The Challenge of Peace

11/12/2004

"No great thing is created suddenly." - Epictetus in Discourses

The Challenge of Peace

Over the next few days, early childhood peacemakers from South Africa, Colombia, Israel, Mali, Croatia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Albania, Nepal and the United States will be joining their peers in Northern Ireland. In Belfast this Working Team will share their stories and strategies on how early childhood services can bring communities together that have been torn by conflict. Later in the week they will tell their stories to over 200 early childhood leaders and public officials at Working Forum Belfast.

At the outset, Working Team members will be presented with copies of the very relevant Exchange publication, Hearing Everyone's Voice: Educating Young Children for Peace and Democratic Community. This book, in discussing "strategies for taking action," offers some words of advice that are not only relevant to Working Forum Belfast, but to the entire global early childhood community in today's climate:

"Sometimes it's easy to feel helpless and hopeless when considering the challenges we all face. Our daily lives, the concerns and problems of our neighborhoods and communities, as well as the world at large, tend to overwhelm us if we are not empowered to take action. Children can be empowered with the attitudes and skills necessary to enhance their abilities to do what they can to make a difference. When we adults make a habit to encourage children to respectfully speak out about their concerns, and when we listen to all children, then children expect to have their voices heard. They become adults who feel empowered to speak out and take responsible action. By practiciing the empowerment skills appropriate to their development, young children learn how powerful they can be to help create change."

To learn more about the comprehensive curriculum guide, Hearing Everyone's Voice, go to http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/0456

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.