A school in Galloway has become the first in the UK to be awarded the International Blue Flag of Peace Award.
An awards presentation took place at Douglas Ewart High School in Newton Stewart, when head teacher Mr George Webb received the award from United Nations/Rotary Champion of Peace, Mrs Jean Best, who started the school project with her husband Keith in 2015.
Peace Advocate status is achieved through interactive training sessions, giving strategies and skills to empower young people to take control of their lives. They investigate why conflict occurs in themselves, homes, schools, communities and globally.
The pupils in S4, S5 and S6 and teacher Mrs Kirsteen Hogg took part in the project. Their first project to create a Peace Garden for the community went through several consultation stages but was ultimately delayed by Covid-19 when they turned their attention to supporting the mental health of their school community during lockdown.
Using social media and daily hints and tips on their Instagram they created over 60 daily hints and tips that have become the basis of a school curriculum to be led by Advanced Peace Advocates during the new academic year.
Not only was this completed in school but was delivered online to young people in Japan, Spain and England.
