Intra Country VCs · Hello%F2F%Partners.% % Iamattachingbelowthecontextfortheintra...
Transcript of Intra Country VCs · Hello%F2F%Partners.% % Iamattachingbelowthecontextfortheintra...
Hello F2F Partners. I am attaching below the context for the intra-‐country VCs that your students will soon be participating in. I hope it will help put us all on equal footing in this regard. F2F basically connects schools of different countries for online dialogues. But, for the third consecutive year this year, it has been allowing us to do intra-‐country VCs (even if limited) in support of the peace efforts that the government and the MILF are forging in Mindanao. The foundation thinks that these VCs can help advance the principles of respectful dialogue that we in the program want our students to learn in support of peace and nation building. These VCs are timed to happen in September – the designated National Peace Consciousness Month of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. It is also done in sync with the international VCs on peace that the program sponsors in support of Peace One Day on September 21, a celebration that is endorsed by the United Nations. This year, our intra-‐Philippines VCs intends to highlight the fact that the Filipinos, although one people, are actually comprised of many nations. Hence, the ethnic Muslim communities in Mindanao, for example, want to be collectively known as the Bangsamoro (the Moro Nation). There are also the Bisaya, the Ilocano, Tagalog, Filipino-‐Chinese, Bicolano, the Waray-‐Waray, Pampango, etc. In the VCs, we want this rich diversity to be appreciated and celebrated. In line with this I am suggesting that we help our students see this diversity through symbols that the VC participants may wish to wear (veil, prayer cap, scarf, ethnic cloth, cross, barong tagalog). The rich symbols can help highlight our diversity and hopefully serve as a challenge for them to find in the diversity various gifts for a stronger and more united people. The symbols may not have to be your students’ talking points. The VC agenda will be sent to you soon by your VC facilitators. The aims of the intra-‐country videoconferences between schools in Mindanao with those in the Visayas and Luzon are to
• provide direct connection between students in Mindanao with those in the Visayas and Luzon; • give participating students a chance to look at the diversity and richness of the Filipino identity and the
threats to it; • promote a reassuring atmosphere of security and confidence for the students to be authentically
themselves and remain fully Filipinos; • identify threats to their identity that they could, possibly, commonly work on to help address.
If your school celebrates Peace Month with activities that reach out to your communities (peace walk/run, interfaith community cleaning, etc), those same activities may actually count as F2F level 4 activities (living out the principles of F2F – community engagement). You could document those activities and use them to apply for an F2F certificate (bronze, silver, gold, outstanding). If your school hasn’t yet planned anything for Peace One Day (this year, it falls on a Sunday but you could celebrate it on the week before or after the 21st), you might consider doing any of the activities I am copying below. Those are all sugestions. I am also suggesting that we bring our activities online for wider impact. Our students may use the following hashtags when they post on any social networking site #Face2Faith #PeaceOneDay @OPAPP (on Twitter for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to know)
SOME SUGGESTED PEACE ONE DAY ACTIVITIES FOR PHILIPPINE FTF SCHOOLS PEACE DAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2014
NOTE: September 21 is a Sunday. You may do your Peace Day celebration on the September 19 (Friday) or September 22 (Monday). You may have a simple activity to commemorate it during your school assembly. You may probably show a video on peace, sing a song for peace, offer a prayer for peace, launch a peace wall where students may write sentiments of or commitments to peace, etc. Below are other activities you could choose from. Remember, this celebration is worldwide and is special to FTF schools too. Make sure to document your activity, pictures, etc. There is an international award on this for
1. largest peace event – if you involve your whole school in the activity, please make sure to document it (photos, signatures, etc)
2. most creative peace event
SUGGESTIONS 1. Assembly
ü (interfaith) gathering for peace -‐ prayers ü unplug sessions – song festival ü films on peace ü opening and/or culminating activity
-‐ Human peace sign – try to create a large peace symbol using as many persons as possible -‐ Special guest to speak about peace -‐ Pledge of commitment to peace -‐ Declare the campus a “peace zone” and say what that means -‐ Designate a “peace corner” in the campus where persons with some misunderstanding can go to and try to
mend their misunderstanding; put two chairs in this corner, decorate the corner walls with peace symbols, slogans, tips on how to resolve conflicts
2. Classroom Activities ü Discussion of and reflection on relevant peace issues or the word “peace” itself (FTF has lessons you could use) ü Teach dialogue as a conflict resolution skill ü Teach respect for diversity and awareness of stereotypes ü Slogan-‐making; Prayer writing; Poster-‐making ü Declare the classroom a “peace zone” and say what that means ü Photo-‐taking/Video-‐making contests – students can work in teams ü Letter writing to government officials advocating for a particular community issue that may be affecting the local
community’s peace and order situation ü Designate a “peace corner” in a classroom where persons with some misunderstanding can go to and try to
mend their misunderstanding; put two chairs in this corner, decorate the corner walls with peace symbols, slogans, tips on how to resolve conflicts
3. Peace Wall – assign a wall in campus where students can write about their peace wishes, prayers, slogans, etc. It may be a blackboard covered with manila paper
4. Sports Activities or activities that promote goodwill and friendship; culminate with a symbolic activity like handshaking, singing, pledging work for peace
5. Kite-‐flying – Kites with peace messages may be flown for a few minutes 6. Campaigns on the WWW
ü Have as many students tweet peace slogans/thoughts with a common hashtag (hashtag the school as well; tag the OPAPP too – Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process)
ü Open a school group page for peace and ask students to join it and change profile pics to those that bear messages of peace (slogans, pictures, drawings, art work, etc.)
ü Blog their thoughts on peace on Facetofaithonline.org 7. Peace Walk – students walk within the community carrying peace placards; not a rally type of gathering. Just leisurely
walk around, greeting people, singing peace songs 8. Fundraising for a community cause or Peace NGO 9. Media engagement – send articles on peace to local media 10. Tree-‐planting or creation of Peace Garden 11. Social media campaign promoting any facet of your community’s identity – photos of that facet?
SAMPLE PHOTOS OF PEACE ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO TO CELEBRATE PEACE