It was both a privilege and a pleasure to be part of the official opening of the Bridge 2 Peace Montessori School of Lunugamvehera’s official opening ceremony on March 22, 2006.
Seeing the school for the very first time brought tears to my eyes. I was in a daze as I got out of the truck and approached the building. My hand shook as I placed it on one of the wooden beams that supported the roof over the walkway. I remember thinking, “this is the most beautiful school I have ever seen” and then “this can not be real.” But there I was, thousands of miles from my children and family touching the greatest miracle I have ever been fortunate to witness and be part of the construction of the first free Montessori school in Sri Lanka.
The days before the opening passed in a blur of preparations as we prepared the classrooms, set up the materials and put the finishing touches on the plans for the Opening Ceremony. For myself and the other teachers from Bernadine’s school La Petite Fleur in Sri Lanka who had worked long hours volunteering time, it was a tiring but amazing and joyful time.
The Opening Ceremony contained many symbolic events meant to build a culture of peace at the school and in the village. Traditional Sri Lankan dancers welcomed our chief quest, Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapaksa, the wife of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a Montessorian herself and lead her to the gates of the school. Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, the gates of the school were tied shut. We did this to signify the ties that bind all of us that worked to see the school open. Untying the ribbons meant having to work together to see that they did not entangle but came free to open a new world for the village children.
Another central symbol was the peace pole that was erected in the central school yard. In Sinhala, Tamil and English it reads “may peace prevail on Earth.” Peace poles have been erected at Montessori schools around the world and serve as a reminder that Maria Montessori envisioned peace through education. Around the base of the peace pole the words “Dagaba, Pansala, Wewa” are carved reminding us also that the water in the thousand year old “tanks” in the village, this school and the temple must be interconnected to nourish the village completely.
Since peace though education is one goal for the school, a dove bell and dove flag were also placed in the central courtyard. Today, the children start each day by ringing the bell and raising the flag while singing “let there be peace on Earth.” I am told that their sweet voices resound through the village and bring a sense of both joy and peace to the families of Lunugamvehera.
I know that this school has changed many lives including my own. Children who would never have had the opportunity to go to school attend one of the most beautiful schools in all of Sri Lanka. For the country of Sri Lanka, this school has set the bar high for the future of Early Childhood education. As the years past, we hope that the school will serve as the model for the establishment of a National Preschool program in Sri Lanka. As a volunteer for Bridge 2 Peace, I look forward to seeing new schools opened in villages around the world that will serve to create peace through education.
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Bernard
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