Our Mission

Peace Tree International Initiatives is a non-profit organization that empowers children and youth to build equitable, inclusive and peaceful schools and communities by inspiring them to create innovative intercultural/interfaith initiatives through literacy and the arts and encourage them to become contributors in society.

Background

Peace Tree Day, founded by Mitra Sen, was inspired during the making of the award-winning film The Peace Tree, she produced, wrote and directed. While filming Mitra realized that all the Festival of Lights including Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas had their roots in one faith and that there needed to be a festival that shared the roots of every culture and faith. This would encourage families of all backgrounds to unite and interact as they explored the vibrant traditions of every culture and faith in order to create greater understanding and respect among all people. Therefore, she was inspired to create, Peace Tree Day, an annual festival for children, youth and families of every culture and faith to share and celebrate peace, diversity and fusion through the arts!

Children around the world are now creating Peace Trees that highlight symbols from all our cultures and faiths on one tree to reflect the beauty of 'diversity in unity'. Mayor David Miller of the City of Toronto and Mayor Michael Di Biase of the City of Vaughan proclaimed June 1st as Peace Tree Day in 2006. Now other cities, school boards and police services are proclaiming Peace Tree Day. To date the city of Vaughan, Windsor, York Region, York Region District School Board, York Region Catholic District School Board, York Regional Police and Brampton have also proclaimed Peace Tree Day.Peace Tree Day is also celebrated in Charlottetown, Maryland, Hyderabad, and Jammu/Kashmir, India.

Peace Tree Day is celebrated in cities, organizations, hospitals, classrooms, homes and through school boards. The festival inspires children and youth to take pride in their heritage and to share it with others, while also discovering the vibrant cultures, traditions and festivals of every culture and faith. It is also a time to encourage young people to share their talents and develop compassion for others. Students from diverse backgrounds will work together by combining elements from different cultures, to create new forms of art, which will help raise funds to assist underprivileged children around the globe. Peace Tree Day will inspire young people to contribute to society while they explore and celebrate the beauty of every culture and faith to create peace in our world.

About the Founder

MitraSen is an award-winning filmmaker and a teacher with the Toronto District School Board, who produces, writes and directs socially relevant dramatic films that promote intercultural/interfaith unity, diversity, and peace through the spirit of young people. Mitra's films also inspire children and youth to take action and create social change through a variety of cultural and interfaith initiatives to promote respect among people of all backgrounds in their schools, communities and around the world. Mitra's films have travelled to over 90 film festivals including Tribeca Film Festival in New York and to Roger Ebert’s Film Festival. The Peace Tree and ‘just a little red dot…’ have received 25 international awards including the Liv Ullmann Peace Prize at the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival and the Children’s International Jury Prize at the Cairo International Film Festival for Children.

Board of Directors

Helen Fisch is the Chair of Peace Tree International. Shereceived her MBA from the Schulich School of Business, and has more than 30 years of corporate management experience with specific expertise in marketing, strategic planning and operational effectiveness. She was also a teacher with the North York School Board and at Ryerson College. Helen is actively involved in creating awareness of the Peace Tree Spirit, the initiative that has grown beyond the screen that empowers children and youth to promote peace and diversity through intercultural/interfaith understanding.

Tova Fisch is the Co-Chair of Peace Tree International. Tova is a retired principal and educator who worked in the Toronto District School Board for 37 years. Tova organized the filming of The Peace Tree filmby Mitra Senat Inglewood Heights Sr. P.S. and has been actively involved in the Peace Tree Spirit since 2005. Tova has been passionate about creating equitable inclusive schools throughout her career in education and continues to do so through her involvement in Peace Tree International.

Sanjay Mohanta is the Head of Financial Systems at Statistics Canada in the Financial Management and Operations Systems Division. He is actively involved in several community initiatives and fundraisers for various charitable groups. Sanjay has been instrumental in creating awareness of the Peace Tree Spirit among the Embassies in Ottawa in order to create a global outreach program for the Peace Tree.

Dr. Julia Sen received her PhD from the University of Toronto and is a Registered Clinical Psychologist. Julia has been involved in the planning and organization of Peace Tree Day since 2006 engaging children, youth and families across Toronto to participate in Peace Tree Day. Julia has also promoted the message of the Peace Tree through the health and educational system.

Larry Smet is a chemical engineer who works with the Ontario Ministry of Environment as the Air Pollution Control Engineering Specialist. Larry has been involved in the production of the Peace Tree film and has worked in the planning and organizing of Peace Tree Day since 2006.