September 21 is the International Day of Peace, a day I think we should all be aware of, a day to set aside all we disagree on and focus on what we can agree on, a day to set aside extremism and seek common ground. So, today’s post focuses on three books related, sometimes loosely, to peace. 

First up, Peace by Chocolate: The Hadhad Family’s Remarkable Journey from Syria to Canada (Goose Lane Editions, 2020) by Jon Tattrie (class of 2020). I don’t often cry when I read books, but I needed a box of tissue by the time I finished this one. The story of what this family went through under the Assad regime, the sacrifices they made to get to Canada, the sheer resilience of rebuilding their successful chocolate business starting in the kitchen of the home they were staying in—it’s cliché to say it, but it’s inspiring. A wonderful reminder of what humans can do when we’re really put to it. 

I think Jennifer Wilson’s (class of 2025) book, The Heart of Homestay: Creating Meaningful Connections When Hosting International Students (Page Two, 2025) is a book about peace. Peace happens when people understand and appreciate each other, and that includes—perhaps especially includes—people from different cultures. I have a degree in anthropology, the study of cultures, and I’ve travelled widely. But as much as I learned about different cultures through university and in my years of wandering, the many years that my ex-husband and I hosted international students added so much more to my whole family’s ability to understand and appreciate other cultures. And Wilson’s book reflected so many of our experiences with our children from other mothers. If you ever plan to host international students, or you’re already doing it, this is an excellent guide to making the world a better, more peaceful place. 

Finally, there’s David Pate’s (class of 2023) unusual and often funny book The Worst Songs in the World: The Terrible Truth about National Anthems. From Pate, I learned that, while national anthems are supposed to evoke national pride in us—and I have to admit that hearing a particularly stirring version of O Canada often brings a tear to my eye—they are, for the most part, songs about terrible violence, and they’re often misogynist or racist or both. There have been efforts in recent years to rework the lyrics of the Canadian anthem to overcome these issues, and I’m a lot more in favour of doing so than I was before reading this book. A national anthem should not only inspire pride in our home country; it should also encourage us to be respectful of other nations.

At a time when there is so much violent conflict in the world, do we really need to be singing about war and killing? I think not. I think we need to spend a lot more time learning to be tolerant of each other’s differences and open to welcoming many perspectives on life. So today, on the International Day for Peace, maybe find five minutes to think about what you might do to contribute to peace in your life, perhaps starting with one of these fine books.