EVERY TREE PLANTED IS AN EXPRESSION OF PEACE: WFWP OHIO PARTNERS WITH INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS AND LICKING HEIGHTS SCHOOL DISTRICT

The central city of activity for WFWP in Ohio is the Columbus area near the middle of the state. Columbus has a long history of welcoming diverse cultures, races and religions. International Voluntary Organizations (IVO) is a nonprofit that started in 1992, the same year as WFWP, to honor and recognize the richness of the diversity in Columbus starting with an event which created a Peace Garden in the city’s central park, Franklin Park. Over the years, various national groups joined in the vision of planting a flowering tree representing their original homelands.

WFWP and IVO have initiated a new endeavor to address the current environmental crisis which calls for many trees to be planted and replaced in areas that are devoid of vegetation. Trees are necessary for the planet, Mother Earth, to be able to breathe. If trees and plants don’t absorb carbon dioxide and give back oxygen, all organic life will not be able to live, including human beings. The United Nations initiated the Billion Tree Campaign with this same message.

When Licking Heights School District invited us to participate in their cultural awareness fair, “All Together Cultural Fair”, at the High School on May 4th, 2019, WFWP and IVO decided to introduce the One Billion Tree campaign in keeping with the tradition of the Peace Garden in Columbus. In our minds, every tree planted is an expression of peace: peace starts with me! We had little trees, pots and soil for families to plant a tree to take home or put in a place that needs a tree.

Another project we are doing in the community is to share the art of quilting as a way to join together and to create a story through the use of fabric. Stay tuned to hear more about our upcoming events!