Class2Class.org – Connecting Classrooms for a Better World
📅 May 16 · International Awareness Day
Every May 16, the International Day of Living Together in Peace reminds us that building understanding across cultures starts in the classroom. Discover hands-on projects that empower your students to become active peacemakers, connecting with peers around the world through creativity, dialogue, and collaboration.
Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, the International Day of Living Together in Peace calls on nations and communities to work together in building a more tolerant and inclusive world. Aligned with SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, this day recognizes that lasting peace begins when people learn to listen, understand, and respect one another — values that can take root in every classroom.
Education for sustainable development is one of the most powerful tools for nurturing peace. When students collaborate across borders in a global classroom, they discover that differences in culture and perspective are not obstacles but opportunities. Through project based learning, young people practice empathy, dialogue, and cooperation — skills they will carry for a lifetime.
Want to explore more awareness days? Visit our SDG Calendar for year-round project based learning opportunities.
These projects help students build essential 21st-century skills rooted in empathy, creativity, and global citizenship.
By engaging with peers from different cultures, students learn to see the world through others’ eyes — the foundation of living together in peace.
From puppet-making to painting, students use artistic expression to communicate ideas about peace in ways that transcend language barriers.
Working with international partners, students practice sharing responsibilities, resolving disagreements, and building something meaningful together.
Through virtual exchanges and creative presentations, students develop the confidence to express their ideas clearly across cultures and borders.
Bring the spirit of peace into your classroom with these free, ready-to-use collaborative projects on Class2Class.org.
Ages 6–15 · English
Students create handcrafted puppets and perform shows about peaceful conflict resolution, connecting with international peers through a virtual Peace Puppet Festival.
Ages 13–18 · English
Students explore and express concepts of peace and coexistence through visual arts, music, and creative writing, culminating in a virtual international exhibition.
Project Idea · Ages 6–15
In this hands-on project, students bring the spirit of the international day of living together in peace to life by creating their own puppets and crafting stories about cooperation and understanding. Through puppet-making workshops and collaborative script writing, young learners explore what it means to resolve conflicts peacefully while building meaningful connections with classrooms around the world.
Students work together to design and build puppets using everyday materials like socks, paper bags, or recyclable items. They then collaborate in small groups to write scripts that tell stories of friendship, cooperation, and peaceful conflict resolution. Throughout the project, classes connect with international peers on Class2Class.org to share their puppet designs, exchange feedback, and ultimately organize a virtual “Peace Puppet Festival” where everyone can view and celebrate each other’s performances.
Creativity & Innovation
Students design unique puppets and write original scripts that explore themes of peace, cooperation, and understanding.
Collaboration & Teamwork
Working in small groups, students share ideas, divide tasks, and create puppet performances together with international peers.
Communication
Through puppet shows and virtual exchanges, students practice expressing ideas about peace clearly across cultures and languages.
Empathy & Intercultural Understanding
By role-playing different conflict resolution scenarios, students develop a deeper appreciation of diverse perspectives on coexistence.
Project Idea · Ages 13–18
This creative project invites students to reflect on what the international day of living together in peace means to them and their communities. Through painting, sculpture, music, photography, or creative writing, students develop original artworks that communicate their vision for a more peaceful and inclusive world, then share their creations with international peers.
Students begin by researching the history and significance of peace movements around the world, then choose an artistic medium that best expresses their personal vision for peace and coexistence. Working both individually and collaboratively with international partner classrooms on Class2Class.org, they create original pieces that reflect diverse cultural perspectives on living together harmoniously. The project culminates in a virtual international art exhibition where students present their work, discuss their creative process, and engage in dialogue about building peaceful communities.
Creativity & Innovation
Students explore multiple artistic mediums — painting, sculpture, photography, or creative writing — to express their vision for a peaceful world.
Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving
Through research into peace movements and artistic interpretation, students analyze what coexistence means across different cultures and contexts.
Global Awareness
By collaborating with international peers, students experience firsthand how diverse perspectives enrich our understanding of peace and community.
Communication
Students articulate their artistic vision and engage in meaningful cross-cultural dialogue during the virtual international exhibition.
Join teachers from around the world in connecting classrooms for the international day of living together in peace through education for sustainable development. Explore our SDG Calendar for more project based learning opportunities.
