Hello my fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors, and the Family of Rotary,
This September is "Basic Education and Literacy" Month, one of the six Areas of Focus in Rotary. However, being District 2452 AOF Committee Chair, I was asked by our District Governor Michel Jazzar to write a message about the customized Area of Focus for District 2452 which is "Civic Education for Peacebuilding".
Briefly, let us try to understand the concept. These days, we are living in a very disturbed society where violence, aggression, racism, bullying, ethnicity and corruption have become so common. People are behaving against their human nature. Most often these acts or conflicts occur due to the ignorance, the misunderstanding and the loss of the core values and skills of living in peace, otherwise called the tools of positive peace. When this kind of lack of positive peace reaches this high level, it must give us, Rotarians, a pause to ring the bell. Where does this originate? Why has it become so spread-out in our countries, among the new generation? Can the Rotary help?
In this regard, arming the new generation with values, skills and attitudes they need, in order to be responsible citizens and people who can live in harmony with each other’s, is the goal of the pilot project “Civic Education for Peacebuilding” in District 2452 during this RY 2018/19.
By implementing this pilot project in schools with students aged between 11 and 14, our main objectives are the following:
- To help develop a positive attitude among students towards each other, students and teachers as well. (e.g. integrity, co-operation, mutual respect…)
- To help healthy emotional development in students. (e.g. fellowship, self-esteem etc.)
- To facilitate socialization through participation in interactive and well planned learning activities in school (like debates, seminars, games, dramas, celebration of festivals etc.)
- To respect the diversities of culture at national and international level.
- To improve students’ discipline and moral behavior.
- To develop creativity both in students and teachers through service and leadership.
These values - integrity, diversity, fellowship, service and leadership- come from participation and engagement; engagement of all children, especially those who are differently able or with abilities, disadvantaged, marginalized, refugees, etc. cause “Children are not good at listening to their elders but they have never failed to imitate them”.
At the end, apart from acting as a model, as President Barry Rassin said “we need to Be the Inspiration for positive change, inspiring our clubs, our communities, and our organization to face today’s challenges head on, with courage, optimism, and creativity.
Ghada Ayoub
District 2452 AOF Committee Chair RY 2018-19
PE Rotary Club of Saida