International Children’s Peace Award: Rationale Pt 2
This provides an overview of why it is important for the children of the world to have a voice. If we can’t think of all children, perhaps our own or those we love. Every voice is of value. We adults have to think deeply about what messages we send children through our actions and how prepared children are to cope with real change.
BACKGROUND BRIEFING (International Children’s Peace Award)
On January 12, 2001, 100 of the World’s Nobel Peace Laureates published a ‘Dire Warning For Planet Earth’, reinforcing the idea that it is time to change the way we think:
“The most profound danger to world peace in the coming years will stem not from the irrational acts of states or individuals but from the legitimate demands of the world’s dispossessed… It is time to turn our backs on the unilateral search for security, in which we seek to shelter behind walls. Instead, we must persist in the quest for united action to counter both global warming and a weaponised world. To survive in the world we have transformed, we must learn to think in a new way. As never before, the future of each depends on the good of all.”
Mahatma Gandhi considered himself a practical idealist. As leader and founder of the nonviolence movement in India, his work stands as a testimony for alternatives to violence and war. The success and popularity of his approach was evident by the global response to his actions of leading his people in a nonviolent struggle for their independence. Gandhi believed the future is in the hands of children:
“If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we have to begin with the children.”
As an intergenerational concept, sustainable development requires present generations to nurture the world’s social, economic and environmental well-being, and to enable next generations to do the same. The transfer of critical knowledge to today’s young people is vital, yet its realization is threatened by crises in resource-stressed regions and by diseases threatening to obliterate whole generations. At present, youth under the age of 25 comprise over 50 per cent of the world’s population. This scenario calls for significantly more attention to be paid to preparing youth for the challenges ahead. Many solutions have been proposed to bring young people to the forefront of sustainable development practices and policies, but without sufficient response from national-level policy-makers, young people can become marginalized in the political sphere, left with the impression that their input is not valued.
The UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children in May 2002 attracted 69 Summit level participants and 190 high level national delegates. The session included political leaders, UN agencies, religions, business, arts, academia and civil society. Five Nobel Peace Prize Laureates attended and 1,700 delegates representing NGO’s from 117 countries. For the first time in the history of the UN meetings, more than 400 children were there as delegates and active participants.
The UN Secretary General told delegates that “the children in this room are witnesses to our words”. The children were more than that as they challenged the adults, informed them and provided stories of their lives. The children inspired all present with their belief in collective change and their hope.
The children addressed the Assembly on 8 May 2002. Two delegates representing the Children’s forum stated the following:
“We are the world’s children.
We are the victims of exploitation and abuse.
We are street children.
We are the children of war.
We are the victims and orphans of HIV/AIDS.
We are denied good-quality education and health care.
We are victims of political, economic, cultural, religious and environmental discrimination.
We are children whose voices are not being heard: it is time we are taken into account.
We want a world fit for children, because a world fit for us is a world fit for everyone.”
delegates: Ms Gabriela Azurduy Arrieta (Bolivia) and Ms Audrey Chenynut (Monaco)
Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF stated “what must now follow their words are their actions (Assembly) for the future of humanity depends on them.”
The current situation for children around the world is a reflection of the violence of adults and it is passed down one to the other, the cycle of violence must be stopped and society no longer considers violence as acceptable or indeed, normal.
UNICEF highlights alarming statistics of violence, as follows:
• 53,000 children died worldwide as a result of homicide;
• 80-98% of children suffer physical punishment at home;
• Between 20 and 65 percent of school-aged children in developing countries reported having been verbally or physically bullied in the previous 30 days;
• 150 million girls and 73 million boys under 18 experienced forced sexual intercourse;
• 1.8 million were exploited in prostitution and pornography, and 1.2 million were victims of trafficking;
• 5.7 million children participated in forced or bonded labour;
• Persistent social and legal acceptance of some forms of violence against children that too often leaves such violence unnoticed and unreported;
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child requires States to protect children from all forms of violence, to prevent and respond to violence, and to provide support to children who are victims of violence (Article 19);
• Society’s acceptance of everyday violence against children is a major factor in the persistence of that violence. Positive, non-violent environments should be created for and with children, in their homes, schools, other institutions and communities, accompanied by public education and advocacy campaigns and the training of teachers and other public servants;
• Governments at various levels should promote and support programmes and campaigns to educate the public and parents on child rights generally and in particular on maintaining positive, non-violent relationships with children in families. Here, the media can also play a key role.
The 1959 Universal Declaration of Human Rights sets a universal standard on the rights of children. The Declaration highlights the need for children to develop individual abilities and learn to be useful members of society, protected from harm and exploitation. Moreover, the responsibility of parents and others is to provide conditions that will foster the development of children, enhance confidence and self esteem enabling them to develop to maximum potential.
The UN Decade (2001-2010) for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World was established to promote a Culture of Peace for children. UNESCO was nominated as the lead agency for the decade. An International Coalition working group was established to promote, coordinate, represent member countries and coordinate international campaigns. As part of their vision statement they indicated that education was a main element to strengthen a culture of peace and non-violence.
According to UNESCO, a culture of peace consists of:
“values, attitudes and behaviours that reflect and inspire social interaction and sharing based on the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, all human rights, tolerance and solidarity, that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation that guarantee the full exercise of all rights and the means to participate fully in the development process of their society.”
The global movement for a culture of peace is a proactive response to empowerment of societies and children in non-violence and developing skills that help build positive peace within their schools, homes and communities. The culture of peace is advancing and this is the conclusion of most organisations from around the world, as progress is reported during the first five years of the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World. It is documented by over 3000 pages of information submitted by almost 700 organizations from 100 countries which are freely available on the website http://decade-cultureof-peace.org/cgi-bin/ib3/ikonboard.cgi.
In the Report, Youth for Alliance of Civilisations: Promoting Dialogue, building a Culture of Peace, asserts:
“Tomorrow’s leaders are today’s youth. Their education and participation is key to the world’s future, yet they have not been accorded the attention that is required. As remarked by the Alliance of Civilizations in its initial phase of work…Although young people comprise a majority of the world’s population, their views and voices have few channels of expression. Those who have direct influence upon their lives, such as policy makers, generally do not view them as a powerbase and, therefore, make little effort to include them in local or national affairs or even in decisions that directly affect their lives.”
Peace education requires the development of an individual understanding of issues and concepts. Essentially peace education aim to: build positive supportive communities, attitudes of truth and understanding, awareness of conflict and non-violent solutions, awareness of alternative truths and self understanding.
The Montessori approach to peace states that the real work in creating peace is where the role of education is unfolding children’s inner peace. Education is not about teaching but to aid development of the whole personality, value the self and direct energies to wider community work to build a better World. The fulfilment of the goal is the foundation of social harmony, which constitutes a genuine state of peace.
A culture of peace and ecological sustainability are intrinsically linked as universal values of learning to live peacefully together and taking responsibility for ecological sustainability valued over materialism, consumerism and self interest. It is essential that a balance is achieved and a goodness of fit is attained. UNESCO APNEIVE [Asian Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education] provides a circular diagram to highlight the balance.
The United Nations (UNESCO) designated the Decade 2005-2014 to be dedicated to Education for Sustainable Development. This decade overlaps with the Decade for a Culture of Peace but each decade is not mutually exclusive but must be communicated interchangeably. UNESCO APNIEVE provides a teaching and learning diagram to highlight the flow and integrated nature of learning cognitive, behavioural and values.
It is vital for the future of humanity that children are included, inspired, challenged and empowered to lead a culture of peace that is sustainable. To fail to act now will render the next generation without necessary tools and values for real hope.
“The greatest investments we can make are in our children and grandchildren. Our current ideas for dealing with climate change, carbon emissions, resource depletion and other problems… [solutions] will seem awkward compared to the elegant, up-to-date strategies our children will invent and deliver.”
Green Schools, Rocky Mountain Institute, by Cameron M. Burns and Huston Eubank
An International Peace Award is essential.