Pink gives light for Peace Camp 2013

DAVAO CITY- Philippine Women’s College was filled with students wearing pink shirts as it hosted this year’s celebration of Peace Camp last December 6-7, 2013.

In line with the Mindanao Week of Peace Festivities, more than 15 elementary and high school institutions from the different parts of DADITAMA (Davao, Digos, Tagum, Mati) with hundreds of students and some of the mentors were gathered to experience the serenity of Peace Camp with the theme: “Dialogue and Hope: Our Key to Peace.”

“Peace Camp aims to gather schools and give avenue for the students to be with other schools for them to talk about peace in Mindanao and how they would share peace and how they are going to achieve peace in their little ways”, said Mr. Rosendo Meriwan, event coordinator, as he described unity and camaraderie among participating schools as the main mission of the camp.

The opening day was sanctified by a Eucharistic Celebration presided by Fr. Ritsche Gamaya. Other highlights of the 2-day Peace Camp includes a Film Showing about Mindanao, talks from different keynote speakers, bonfire activity, and break-out sessions about Photography, Visual Art, Theater Art, and Literary Art all for the purpose of promoting peace in our land.

According to Mr. Meriwan, the Peace Camp will run even after the culminating activity on the second day as students are expected to impart what they have learned throughout the camp and outputs from the break-out sessions will be exhibited in some of the partaking schools.

The camp, which was originally created to solely promote peace in Zamboanga way back in 1997, envisions in making Peace Camp an annual affair for students to be more aware and open-minded so that peace and solidarity would make the entire Mindanao a better place to live.