September is a special time for the WASS community to reflect and spread meaningful values – from the pride of National Day to meaningful messages of Peace Day. With the theme “Unite”, Mr. Gustavo Páez shares his message of solidarity, diversity, and compassion – the foundation for every WASSer to help build a positive, humanistic, and sustainable learning community.

Dear WASS Community, 

September is a month full of celebrations that invite reflection, beginning with the commemoration of Vietnam National Day, the importance of remembering the need to live in peace (Peace Day), and Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day.

The theme of the month has focused on Unite for a Stronger Learning Community, and this spirit is reflected in everything we do, both in the classroom and on campus. Fostering unity is not only a necessity but also a desire that we as a community wish to instill for the development of social skills and the identity that unites us as a collective.

One of the key points this month was the need to recognize that peace begins with oneself. According to Teresa Dumasy’s article, “Why peace is more important than ever”, she mentions that peace, security, and a future are basic needs that people in the midst of violent conflict desperately want and seek. However, rebuilding trust, livelihoods, institutions, and relationships is a complex and long-term endeavor, full of steps forward and backward. This is the task of peacebuilding. And we cannot afford not to do it.

The responsibility lies in raising awareness that peace is a constructed status and that we all have the right to be part of it. The differences that characterize us as a species should not be used as an argument to distance ourselves and create divisions, but rather to take advantage of diversity for the common good. The WASS community is committed to making this a reality through the small initiatives we generate.