De La Salle Lipa (DLSL) commemorated the International Day of Peace (IDP) through various activities, with the aim of instilling consciousness among students regarding the institution’s advocacy for peace, Sept. 21.
Headed by Alicia Botardo, PhD, director of gender, peace and inclusive education office, the celebration began with a peace walk which was then followed by the ceremony on the peace symbolic rites at the Capilla de San Juan Bautista De La Salle.
College and senior high school class officers together with other Lasallian representatives from each community led the releasing of doves and the offering of flowers at the Peace Pole, one of DLSL’s campus symbols for peace that stands beside the Capilla.
The ceremony was then followed by a one minute of silence for prayers towards world peace led by Fred Amul, Assistant Principal of the Senior High School Department.
The Peace bell chimed before the mass at the Capilla, completing the presentation of the traditional campus symbols of peace.
As part of this year’s theme, The Right to Peace – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70, Atty. Maria Paz G. Luna, Regional Director of DENR – Region IV and faculty member in the College of Law, initiated a talk about the significance of human rights in sustaining peace.
“The art of history bends towards justice,” Luna said with regard to the attainment of peace.
She further elaborated that people should understand the importance of non-material things such as knowledge, wisdom, love and human rights, emphasizing that those are the ones that will last.
“Long before you and I are gone, if people respect human rights at legal institutions, there will be peace,” Luna added.
Participated by the students of the National Service Training Program (NSTP), other activities included the peace photo exhibit located at the school’s e-library and the democracy exhibit held at the Hall of Lasallian Saints (HLS) and at Mabini Building exhibit area.
Peace One Day is the institution’s annual commemoration of the IDP as part of its commitment for being named as the Regional Center for Peace Education by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
