The Rotary Club of Princes Town held its first Youth Peace Symposium ―Making our Schools Safe for our Children through Peace Education on September 21st, 2018 in commemoration of International Peace Day and highlighting one of Rotary’s areas of focus, Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.
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At the event, the Club featured prominent guest speakers, Caron Asgarali, CEO of Project R.A.R.E; who addressed the issue of Youth & Gun Violence & Safety; Steven Edwards, CEO of Anti-Crime Theatre & Technology Institute who spoke on Youth & Bullying and Wayne Chance, CEO of Vision on Mission who spoke on the topic of Youth & Conflict Resolution.
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Crystal Ann Harper, President of the Princes Town Rotary Club gave the opening remarks, with greetings brought by Chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation, Gowrie Roopnarine, School District Supervisor I, Ian Buttai and Mrs. Sita Bachoo –Ballyram, Principal of the Princes Town West Secondary School; all of whom attended the event. At the request of Principal Ballyram an impromptu rendition of the song ―Let There Be Peace on Earth‖ was sung by Ms. Chloe Bishop, teacher at the school; which was followed by a poem on Peace & Conflict by Jeda Allen, Interactor of the Interact Club at St. Stephen’s College and a song by Keston Villafana, Interactor of the Interact Club of Princes Town West Secondary School which further enhanced the event. Each distinguished guest received tokens of appreciation and was pinned by respective Rotarians of the Club with a Rotary Peace Pin signifying to all their commitment to promote Peace as Peace Ambassadors of the world.
Over 160 young persons from the primary and secondary schools from Princes Town and the surrounding environs were in attendance and all students appeared engaged for the duration of the symposium as thought provoking questions were posed to each of the guest speakers at the end of the Symposium by the students. The Club also made a contribution to Steven Edwards, CEO of the Anti-Crime Theatre & Technology Institute towards his organization’s continued works and efforts to provide positive support to our youths in depressed communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago; particularly providing solutions to youth and violence.