By Ahad Anwar (YES 2016-2017, Pakistan, hosted by AFS in Monterey, CA)

On International Day of Peace, YES alumni from Pakistan celebrated Peace Day by participating in a project with high school students in Lahore, Pakistan. The students were very eager to help us spread messages about peace. Each student had his or her own definition of peace. Some of the ideas shared by students to promote peace included peace through education, women's empowerment, religious tolerance, and community service. At the end of the project, we held an art competition for the students to participate in. The students portrayed their personal definitions of peace through their artwork. Their artwork visually captured their various perceptions of peace relating to world unity, religious tolerance, and many other aspects of society. We also distributed prizes to students for their brilliant efforts. All of these ideas inspired hope for a better and more peaceful future. These young minds are our bright future and they can indeed change the world.