Sixth Form History Students Meet Bruce Kent

30 Sixth Form History Students visited Durham Johnston School for a seminar with Bruce Kent, an International Peace Campaigner.

He began talking about his experiences as a child, where war was a focal point from the outset. He told us of lessons on violence at school and in particular he compared his knowledge on how to disperse a riot in a town square, to an algebraic equation – it was a formula that he had to learn. After leaving school he served as an Officer in the Royal Tank Regiment, but it was there that his story took a different route. He began to study law at Oxford University, and then, in 1958 he was ordained as a Catholic Priest. After 30 years, he left the Priesthood and it was then that his campaign for peace really began. He became President of the International Peace Bureau and served as President for 7 years.

His passion for peace is evident in all he does, and when posed with questions from various students, he answered in a way that always encouraged action towards peace. From changing Remembrance Day to be a day for us to see what damage war can do, wearing white poppies aswell as red as a sign of peace, to starting peace groups in school and holding exhibitions to demonstrate the work the United Nations has done, his ideas to promote peace are diverse and always exciting, which made the seminar so inspiring.

The seminar was engaging and informative, and with his lively, funny and wise personality, he encouraged many students to take action towards a more peaceful world.