What is a Culture of Peace ?
"UNESCO - CULTURE OF PEACE"
On July 22, 1997 a United Nations Resolution adopted by the General Assembly proclaimed the year 2000 as the "International Year for the Culture of Peace."
The United Nations has also proclaimed the years 2001 - 2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for all the Children of the World".
Canadian groups and individuals have been recognized as leading the way as part of a growing global movement, towards a Culture of Peace.
IHTEC is part of this and is promoting UNESCO's "Culture of Peace" concepts focused on values, attitudes and behavior transformation through the positive promotion of peace, non-violence, respect for cultural diversity, promotion of democracy, reconciliation, friendship and development.
Definition:
"Culture of Peace through Tourism" programs focus on peace and international understanding among the children of the world, through the "International School Peace Gardens" program. Students learn to resolve conflicts in their Peace Gardens. They learn through integrated studies using "Peace through Tourism concepts". By protecting and enhancing their own resources, they also enhance their tourism heritage and improve the quality of life for all peoples, for many generations. Students dedicate themselves to protecting their own environment. These impacts may be social, cultural or environmental. Schools are asked to link with a knowledge base that is tourism based. This includes contacting local governments and community groups both at home and prior to visiting another countries' environment. "Culture of Peace through Tourism" programs also encourage students to become peaceful travelers and hosts to guests."
Julia Morton-Marr, Ontario, Canada, Sept 14, 1999.
'INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PEACE GARDENS' (ISPG)
IHTEC is dedicated to developing programs that educate young people using "A Culture of Peace through Tourism." and their International School Peace Gardens program through:
Values
Encouraging hope for the future through knowledge of a joyful spirit and soul.
Developing strategies using the Friendship Bench.
Understanding the IIPT Credo of the Peaceful Traveller.
IIPT is the International Institute for Peace through Tourism
Attitudes
Using the Peace Garden as a tool for curriculum support and development.
Behavior
Linking Peace Garden activities to ongoing activities in the community which promote participation by all. An outcome of this is building civil society in communities.
Dedication and commitment to projects so that they continue when a principal or key teachers leave the school.
Peace
IHTEC is a mobile peace school internationally.
We bring peace to children in schools.
By focusing peace programs locally as the "International School Peace Gardens" program is growing globally.
Networking with other groups such as the International Children's Peace-full- Environment Foundation in South Australia for the Year 2000.
Encouraging each school to link together with each other, and internationally through the IHTEC website:
Knowing and preserving their countries World Heritage UNESCO Tourism sites, through active community involvement in Parks. A minimum of 40 hours voluntary service.
Understanding their country's role in the history and heritage and role of peace parks and peace gardens and the link in Canada to the "Peacekeeping Monument" in Ottawa.
Non-violence
Promoting safety in schools.
By resolving conflicts in the Peace Garden.
Focusing on "food security" in the Peace Garden to improve food security internationally.
Respect for cultural and environmental diversity
Using the arts and by including a peace design in each garden.
Developing a knowledge base on how to protect and sustain basic resources through the use of the "Bench of Dreams" and dedication of millennium projects
Protecting biological diversity and lifezone approach to restore eco-system health.
Teaching scientific names and terms for migrating and other species.
Implementing a maths and science program "Substance Accounting for Eco-Systems".
Understanding the need for cross-cultural bridging. For example the "Children's Connection", initiated by the Mexico-Canada Chamber of Commerce, is a greeting card exchange by schools involved in the ISPG programs around the world.
Promotion of democracy
Encouraging each nation to democratically develop its own focus through the ISPG program, for their own needs, as well as how they can support the rest of the world.
Encouraging whole school involvement towards excellence, through equality of shared responsibility and unique contributions, to the enrichment of the common good.
Encourage all planning around the garden to be democratically approached.
Reconciliation
Friendly conflict resolution in their "International School Peace Garden."
Friendship
IHTEC Newsletters are via email lists and on their website.
IHTEC plans to hold an annual virtual conference.
Development
Co-operation with local government by letting them know what schools are working on.
Encouraging students to ask questions and develop solutions with their local government, so they can help to protect their community.
Understanding the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights and how students can develop skills for participation in decision-making. Ontario is showing by example the reasons for including an Environmental Bill of Rights internationally. The ISPG program was at the launch of the EBR on February 14, 1999 held at West Humber Collegiate Institute, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.
Understanding and supporting the roles of the Canadian Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development and Ontario Environmental Commissioner.
Using the UNICEF CD Rom "My City" to learn how to become a "Mayor for a Day" so as to develop an integrated approach to decision-making.
Combining Derek Paul's "web of life" and a native perspective of "Seven Generations" approach for all decision-making and planning.
from "Unesco and a Culture of Peace - Promoting a Global Movement", ed. David Adams, Unesco Paris, France, 1995
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