By Mwinda Boulierac, Theodore Bennett, and Felix Feltrin (Y10)
Peace must dwell in you before the world.
In 1924, only 6 years after World War 1 ended, a group of diplomats at the League of Nations aimed to create a school which fostered peace, a multicultural institution that was structured to put aside all geopolitical prejudices and maintain solidarity amongst students and equity amongst people. And so, the very first international school was born: International School of Geneva.
Since the recent celebration of Ecolint’s 100th year anniversary, students are being asked more than ever about what being a student at our school really means, and if we understand what all those progressive educators at the League of Nations were aiming for. The answer seems to be to put the ability to spread peace in our hands, and to help us pass down that gift to more and more students despite the conflicts that ravage our world today.
As Ecolint students, our education relies upon the values that ignited from those conflicts. The same values each of us carries regularly, built around and for peace. Although you and I, as different as we are, experience the world differently, have you ever wondered what peace really meant to you? To us as a community?
Eight students, a teacher and a rabbit was all it took to begin something that would grow far beyond what anyone could have imagined. That is our miracle, nascenting into an incredible and unexpected desire for knowledge in the midst of wars, transforming into a strong foundation, shaping global citizens to carry the message of peace throughout the world.
Conceptually speaking, the word peace describes freedom from noise, war, worry or public disorder. It is the vision that our school brought to life, with hope for mutual learning. But relatively speaking, peace may be the quiet strength that allows us to move forward, that gives us a voice, and that holds us together as a flourishing environment. It is that legacy that our founders aspired to plant in our minds, and continue through our hearts.
In honour of this desire for harmony, the United Nations (otherwise known as the UN) established this celebration in 1981 to reinforce the vision of peace within all nations, cultures and people. In 2026, the theme revolves around investing in peace for everyone, everywhere, every day.
As a global group of people, reunited as one, yet representing all parts of the world, it is an opportunity to remember where we come from, and all the routes we have taken to reach where we are today. Through this message, Peace Day conveys the recognition of daily blessings, the small pleasures, safety, dignity, cooperation, pride, laughter, perseverance, courage and joy we each bring to the core of the school, which is needed to face a joyful tomorrow.
Ecolint has the responsibility to advocate for those less fortunate than us. As this day previously targeted the ideals of ending racism, speaking up against hate and inequality, and encouraging mutual understanding, peace must dwell in our hearts before it can dwell in the world’s.
But suddenly, when we finally exit the idyllic bubble we have surrounded our beautiful school with, the world we live in today becomes loud. Fortunately, it is less loud for us than for some out there, and probably always will be. But it might be the thought that counts– the realisation and acknowledgment of the fortune we have had through our lifestyles. Knowing that not some, but many somewhere – anywhere in the world, crave that luck.
Maybe, for all it’s worth, it’s the moments we experience that count. Each memory we individually hold, every moment we take for granted, every prayer a child whispers calmly, for the lives we all live today.
So yes, once that bubble pops, suddenly, the world bursts. That’s why the word “peace” is conceptually insufficient. That’s why the word “peace” can sometimes feel hollow. Its real meaning is why we decide to understand and to care. Its real meaning is why we choose to act for everyone, everywhere.
To invest in peace for everyone, it is important to recall that peace is shaped through small actions rather than grand festivities. In commemoration, various activities will be held at Ecolint across most learning departments, with time dedicated to workshops on peace and its message.
Peace is not just the absence of war. It is not simply stopping fights and strife. It is a safe place for every special individual who shows up with the resilience to listen without condition, and regularly chooses kindness. That is the kind of power which resides at the heart of Ecolint, the same kind of force that enables us to stand up for those who need it worldwide, reaching the epitome of a just and joyful tomorrow as one.