The Valentine Peace Project

Lichtpuntje op de dag van de liefde

'Jullie fleuren mijn dag op.' 
'Your flowers made my day.'

The quote above is from the Noord Amsterdam Nieuwsblad which reported on students from the local Dorus Rijkers school visiting the BovenIJ hospital  - their arms full of roses with poems to share.  A local TV station paid a visit and students passed out their own poems as well as poems from the Project inside the hospital. 

Thanks to coordinator Hedwig Speulman.


Some photos from Amsterdam, New York and elsewhere:

February 14 2008 Picasa Web Album Slideshow

Almelo, Netherlands

This small city in the East of Holland not far from the German border participated this past February with citizens and students distributing roses with poems in Dutch and English in different locations around the city.  A beautiful surprise - their local paper reported with enthusiasm on participating next year in an even bigger way.

Ik geef je een roosje (I give you a Rose)

New York Berkeley Carroll School

Members of the Student Council of this school in NY sold candygrams consisting of peace poems, carnations
and chocolate kisses. Money raised was sent to Save Darfur.  Creating a community service Valentine!

Chocolate Kisses for Peace 

Esprit: Nova College - Amsterdam

Students from this large school in Amsterdam went to Lucas Andreas Hospital to give away flowers and peace poems 'not to take romantic love away from the spotlight but to expand the total concept of 'love' and Valentine's day with peace, respect and community.'

 Valentijn Scholengroep

Gedichten on the Radio

North Amsterdam Radio featured students from the Dorus Rijkers school reading their poetry and singing on air - on their special Valentine's program featuring the Project.

Select February 14 to hear the program at 11:45am -

Editie Zuid, donderdag 14 feburari 2008

Amsterdam English Radio

The English speaking radio program for the international community of Amsterdam featured the project Valentine's morning.  English Breakfast is on 99.4FM every morning in Amsterdam from 7am to 9am.  (Englishbreakfast.nl) 

 The program with the interview with Federico Hewson can be heard here:

14 February 8am

Dutch Poet Diana Ozon

Prolific poet, performer and historic Amsterdam columnist Diana Ozon writes of the students of Nova College and their peace poetry workshop - taking their poems and flowers in a televised visit to the nearby St. Lucas Andreas Hospital.  A Valentine's to remember.

14 Februari - Nova College

Pioneers of Change

Social Innovators to Realize Imaginative Initiatives for a Radically Better World.
Hub Amsterdam is part of a global network of hubs around the globe including Rotterdam, London and San Paulo (the-hub.net).  Hub Amsterdam's latest newsletter features the Project and other initiatives linking Entrepeneurs with Purpose, Ethical pioneers and Conscious Creators -

TheHubAmsterdam

Metro Amsterdam

Paul Revere Middle School of Los Angeles, California

A call went out to the this entire school for submissions led by English Department Instructors Cynthia Murphy and David Baca.  A large hearty group of respondents generated inspiring visions for peace, which were shared throughout the school.

Special poems by the students of Paul Revere