Tag Archives: peace

Thumbs Up, Eyes on the Sky . . . for Peace

Patricia Shafer, August 25, 20172 NewGen 2 IYLEP thumbs up

At NewGen Peacebuilders, our mission is: “to make learning to be a peacebuilder a rite of passage (for everyone).” Typically, this involves facilitating intense, locally-specific training and peace project mentoring for high school and university students in multiple states and countries.

But we didn’t hesitate when invited to host a customized session that brought together Iraqi and US high school students at International House in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Iraqi students were visiting through the Iraqi Young Leaders Exchange Program (IYLEP) sponsored by the US Embassy in Baghdad and US State Department, and administered by World Learning. The US students are outstanding NewGen Peacebuilders alumni certified during a Spring 2017 cohort in Charlotte made possible with funds from District 7680 of Rotary International.

Ayah and Qaisy-NametagsAppreciation & Role Models
Imagine 25 Iraqi and US high school students sharing ideas about citizen diplomacy and peacebuilding. Before walking in, they knew nothing about one another. To break the ice, students shared favorite songs; practiced greeting each other in English, Arabic and Kurdish; and listed people they admire as peace role models. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., resonates across borders and cultures.

Group eclipse tightBonding Over an Eclipse
This NewGen Peacebuilders session occurred on August 21, a day highly anticipated for the “Great American Eclipse.” We leveraged the eclipse as a shoulder-to-shoulder, elbow-to-elbow opportunity to build bonds. Students learned that a famous eclipse occurred in 763 BCE during the Assyrian Empire, what is now modern-day Iraq. Some records indicate that insurrection in the city of Ashur was interpreted as a consequence of the 5-minute total eclipse. Notes from Greek historian Herodotus record that a solar eclipse in 585 BCE prompted an end to war between the Lydians and Medes who saw dark skies as a sign to make peace.

Simon and Bug handshake tighterTheir Story, Our Story
A multi-step exercise involved shifting from perceptions of one another (“they”) to a unified story of how to shape peace projects at home in both countries (“we”). First, Iraqi and US students separately listed notions of “the other” that are reinforced by the media. Then, in pairs, each Iraqi and US student expressed who he/she REALLY is and practiced Active Listening. Last, Iraqi and US students worked in groups to imagine solutions to three common problems: 1) educational barriers; 2) racial and ethnic conflicts; and 3) political violence.

Cross Cultural Peacebuilder Workshop IYLEP 2017What Next – Projects
Good talk should lead to action. The IYLEP program requires Iraqi students to pursue change projects when they return home. Many of the US students called the session “one of the most exciting things we’ve ever done.” Several said they are inspired to build on peace projects they technically completed earlier in 2017. One project involves being cross-cultural mentors to refugees and immigrants. Another project focuses on training voters how to be open to differing political viewpoints.

Want to know more about NewGen Peacebuilders? Click here to watch a short video.

Global Teacher Travel Opens Hearts and Minds

Patricia Shafer, July 10, 2015

Photo_Costa Rica_Teacher with Fruit 2_July 2015Our program The Global Class helps US schools connect with the world in unexpected ways. Great sentiments and photos are emerging from teachers who just returned from a “Food, Sustainability, Peace” trip to Costa Rica. Seven of these teachers are from East Mecklenburg, a public high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, that has embarked on a three-year Global Immersion Journey. One of the first big “Aha” moments of this facilitated journey was the leadership team’s realization that there had never been a group international trip for East Meck teachers. They agreed on Costa Rica as the first opportunity.
 
Of course, a trip like this means thousands of photos and memories. But global education facilitator Carina Cordero, who guided the trip, suggests that the traditional Costa Rican greeting of “Pura Vida!” (pure Photo_Costa Rica_Fruit Photo 1_July 2015life) captures the essence. And there is definitely a peaceful feeling that comes through in some of the photos of fresh food. As the 2015-16 school year nears, these teachers will spend a full day reflecting and planning how to incorporate trip insights into lesson plans. East Meck has a 2015-16 goal of 50% of students experiencing a deep dive education experience on the global theme of “Food, Sustainability, Peace.”Photo_Costa Rica_Teacher 3_Jonathan Janus with Vegegtables_July 2015
 
Meanwhile, it’s a summary from Jonathan Janus, who teaches 9th grade English and AP Human Geography, that inspires us at Mothering Across Continents and The Global Class: “It is easy to use global lingo and throw in global concepts at a shallow level. However, the ultimate goal of global education is to change the way students look at the world and live in the world. Three stories struck me as valuable lessons of the importance of facing challenges and overcoming them, lessons that I can apply. The first was the struggle of an organic coffee farmer to be a good steward of his land while trying to make money to support his family. Another was the scarred face of a Nicaraguan boy at a rural school whose poignant story captured our hearts, a reminder that Photo_Costa Rica_Artisanal Fishing Village_July 2015immigration is not just a 1st world problem. The third story was the local fishermen who spent years taking on big business and ended up preserving a beautiful and rapidly shrinking way of life. These stories would have remained untold without the opportunity for us to witness them firsthand. This trip and others like it are essential to forming global teachers and global classrooms.”