BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CHANTING messages of peace and decrying crime and violence, dozens of Cayon High School students held a peace march through the community of Cayon, as part of a promise to end a feud thathich had been ongoing for some time.
The idea for the march came about after the Guidance Counsellors Department of the school decided to hold a mediation conference among school children who were feuding with members of the community.
Those who participated in the march left the school compound sometime after 1:00 p.m. and made their way through the streets of Cayon.
“We want peace, we want peace,” was one of the popular chants heard coming from the students who were accompanied by their teachers.
Kamion Willett, one of the individuals who was involved in the feud, and also the individual who suggested that the peace march be held, played a key role in keeping the students together and reminding them of the messages of peace they were promoting.
SKNVibes observed that students of the Cayon Primary School were also participating in the march.
The demonstration of peace culminated at the Cayon High School, but SKNVibes observed that the Cayon Primary School students walked and ran back to their school unabatedly declaring that they wanted peace.
Their creativity got the better of them and they altered the lyrics to the Kasanova Band’s ‘Food All Over’ song and chanted “Peace All Over”.
In a post-event interview with SKNVibes, one of the school’s Guidance Counsellors, Larissa Mars said she observed the students’ passion as they marched and expressed their desire for peace and the end to bloodshed.
She noted that community members, who heard the commotion as the march progressed, took to their verandas and chanted along with the students.
“I felt like the march was a success. I felt that the impact was made. I am hoping that the community would continue along the positive path that we tried to set and I’m hoping that we will see a change in the crime and violence that we have been seeing in this community. We are hoping that while Kamion was speaking, someone heard and felt compelled to let bygones be bygones. If just one person was reached, the march was a success.”
Following the march, a peace luncheon was held at the school compound.
