KINGSTON, Jamaica — Students from more than 30 high schools in Kingston and St Catherine today marched to promote peace during the 106th staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, that is now under way at the National Stadium in Kingston.

The Peace for Champs march was held under the theme: “Peaceful resolution best solution”.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Bobette Morgan told OBSERVER ONLINE that she is pleased with the cooperation of the students, leading up to today’s march.

“… Students have been very good. They are a dynamic set of students who have really done a lot and given a lot of their time — planning fund-raising events — to get their little paraphernalia for the campaign,” she said. “They have been doing very well.”

The group gathered for about an hour at the Edna Manley School of Performing Arts before marching onto Arthur Wint Drive and into the National Stadium.

“This initiative, is an initiative that helps a lot of students to become peace ambassadors across the board, on a level of unity… especially when we are competing,” said Jamaica College Internal Committee secretary and Peace for Champs advisor and external executive Matthew Gillespie.

Simone Smith, an Immaculate Conception High School student and treasurer of external Peace for Champs, said that the Peace for Champs initiative has achieved its goal.

“Through this initiative, there is a down trend in the number of violent rivalries among schools,” said Smith.

Candice Gordon, a student at Wolmer’s Girls and a member of the Peace for Champs committee, said that Peace for Champs creates an avenue for socialisation among students.

Racquel Porter