Theme: Educating for a culture of peace
Objective:
To foster, as much as possible, the commitment to live peace in different environments by renewing relationships, strengthening co-operation and working together for the development of a "network" of peace in the world. Promoters:
AMU – Associazione per un Mondo Unito – http://www.amu-it.eu New Humanity – http://www.new-humanity.org/en/ Teen
s for Unity - http://www.run4unity.net
Participants:
Approximately six hundred, including schools, community groups, associations and non-formal education centers, involving more than one hundred twenty seven thousand children, adolescents and young people spread in one hundred and thirteen nations, in the five continents. Thirty two other international organizations working for peace in the world take part in the project. Origin:
It all started with the action of a teacher at a school in Cairo/Egypt, He felt uneasy in front of the wave of violence in which the country was immerged and wondered what he could do to give his own contribution in order to create a culture of peace in that country. Thus, he proposed his students to start the day by casting a big dice named The Dice of Peace and, at noon, to have a moment of silence/reflection for peace in the world. Very soon the atmosphere in class, the enthusiasm and the relationship among the students had a significant improvement and the project was extended to the whole school. Later on, other schools in Cairo decided to join the Project, and the network widened. Description:
The project Living Peace is a universal proposal open to everyone - children, adolescents, young people and adults - from different cultures and religions. Simple and challenging at the same time, it demands first and foremost personal engagement. It is necessary to get out of oneself in order to be ready to reach out to the other by "being peace". However, starting from ourselves, Living Peace opens up all participants to the whole world, in a network of Peace, made of small and large knots. This way, it is possible to enjoy and participate in the most varied experiences, initiatives and ideas of many organizations that promote the culture of peace around the planet. Each proposal - contests, various types of exchange, exhibitions, forums - becomes amplified and gains renewed strength. Methodology:
The Dice of Peace: On each face of the dice there is a phrase corresponding to a value of peace, illustrated with a drawing that helps to better understand its meaning.
1. I love the other person
4. We forgive one another
5. We love each other
6. I listen to the other person
The dice is usually cast every morning, or at the discretion of the participants: each one, child or adult strives to put the day’s phrase into practice. Once a week, students and teachers are invited to share their own experiences in building peace.
Time-out for Peace: At 12:00 noon, everyone involved in the project takes a break to have a moment of silence, prayer or reflection about peace. The project implementation will be motivated and enriched by initiatives and activities carried out in accordance with each local situation and the characteristic of classes/groups involved. It is possible to access some of the initiatives of Living Peace around the world by visiting Facebook: Living Peace International. Through this link you can access a brief video featuring the Living Peace Project. Results achieved:
Improvement of interpersonal relationships with positive impact on learning.
Development of creativity and greater involvement of the parties involved.
Bullying and conflict prevention within the schools.
Greater openness and sensitivity towards other people’s needs. The project has received international recognition for its dissemination and its positive impact:
2014 - Luxembourg Peace Prize, from World Peace Forum, LUXEMBOURG
2015 - Angels of the Culture, from the Office of Peace and Cultural Exchange of the city of Augsburg- GERMANY
2016 - Armonia tra i Popoli, from the municipality of Montecatini, (Florence) ITALY
