KINGSTON, Jamaica — Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) has launched the 2026/2027 Trees for Peace Competition, with a renewed focus on climate resilience and the creation of peaceful spaces in schools.

The initiative was officially launched under the theme “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day”, on Monday at Tavares Gardens Primary School in the Corporate Area as part of activities to mark the International Day of Peace.

Director of Regional Education Services at the Ministry of Education, Otis Brown, said the initiative comes at a time when greater emphasis must be placed on promoting peace among children.

“We want that sort of culture to be built among them, and we want that to live on into the many years, so that Jamaica will become a more peaceful place,” said Brown as he argued that the school environment can play an important role in shaping children’s behaviour, highlighting the potential of trees and green spaces to create areas of calm and reflection.

“Environment shapes personality,” said Brown as he added that taking an angry child under a tree to reason with them can help to create “some calm and some stillness in the spirit”.

He said planting trees represents a long-term investment in peace, as the trees can provide shade and benefits for future generations.

Head of VPA Dr Elizabeth Ward emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.

She said Jamaica has the skills needed to create “a clean, green, peaceful, progressive, innovative society”, but highlighted that the work must involve everyone and continue beyond the launch.

“We have to work together,” Dr Ward emphasised.

She also highlighted the importance of teaching children to care for plants, citing the example of Sandy Park Primary, where students were given plants to nurture until the rains came, after which they planted them in recycled pots in the school’s garden.

Ward said the initiative must also incorporate sustainable water practices, including the use of grey water to maintain green spaces.

Meanwhile, research associate at the VPA, Jonelle Llewellyn, said the Trees for Peace programme, which began in 2018, uses school grounds as spaces for peace-building, reflection and dialogue.

“These peace gardens can, therefore, become living classrooms, spaces for reflection and dialogue, and also visible signs of peace within their communities,” she said.

Llewellyn noted that more than 100 schools across seven education regions participated in the previous competition in 2024/2025, with the evaluation showing strong results in “planting quality, stakeholder involvement and peace messaging”.

She pointed out that Sandy Bay Primary was the national winner, scoring 98 per cent, while Merlene Ottey High School received the Resilience Award after rebuilding its garden several times.

Llewellyn said the evaluation also identified sustainability planning and documentation, as well as access to water, as areas requiring greater attention.

As a result, she said the 2026/2027 competition will be a “climate-smart year”, with schools encouraged to develop climate-resilient gardens incorporating measures such as rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation, hydroponics and fruit trees.

“Our judging scorecard now gives greater [weight] to climate resilience and innovation, and we’re pleased to announce a new Climate Innovation Award Prize for the leading school along the way,” added Llewellyn.

Registration for this year’s competition opened on Tuesday, September 22 and will close on November 13, with the link to be shared through the ministry’s school bulletin and the VPA’s social media platforms.

The initiative is targeting more than 100 schools, including early-childhood, primary and high schools in urban and rural communities.

Principal of Tavares Gardens Primary School, Terriann Nisbeth, said the initiative is particularly meaningful to the school as it combines environmental education with peace education.

She said the peace garden will provide students with a space to learn about environmental stewardship, peaceful conflict resolution and responsible citizenship.

“Just as a tree requires good soil, water, sunlight, and care to flourish, peace must also be cultivated through love, respect, patience, and understanding and cooperation,” Nisbeth said.