Observed annually on January 30th, School Day of Non-Violence and Peace is a holiday that encourages all citizens of the world to find non-violent solutions to their conflicts. Although this holiday originally began in Spain, it is now observed around the globe.

This holiday has been around for over five decades and is observed on the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s death. This is appropriate considering Gandhi was an advocate for peace, and this day attempts to live up to the ideals of conflict resolution that he so fervently advocated for during his life.

The History of School Day of Non-Violence and Peace

This holiday was created by Spanish educator and poet Llorenç Vidal Vidal in 1964. He created this holiday because he strongly believed that all schools should be places where future citizens and leaders are taught the importance of conflict resolution and achieving peace through non-violent means.

He placed the holiday, Dia Escolar de la No-violència i la Pau, on January 30th because that is the date of Mahatma Gandhi’s death in 1948. It started in his hometown of Majorca but soon spread across Spain and eventually around the world.

Some Quick Facts About Peace

We thought the most appropriate way to observe School Day of Non-Violence and Peace is by learning about peace in all its forms. After a bit of research, we discovered a few things about peace that we would like to share with everyone.

However, allow us to offer a bit of a warning first. Some of the following facts about peace aren’t as positive as many of us would like. With that being said, let’s take a quick look at them before continuing with the rest of this holiday article.

• In 2018, the global level of peace decreased by 2.38% compared to 2008, according to the Global Peace Index.
• As of 2022, Iceland is ranked as the country with the highest Global Peace Index score.
• Afghanistan is ranked as the country with the lowest Global Peace Index score.
• The United States ranked at the 129th spot on the Global Peace Index in 2022.
• In 2022, Ukraine ranked at the 153rd spot on the Global Peace Index.

Observing School Day of Non-Violence and Peace

Schools across the world organize conferences, seminars, and other special events for teachers, students, and school officials. Everyone involved in schools should feel free to discuss the need for a more peaceful society with their students.

They should also take the time to teach students some of the ways conflicts can be peacefully resolved. As usual, everyone observing this holiday should use the hashtag #SchoolDayOfNonViolenceAndPeace.