walk away from our problems instead of facing them head-on.
“Anyone can add to a conflict, but it takes strength to stop one.
“While in our daily lives we are not forming peace treaties or solving world conflicts, we are given opportunities to practice peace. At our school, in our homes, and in our communities. It could be a misunderstanding with a classmate. A rumor that we choose to pass along. Or an argument with our siblings.
“These situations are not on the same global scale, but they teach us something important: Whenever we face conflict, we have choices. We can escalate it, or we can try to solve it. We can hold onto our anger, or we can choose to move forward. And the way we handle the smaller conflicts in our lives can shape how we approach bigger obstacles and disagreements in the future.
“John F. Kennedy once said: “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, and quietly building new structures.”
“And if peace is something we build gradually, then we all have a part to play in building it. Because we are the future.
“The students sitting here today will one day be teachers, business owners, leaders, parents, voters, and decision-makers. We will have opportunities to make a difference in our communities and in the world around us. The world we live in reflects the choices of the generations before us. But the world we leave behind will reflect us, and the decisions we make.
“So, we should not look at peace as an unobtainable idea. Instead, we should remind ourselves that peace requires action. And that action starts now, through the way we treat the people around us.
“It starts when we are willing to understand ideas that may be different from our own. It starts when we refuse to let disagreements become the things that divide us. And it starts with leadership.
“Not necessarily the kind of leadership that comes with a title, but the kind that comes from setting an example, showing others how to work together, even when we may not always agree or get along.
“Because we do not have all the answers. We won’t be able to end every war or solve every conflict. We certainly won’t be able to change the entire world overnight.
“But we can contribute positively to the world around us. We can choose how we respond when conflict comes our way. And we can decide whether peace is something we simply talk about, or something we practice every day.
“Because peace begins with hope, but it thrives through courage.
“Thank you.”
Yemaya Iris, Chair of Diversity of the Student Leadership Council, stated, “Good morning, Everyone. Today, our community gathers to celebrate International Day of Peace.
“I could stand here before you and tell you about peace. How peace is our future, how peace is the backbone for the future success of our society, and human race. But what is the future without the past? Day by day we watch history repeat itself. There are parts of history we refuse to forget, and other parts we refuse to remember.
“Every year we stand here and ask you to chose peace, we tell you that peace was a promise made to each and everyone of us. But what if I told you the promise was made to our parents, for some of us our grandparents.
“The small promise of peace was made decades before International Day of Peace was established. The promise of peace started in 1954 when the Japanese Peace bell arrived at UN headquarters. The bell was cast from coins that delegates from 60 different countries donated to represent global harmony. Today, 72 years later, that very bell, the first international promise of peace, remains a vital part of Peace Day traditions and is rung every September. In 1982, the world observed its first International Day of Peace.
“Since then, the UN and peacekeepers continue to make efforts to promote global peace. So, yes peace is an old promise, but it is a piece of history too many of us are getting dangerously close to forgetting.
“The 2026 theme for International Day of Peace is “Invest in Peace—For everyone, Everywhere, Every Day”. Peace is an old promise but everyday we can wake up and make it a new initiative. Peace isn’t just forged in diplomatic conference rooms; it’s shaped by all of us, every single day.
“No matter how old the promise of peace is, it is still something we must fight for. We’re privileged to live in a place where peace feels like a goal that has almost been accomplished, but that is not a global reality. Millions around the world are still facing discrimination and prejudice, millions around the world are still waiting for their promise of peace. I urge us all to consider that just because we have peace today does not mean that we will peace tomorrow. As Martin Luther King Jr once said “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
“Today is about more than just an observation, it’s about reminding us that peace is not simply the absence of war, it is the presence of justice, equality, and mutual respect that transcends borders. What does peace mean to you? Is it silence, or is it justice? Is it the absence of war, or the presence of kindness? International Day of Peace is a globally shared date for humanity to make a commitment to peace.
“To invest in peace is to agree to lay our differences aside no matter how small or big, and most importantly to contribute and commit to building a culture of peace. Peace is bigger than any of us alone, but we all stand as vital building blocks to build a culture of peace. We must speak up against violence, hate, discrimination, and inequality; we must practice respect and embrace the diversity of our world. Peace starts with us. We can wake up everyday with the goal to advocate for international peace. I remind us all peace transcends borders, peace connects us all as one human race. Peace is beyond a future we hope for; it is one we build together. The future of peace starts with us right here; the promise of peace is one we can achieve within our life if we all work together to achieve it.
“We can work towards peace by saying no to violence; practice understanding and solidarity, report bullying and harassment, protest inequality and discrimination, make spaces for voices that are missing, say no to hate, volunteer, but most importantly support peace advocates and become one yourself.
“As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
“I will now end with a moment of silence to commit to peace as conflicts around the world arise. I urge us all to take a moment of silence now to acknowledge those around the world suffering through conflicts and hoping for peace. Thank you.”
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