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Seeds of Hope in Bloom: Peace Camp

With support from two Seeds of Hope grants ($4,000 from the Wesley C. Smith Fund and $4,000 from the Watkins Fund), Parkdale United Church, in partnership with Artis Theatre, hosted an eight-week summer Peace Camp for Ukrainian refugee and newcomer children in Calgary, AB. 

Artis is a Ukrainian theatre collective whose members have experienced the upheaval of war and displacement. For many of these artists, theatre has become a way to reconnect with their identities, express difficult emotions, build relationships, and find community in a new country.  

When Artis needed a place to rehearse and could not afford commercial rental space, Parkdale United Church opened its doors. Peace Camp was a natural extension of this relationship.  

“From the beginning, our goal was to create something more meaningful than a traditional summer camp. We wanted children to experience a place where they felt safe, welcomed, valued, and free to be themselves. A place where they could laugh, build friendships, discover their creativity, express their emotions, and begin to imagine what peace might look and feel like in their own lives.” 

Organizers recognized that children who have experienced war and displacement may carry memories, uncertainty, and emotions they cannot easily put into words. Creative expression offers other ways to communicate, connect, and make sense of the world. 

Using the principles of the Art of Peace Camp curriculum, Ukrainian artists employed as facilitators guided children through storytelling, drama, movement, visual arts, imaginative play, and collaborative creative projects. These activities encouraged children to explore peace through relationships, cooperation, empathy, and self-expression. The approach was informed by trauma-aware principles, recognizing the importance of emotional safety, predictable routines, choice, trust, and allowing children to participate at their own pace. 

More than 52 children participated in the eight-week program, where they explored peace through creative activities that encouraged cooperation, emotional expression, empathy, and connection. Most children were able to attend either free of charge, or at a significantly reduced cost. 

Recognizing strengths and talents 

Children created original stories and characters, designed costumes and props, made books and visual projects, explored different emotions through acting, and worked together to bring their ideas to life. They were encouraged to make decisions, contribute ideas, solve creative problems, and discover their own voices.  

The program intentionally offered different ways for children to participate. A child who felt uncomfortable speaking in front of others could begin by drawing, writing, creating a prop, or contributing to a group story. Another child might discover confidence through movement, improvisation, or performance. 

Learning and growing 

One of the challenges throughout the program was the ability to respond to a wide range of ages, personalities, previous artistic experience, and individual needs. Children arrived with different levels of confidence, communication skills, and comfort participating in group activities. The facilitators were quick to be flexible and adapt, reinforcing the importance of consistent relationships, smaller groups, and opportunities for individual attention. 

For future programs, Parkdale looks forward to continuing developing age-specific activities and strengthen their methods for gathering feedback from children and caregivers. 

“We leave this experience with an even deeper understanding that belonging is not simply a pleasant outcome of community. For children whose lives have been disrupted by war, belonging can be part of the journey toward healing.” 

Make a gift today to support programs that give children a space to heal, connect, and discover what peace can mean to them.