Dominican Month for Peace 2024 will be for Haiti
Every year, from the first Sunday of Advent until the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Dominican Month for Peace is celebrated, in which the Dominican Family programmes pastoral activities and proposes prayer intentions for a specific country, which this year will be Haiti and will have as its motto ‘Let us commit ourselves to peace and human dignity’.
Read the letter of the Master of the Order for the Month of Peace 2024
Explanation of the official poster
The poster for the 2024 Dominican Month of Peace is intended to be a powerful and symbolic representation of this year’s theme, which focuses on the socio-political and economic crisis, insecurity, and the devastation caused by armed gangs in Haiti.
Every element of this poster has been carefully selected to convey a message of peace, solidarity, and hope for the Haitian people. It also aims to deliver a positive message.
1. The Central Illustration
The Child and the Doves
In the center of the poster, we see a Haitian child whose appearance shows signs of the hardships he endures: his tattered clothes symbolize the poverty and daily challenges he faces. This child represents the innocence and vulnerability of the populations most affected by violence and insecurity in Haiti. According to Roberson Geffard in an article from the Journal Le Nouvelliste on September 5, 2023, street children have become “fertile ground for recruitment by armed gangs.” They play various roles, including surveillance of the gangs’ operational environments, kidnappings, and thefts. Many of them are very active within armed groups.
The white doves flying above the child are universal symbols of peace and hope. Their presence suggests the possibility of a better future where peace could triumph over violence. The child’s gesture of raising his hand toward the doves symbolizes the aspiration for peace and human dignity despite difficult circumstances. He turns his back on past practices, revealing a path of hope and peace.
The Abandoned Firearm
At the child’s feet, there is a broken firearm left abandoned on the ground. This element is particularly significant because it represents the rejection of violence and weapons as solutions to conflicts. The broken firearm evokes the idea that peace can arise from disarmament and the abandonment of violence by individuals and armed groups.
What inspired us when designing this poster, particularly with the child holding the destroyed and abandoned firearm, is an aspect of the situation in Haiti that is rarely discussed: the use of children by armed gangs. Our inspiration comes from a vivid and impactful experience. One day, one of our team members, while preparing for the Dominican Month of Peace, was returning from Carrefour, a suburb of the Haitian capital. Upon reaching Martissant, a lawless district in the metropolitan area and stronghold of a powerful gang leader, he witnessed an unprecedented scene.
It was 9 PM when he and his companions saw children, aged between 9 and 10, crossing in front of their vehicle, carrying automatic weapons. A police commissioner, a friend of ours, also told us that his police station had been attacked by children the same age as his own. After such an ordeal, he was forced to leave the police force and even the country.
2. Colors
The color palette used in the poster primarily consists of soft, light tones with a dominance of pale blue in the background. Blue is often associated with tranquility and peace, reinforcing the central message of the poster. The contrast with the darker tones of the child and the broken firearm highlights the harsh realities Haiti faces, while emphasizing the hope for positive transformation.
3. The Logo
The central logo includes a stylized map of Haiti surrounded by two olive branches, a classic symbol of peace. This logo, framed by a Dominican shield in black and white, holds deep spiritual significance. The black and white of the shield may also symbolize the contrasts between war and peace, despair and hope, between which Haiti oscillates.
4. The Slogan: “Commit to Peace and Human Dignity”
The slogan at the bottom of the poster, the theme of the Dominican Month of Peace, is a call for personal and collective commitment to action, solidarity, peace, and respect for human dignity. It urges everyone to actively engage in the cause of peace in Haiti, while reminding us that human dignity must be at the heart of all our efforts.
5. The Period of the Month of Peace
Finally, the dates “December 1, 2024 – January 1, 2025” inscribed on the poster indicate the period dedicated to this month of reflection and action aimed at promoting peace and global solidarity, particularly within the Dominican family in favor of a country in great difficulty. These dates emphasize that peace is an ongoing process that requires sustained commitment beyond mere commemoration, and highlight the unity of the Dominican family within the Order.
