Teaching peace in a violent world. (From the United Nations).The members of ACEI ACEI Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor ACEI Association for Childhood Education International ACEI Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland can be proud of the consultative status Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. we have with the United Nations as a nongovernmental organization nongovernmental organization (NGO) Organization that is not part of any government. A key distinction is between not-for-profit groups and for-profit corporations; the vast majority of NGOs are not-for-profit. (NGO NGO abbr. nongovernmental organization Noun 1. NGO - an organization that is not part of the local or state or federal government nongovernmental organization ). This is an honor and an affirmation of ACEI's mission for education and advocacy. As your current representatives to the UN, we were pleased to join others from over 85 different countries at the annual NGO conference, sponsored by the Department of Public Information, held from September 9-11, 2002. The opening statements by the President of the General Assembly, Hans Seung-soo, emphasized the conference theme of "Rebuilding Societies Emerging From Conflict: A Shared Responsibility," and reaffirmed the contributions of the international NGO community in the development of sustainable societies. He called for the prioritization of conflict prevention over conflict intervention. We must give added attention to building peaceful societies before they erupt in armed conflict. The farewell address of Mary Robinson, retiring UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reminded us of our responsibility to watch over those most vulnerable to human rights violations during armed conflict, specifically women and children. We will miss Robinson, who has inspired and empowered many advocates around the world. While in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. on September 11, we were reminded of the violent and stressful times in which we live today. Whether in an urban neighborhood, a schoolyard, a developing nation in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?" midmost of war, an abusive home, or during a terrorist attack, children around the world are watching others resolve conflicts by force. What hope can there be for a safer tomorrow if our children are not learning peace today? We must heed the warnings from Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the UN, and move from reacting to violence to preventing violence through peace education: "All mankind must come together to restore the sanctity of the values we hold dear--tolerance, pluralism, peace, and respect for every human life" (UN Press Release, 2002). For teachers, peace education is not an option, it is a necessity. When children learn the skills necessary to resolve conflicts peacefully, they are better prepared to take their place as responsible adults who will contribute to building peace in their local communities. Peace education teaches children to: * Respect others * Listen * Cooperate and compromise * Negotiate * Be socially responsible * Be decision makers and problem solvers * Speak up for injustices * Forgive. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the evidence of resolving differences in a positive way. In a session titled "Making Peace Last: Teaching Peace, Human Rights, and Gender Equity," Betty Reardon, a long-time peace educator, reminded teachers of the need for creating caring classroom environments wherein children are taught to understand and respect cultural differences. Teachers can be "conduits of peace," she said, when we help children make positive and supportive connections with others. Maria Montessori taught us long ago to create peaceful environments where children can make choices within the context of clear limits and a sense of order. When she required children to walk around someone else's mat, she was teaching a simple lesson about respecting others. If our mission, and that of the UN, is to build for our children a world of peace rather than war, then we must rededicate Verb 1. rededicate - dedicate anew; "They were asked to rededicate themselves to their country" dedicate, devote, commit, consecrate, give - give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause; "She committed herself to the work of God"; "give one's talents to a ourselves to teaching peace with intentionality intentionality Property of being directed toward an object. Intentionality is exhibited in various mental phenomena. Thus, if a person experiences an emotion toward an object, he has an intentional attitude toward it. . Our world is poised for change. Let's replace our current structures of violence and war with a new paradigm New Paradigm In the investing world, a totally new way of doing things that has a huge effect on business. Notes: The word "paradigm" is defined as a pattern or model, and it has been used in science to refer to a theoretical framework. of peacemaking Peacemaking See also Antimilitarism. Agrippa, Menenius Coriolanus’s witty friend; reasons with rioting mob. [Br. Lit.: Coriolanus] Antenor percipiently urges peace with Greeks. [Gk. Lit. . References Reardon, B., & Cabezudo, A. (2002). Learning to abolish war: Teaching toward a culture of peace. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of : Hague Appeal for Peace. UN Department of Information. (2002). Press release SC 7500. New York: Author. --Eileen Bayer and Lynn Staley, ACEI Representatives to the UN |
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