Oneness-Family School celebrated United Nations Day on October 21st, with student cultural performances, a flag ceremony, and greetings from ambassadors and embassy representatives. Eighty-five countries recorded virtual greetings for students, including 63 ambassador representatives!

Below is a message on United Nations Day and Montessori, written by our Director of Curriculum, Bodil Eriksson.

Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for her profound yet practical conception of peace. In her book "Education and Peace" she wrote, 'The question of peace cannot be discussed properly from a merely negative point of view, as politics ordinarily regard it, in the narrow sense of avoiding war and resolving conflicts between nations without recourse to violence. Inherent in the very meaning of the word peace is the positive notion of constructive social reform."

At OFS, our vision and purpose are based on the inherent belief that each child has unique gifts to share with the world and that if we provide an environment that encourages the development of those gifts, the world will progress toward greater harmony and well-being for all. By cultivating an understanding of peace and open communication in our students, we hope to inspire a generation of future leaders that will believe in and work for a kind and just world.

We have celebrated United Nations Day at Oneness every October for the last thirty-four years. Two weeks ago, we hosted another fantastic celebration with dignitaries from over 85 countries represented. Our community itself represents over 60 nations. The United Nations Day event allows students to study and celebrate people from different cultures around the globe. The next generation needs to see this display of world unity, feel part of a community of nations, and share their expanding knowledge of the world. 

UN Day is a beautiful, tangible, and much-needed expression of the peaceful and harmonious world we seek to build. On behalf of the staff at Oneness-Family School, I want to thank you all for making this year's UN Day celebration another great success. We could not have done it without you!