Loreto students mark World Peace Day at former Maze prison

This event took place in the Eikon Conference Centre on the grounds of the former ‘Maze’ prison and was attended by over 2000 students from schools throughout Ulster and Loreto College was represented by 15 students from across the year groups along with Religious Education teacher Mr K Conroy.

Each school composed a peace pledge prior to the event which was then scribed onto metal and hung onto an impressive ‘peace tree’ which was on display in the arena. There were representatives from various faiths throughout Northern Ireland present and host for the day was Barra Best from BBC. The large audience was treated to performances of singing and dancing from an array of schools in the arena as well as a number of live streamed performances from schools across the province as we received many inspiring words of wisdom from the speakers on the day including Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, all of whom encourage the youth to do all in their power to strive for peace and to be an example to other countries across the world.

Loreto’s pledge read: “Let us celebrate our differences, be proud and live, love and laugh together as one.” This pledge will now be placed permanently in the school. Students at this event were: Cathaoir McKay, Aoife Carr (Year 14), Aaron Christie, Rebecca Dillon and Victoria Tsang (Year 13), Oonagh Rafferty (Year 12), Annie Levy and Caleb Wan (Year 11), Padraig Kelly, Caitlin Campbell and Sophia-Rose O’Kane (Year 10) and Shea Templeton, Sean Devine, Bronagh McLaughlin and Kasey Buck (Year 9).