These past weeks have seen our community honor a few of our traditions with the concepts of peace and hope at the center.

On September 19, students from Grades 1 through 12 gathered together in our Sportshall to celebrate the International Day of Peace, held on the third Thursday of each September annually. Two of our students were our "peace guides" and led us through a Peace Walk past our own monuments of peace that we see every day: the Magolia Tree, our world map of peace, and the Peace Tree sculpture. More students shared what they can do each day to help create an atmosphere of peace and hope; from things like making a new friend who is different from them, to trying to solve a problem with someone they are angry with, to standing up when they see someone being bullied. Peace themed music was beautifully performed by elementary and high school vocal ensembles. Everyone was also encouraged to share a message of peace on our living olive tree as they continued throughout their day.

On September 11, the Overseas Americans Remember (OAR) organization held the Ceremony of Remembrance and Hope at the school. This heartfelt event honored the heroes who tragically lost their lives on 9/11, sharing their stories, poems, and songs. We were joined by members of the OAR, the ASH community, police and firefighters from our local community, and the American Ambassador to the Netherlands Shefali Razdan Duggal.

 

Ceremonies allow and help us remember the lives lost and keep us connected to the past, yet stay hopeful for the future and believe in the power of community. Through these shared moments of reflection, we find solace and strengthen our collective resolve to never forget.