ANDOVER Trees United has once again been invited by the Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots programme to host this year’s main UK event in Andover with a procession in Harmony Woods on Tuesday, September 21.

Dr Jane Goodall is a UN ambassador and world-leading primatologist who founded the global youth organisation, Roots and Shoots. Every year, Roots and Shoots invite youth organisations from around the world to take part in a UN Peace Day procession and since 2018, Andover Trees has been the UK host at Harmony Woods, a community woodland next to Augusta Park.

ATU project founder, Wendy Davis, said: “We are honoured to be asked to host the procession once again and be able to continue with this tradition despite the challenges that covid has presented.

“We understand the problems that schools still face, however we hope that as many as possible will be able to send even a few representatives and look forward to welcoming everyone who is able to join us back to the wood. We would like to extend the invitation to any parents with young children at home to come to join the celebration which is being held in almost 100 countries around the world.”

ATU youth team member, Maylis Riera, added: “We would like to thank all the people who attended the Andover Trees stall at A-fest on September 4 and helped make the peace doves which will form part of the procession. We hope some of you will be able to join the event on Tuesday to hang the doves in place."

Jess Murphy, who is also a member of the youth team, said: “I have been taking part in the procession for four years now and it is such a special event to be part of and lots of fun!”

The event will be attended by representatives from the Jane Goodall Institute UK Roots & Shoots team, local dignitaries and some of the businesses who have funded the ATU project, now in its 10th year of tree planting. Tuesday’s procession begins at 9.45am with a walk through the Diamond Wood and will culminate in Harmony Woods, where a commemorative tree will be planted, peace doves hung from trees and messages written on shards of wood left by the woodland classroom build.

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") is observed around the world each year on September 21. The United Nations invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the day, and to otherwise commemorate the day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world’.

The organisation is asking people to confirm their attendance at the event by emailing wendy.davis@andovertrees.org.uk.

Full details can be found on the website https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/events-calendar