Local Students bring Jane Goodall’s giant peace dove project to life in Mississippi Mills
In 2004, with assistance from EEPP, several local primary students attended the United Nations Childrens’ Conference on the Environment, in New London, Connecticut. Returning from that conference, the students spoke enthusiastically to our group at one of our regular meetings. They were particularly inspired by the keynote address. This was given by Dr. Jane Goodall, who believes that we, as a species, are becoming more peaceful! To spread this message of incredible hope, Dr. Goodall had organized the flying of Giant Peace Doves each year on International Peace Day. If these giant home-made dove puppets are flown on the same day all around the world, then perhaps the white spots created on Earth could be seen from space.
Working from instructions, and using old white sheets, hockey sticks and chicken wire, students in the R. Tait McKenzie “Peace Dove Club”, led by Patricia Larkin (one of the parent chaperones to the conference), fashioned 5 enormous puppets. MVFN was invited to fly one of these giant birds. They took flight on September 21st, a beautiful but windy day, on the grounds of R. Tait McKenzie School. In a parade complete with drummers, MVFN member, Pat Matheson took her turn, and kept up the heavy head end of one of the five doves during most of the parade. In addition to staff and students, others from nearby schools, plus local politicians, and curious residents, joined in. A peace flag was raised and a short presentation was made by Patricia Larkin, with the message “Peace is possible”.
One dove was also flown in the Puppets Up parade in Almonte.
