The Youth for Peace Initiative was conceived with the intent to engage young people in developing concepts of peace at three levels: ideological, practical and analytical on ‘Peace and I'.
Sangeeta Isvaran, Coordinator of Youth for Peace 2011 of The Aseema Trust says:
How does dance or theatre help in peace education one might ask. Take a workshop and find out! Drawing from Indian, Southeast Asian and African dance and theatre traditions – both classic and popular – many games, exercises and techniques are constructed to aid self-expression. Some of the objectives are to get young people to reflect on the past and imagine the future, to build stronger groups and communities, to share painful memories and joyful ones, to break free of inhibitions and orthodox thinking. The painting of the tree — one side full of life ‘SI or YES' and the other side dead ‘NAO or NO' – have images created by the participants. The participants are from mixed economic backgrounds and are from a village called Alter do Chao, on the Tapajos River, in the Amazon region, in the state of Para in Brazil. Garbage is a bigger threat to their lives, more than guns, just like in India. One look at our roads, beaches, railway lines and we see the ever-present plastic. The Amazon jungles are also helpless in the face of this plastic invasion.
I would like to take you all to Belo Horizonte with me and meet a bunch of ferocious teenagers with hearts of marsh-mallow. They have sent messages to 'the girls in India'! My luggage gets heavier and heavier, not just with the additional weight of each painted sari, but with the memories and messages they are carrying. I am waiting for the moment when I can come home to Chennai and share these precious stories with you.
In the age of email and instant messaging, these words on paper and images on cloth are doubly precious; a tangible reminder that we are not dealing with sexual abuse, drugs, abandoned children and domestic violence as virtual realities but as physical, painful ones. Even clearer is the message that love, laughter, fun and frolic too can cross oceans and invite you to join in.
My take
Response to last week's quote
I concur with the statement As more peoples interact with each other with different views, so conflict is inevitable. But as an civilised entity we should iron out the differences by negotiations. If process of negotiation fails to resolve the issue, ask your close friend to arbitrate the matter. In my opinion, this is nothing but peace if you think pragmatically.
MALANI, First Year, M. Tech, IIT Madras.
Themes
“Youth For Peace” will have the following themes selected from Gandhi's teachings.
Cleanliness is Godliness (Garbage, water, electricity, plants, personal cleanliness and surroundings.)
Individual action leads to collective power (seven deadly sins as seen by Gandhi and looking at individual
action for the above mentioned themes)
Love and peace are ultimate weapons (equality, sharing of resources, dignity of labour, war etc)
Now, it's your turn to be the change you want to see. Based on these themes, come up with ideas that you think can make a positive difference in society and its people. Mail your ideas to: aseema123@yahoo.com
Check the blog youthforpeace10.blogspot and send your comments to: V.R. Devika at youthforpeace10@gmail.com
