The 20th century ended, marked by the beginning of human exploration of outer space, scientific discoveries, new technologies in medicine, industry and … in the military sphere. Two terrible world wars have died down, and mankind has created nuclear weapons.
Peacekeepers
XXI century. And again, here and there, hot spots appear on the planet, mothers cry, from whom the war has taken away the most valuable thing - children. And the children, who heard shots and explosions not only in the cinema, when asked what they would like most of all, answer in an adult way: "I want peace in the whole world."
And along the streets past the ruins of residential buildings are patrols of armed peacekeepers. As always, like cures like. Nothing has changed since ancient Rome: if you want peace, be prepared for war.
But not only big uncles armed to the teeth are peacekeepers. There are others who are trying to help the world survive in pacifist ways, including educating the next generation to fight for world peace.
Formation and development of children's peace movements
After the end of World War II, educators in many countries stepped up their efforts to educate children in the spirit of peacekeeping. The main center that supported this initiative was UNESCO, at the very first session of which it was announced its intention to encourage states that contribute to the development of programs to educate the younger generation in the spirit of international understanding and peace, the development of children's organizations "For World Peace". Since the 50s of the XX century, the practical ideas of education in the spirit of peacekeeping began to be implemented in the UNESCO associated schools. Peacekeeping children's organizations and volunteer movements began to appear and develop in many countries. The most famous of them are "Children as ambassadors of peace", "Children as peacekeepers".
Forms of children's peacekeeping activities
Besides children's organizations for world peace, there are many other ways in which the young population of planet Earth protests against war. These are international gatherings of children-peacemakers, conferences, festivals of children's creativity, actions, various competitions dedicated to the struggle for peace, colorful flash mobs on an anti-war theme.
An interesting form of declaration of the ideas of the world - projects, both regional, national and global. Their plus is that they include several types of children's activities: literary, musical, choreographic, theatrical and artistic competitions, united by one theme and idea. An examplesuch events can be the annual project "The Ringing of Peace, Memory and Joy" and the UN Art for Peace Contest - an art marathon on the theme "Peace in the world", a photo from which is posted on the website of this long-term project. Every year, all new participants from different countries join this project.
Particularly popular because of their visibility, accessibility and relative simplicity in organization are drawing competitions on the theme of the world.
Children draw world peace
And for many years an old, uncomplicated, bright song about a boy who painted the world has been heard: the solar circle, the sky, mother and home. And see the world around the world, created by the hands of children. What can children do to oppose the brutality of war? Your sincerity and kindness. Look at any "World Peace" competition drawing, no matter how well it's done. After all, the point is not the clarity of lines, knowledge of perspective and the rules of composition, the point is truthfulness, humanism in the true sense of the word. The poignant inscription "So I want to live" - a drawing by a boy from Donetsk. Just an inscription and that's it. And here is a drawing of a girl from Lebanon: a house, a family, and the sun, and again the inscription: I want to live. Such drawings are a significant contribution to the cause of peace, worthy of the Nobel Prize in the nomination of the same name.
Children who saw the war… Not only those who were not lucky enough to live where adults decided to rattle weapons and measure the magnitude of geopolitical ambitions. But also children who know about the war from the news, where it is not about the battles that were once andended, and "ours won", and there will be no more such horror, but about the current ones, flashing here and there. And it is not known where next time it will be painful and scary, you will need to hide from explosions and dream of only one thing: "Let them stop shooting, let nothing happen to loved ones." Such a "happy" childhood…
Interesting facts about peace symbols
- In 2001, the UN General Assembly proclaimed September 21 the International Day of Peace. The main ceremony on this day is held at the "Peace Bell", which is located in the gazebo near the UNPO headquarters in New York. At precisely 2:00 pm, the bell rings and a moment of silence is announced.
- The "Peace Bell" is cast from coins collected for it by children from sixty countries. Engraved around its circumference is the motto: "Long live peace throughout the world."
- The dove is the main symbol of peace. It was painted by Picasso in 1949. At the same time, the World Peace Congress took place, symbolized by Picasso's dove.
- Pacific is another recognizable international symbol of disarmament and the anti-war movement. Pacifica was created by English designer Gerald Holtom. The sign was designed for the British Disarmament March in 1958. In the 60s, it became the main symbol of the anti-war movements in Western Europe and a sign of an alternative subculture.
- Origami crane. Originally an ancient symbol of hope and wish fulfillment in Japan. In 1955, a patient with leukemia, the cause of which was the explosion of an atomicbombs in Hiroshima, the girl Sadako made them in the hospital ward, making a wish that there would never be a war again. According to Japanese belief, one had to make a thousand of them to fulfill a wish. And the girl would have folded them, but she didn’t have time - she died. After her, 644 paper birds remained. The rest of the cranes were laid down by the girl's classmates. After this story, the paper crane became a symbol of hope for peace and the struggle for disarmament.
- The monument to Sadako is constantly decorated with paper cranes. They are traditionally made by children with thoughts about the world and brought to the monument.
