The Tamar Valley Peace Festival is pleased to present this year’s PISP guest speaker, John Kamara, Tasmania’s 2023 Australian of the Year.
An integral component of the 2023 Tamar Valley Peace Festival, The Peace in Schools Program will run for four days from 19th – 22nd September.
The PISP is an initiative involving local community leaders who will engage with school students in conversations and activities about the concepts of peace and how young people can make a difference. This year’s guest speaker for the Peace in Schools Program is John Kamara, Tasmania’s Australian of the Year.
The goal of the Peace in Schools Program is to inspire young people to find their way to strive for peace both individually and collectively in their homes, schools and communities. This year the theme of the Peace Festival is Connecting and Sharing - pathways to peace; a theme selected to stimulate conversations, relationships and activities between diverse groups as a means of encouraging understanding and appreciation of ‘other’.
John Kamara Humanitarian and co-founder, Culturally Diverse Alliance of Tasmania and African Communities Council of Tasmania.
John escaped war-torn Sierra Leone 19 years ago and started a new life in Tasmania in 2004. He now does all he can to assist migrants, refugees and people from culturally diverse communities.
His own experiences and work in child protection mean he understands the challenges new arrivals and marginalised groups face. Sitting on multiple boards and involved in many community groups, John highlights systemic disadvantages for migrants such as racism, labour exploitation and recognition of overseas qualifications.
John co-founded the Culturally Diverse Alliance of Tasmania to support education and promote social cohesion, as well as the first ever African Communities Council of Tasmania.
The Peace in Schools program is presented with the generous support of the Department for Education, Children and Young People.
Access: Individual participating schools to advise.
