ERICILIANA FRANCO: “Peace begins with us.”

The University Park World Peace Rose Garden was the setting for the eighth annual Inspirational Messages of Peace, Celebration of Student Voices. This year’s theme was Fearlessness. Twelve student winners delivered their inspirational messages of peace to the community.

Stockton Police Chief McFadden read the poems and selected “Peace Around the World” written by Ericiliana Franco, a fifth-grade student at KIPP School in Stockton.

PEACE AROUND THE WORLD
May the world have peace,
May the world have love,
And make me fearless with help from above.

And I ask again for peace on earth.
Once more,
more than once each day.

~Ericiliana Franco~

“When I was writing my peace poem, I had no idea what to write about. But what I did know was I wanted to be a part of the movement. So, as I sat and thought about what to write. I thought about when I change the world what would I want to say and asked myself, what does peace mean to me? I know the world needs peace and the world needs love. When I chose to write “May the world have love,” I thought about John 13:34, “Love one another as I have loved you,” shared Ericiliana. “Without God, I see nothing but war. I get my help from above and I look up for peace, and slowly I can change the world. To love without judgment and unconditionally is peace. As my mother and I would say, ‘Peace begins with us and ends with everyone.’ We have the power to influence the people around us. If we can change one heart, then that’s one step closer to peace around the world. So may the world have peace.”

“When I heard I was selected by Chief McFadden I was in shock, and I didn’t know how to react,” Ericiliana continued. “But as I walked on stage and spoke in front of everyone, I knew in that moment I was going to change the world some way, some day.”

The University Park World Peace Rose Garden is one of a series of 11 International World Peace Rose Gardens. These gardens have become magnets for positive community interactions. As one of these honored rose gardens around the world, we serve as a place of beauty and peace. The University Park World Peace Rose Garden features a variety of roses specifically chosen for our region. Our garden shares affiliate gardens at the Stockton Police Department Ambassador Rose Garden and the sister garden at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” World Peace Rose Garden in Atlanta, Georgia.