At St Joan Antide School Primary School in Gudja, teachers and students were very proud to host their pets earlier this year to mark St Anthony the Abbot's Day.
All kinds of animals were the protagonists of this memorable two-day event, one of which was dedicated to pets of students attending Year 4, 5 and 6, while the following day it was the turn of pupils attending Year 1, 2 and 3 to bring their pets.
Among the assorted list of companions the girls brought along were playful dogs, fluffy cats, rabbits, hamsters, tiny mice, colourful birds, fish, cute turtles, various reptiles and last but not least a pony. Parents were invited to accompany their children with the pets and everyone took a seat in the assembly hall where Mass was celebrated by the school's spiritual director. Children who do not have pets at home were also encouraged to show their admiration and love for these creatures.
Pets' Days at St Joan Antide School are intended to provide the girls with a pleasant and more stimulating school environment, and also to promote the participation in environmental protection initiatives from an early age.
The two-day event was surely a very positive experience where the community assembled together, had fun and surely learned a lot about the care and respect for all living things.
The school also held a special assembly to commemorate Holocaust Day, during which children were taught how to respect diversity. The main message conveyed during this activity was that we should all accept and love each other the way we are.
The younger girls were shown the film Happy Feet, which tells the story of a penguin who could not sing beautifully like his fellow birds. Despite all the differences between him and his friends, and despite all the hardships he had to endure at first, he turned out to be a very talented dancer and everybody learnt to love him for whom he really was and for what he was capable of doing.
The event helped the children accept each other regardless of culture, race, abilities, and family backgrounds.