By Cherry Ngo (Class of 2024)

Photography by Thanh Tieu (Class of 2020), Rachel Blythe, and Yee Kit Chan (Class of 2022)

Video by Breanna Cao (Class of 2022)

     Another Peace Day has passed by with great pleasure and jubilance of all students attending the Instilling Goodness Developing Virtue Secondary Girls’ Schools. 

     Peace Day is celebrated annually at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. This year, the Junior High class decided to circumambulate the Buddha Hall instead of following the custom of taking a long walk, and they started walking from the elementary school to the City’s gate. 

     To begin, the students gathered and formed a circle on the elementary school front lawn to watch the Junior High’s invocation about the event. They talked about their contributions to Peace Day at both the high school and elementary school. 

After their speeches, the kindergartners performed a peace song on which they had worked. Following the kindergartners’ song, the students, followed by their parents and teachers, held hands and marched in the direction of the Buddha Hall. With a loud, clear voice, Heng Fu Shr led the miniature parade. At the end, the students and teachers stopped in front of the Buddha Hall to take group pictures.

Once finished, they walked to the high school back lawn, where picnic tarps had been laid on the ground. The hosts and helpers of the celebration treated the participants to sourdough bread, hummus, raw vegetables, strawberries, and grapes. The students and teachers broke pieces of the baguettes, symbolizing their trust and confidence in one another. Then, the hummus was passed around, along with grapes, strawberries, and a variety of vegetables. Talking in clusters, the environment was filled with smiles and laughter. 

     Through this small gathering created by the dedication and hard work of the Junior High, the class raised a modest, yet significant awareness towards peace. 

     With the joining of hearts and hands, we can create an empowering change in the universe. We can start small and build our way up to the top. Peace grows with an individual’s deeds of friendship and affection and will always be a part of each and every one of our souls.