Character Education
Promoting Character Education in Canada, Australia, and Nepal
Autumn 2007 was a busy time for character education. Not only did UPF representatives travel to four different countries in one month, representatives from more than a dozen countries attended workshops and planned to carry the message of character education back to their countries. One Muslim representative thought the Discovering the Real Me character education curriculum produced by UPF was just the thing for the Kurdistan region of Iraq, where economic, social, and peace achievements are blossoming but often ignored by the mass media.
With Love "Fighting HIV/AIDS" in St. Lucia
Natoria, a slender and pretty, somewhat quiet girl of thirteen years, was nearly always waiting at the school almost an hour before it was time for the first session of our day camp to begin. She sat at a picnic table under the colorful mural at Vide Bouteille School. We had come by bus to set up the sound system and a projector, and to prepare our last day of camp. The rest of the camp staff would arrive by car.
St. Petersburg Forum on Strengthening the Family
UPF-Eurasia Assistant Secretary General Konstantin Krylov came from Moscow for the occasion, and gave the welcoming address, reporting on UPF history and activities worldwide. Then, St. Petersburg UPF Director Ilya Zakharov gave presentations on the "Need for Character Education" and "the Family as the School of Love."
Training Pohnpei Teachers in Character Education
Training St. Lucia Teachers in Character Education
Can you change your students?" asked Mr. Alan Saunders of the teachers gathered for a one-day workshop. Some teachers timidly answered "Yes!" A few others shook their heads in sign of "No!" Mr. Saunders insisted: "Do you really think you can change your students?" This time the "Nos!" were much louder. Mr. Saunders commented: "You cannot change your students, you can only influence them. How many of you think you can change your spouse?" After a short pause, he continued: "For ten years I thought I could change my wife! ... Do you think that I was successful? No!"
Promoting Strong Families in the Philippines
One hundred and eleven educators—superintendents, principals and values education teachers—in the National Capital Region (NCR) attended a two-day Educators' Training Workshop on Character Education at the ICEF International Youth Center in Tanay, Rizal, Philippines June 23-24, 2007.
Moscow Forum on Tolerance Education
Following the increasing pace of UPF activities worldwide in 2007, and stimulated by the monthly international leadership seminars for Ambassadors for Peace, UPF-Russia is stepping up its own activities with programs of outreach in several cities of Russia.
Discovering a Different World in Belize
In June 2007, I had the opportunity to go to Belize to teach Character Education in Belize City. During our one-month internship, we stayed at the Universal Peace Federation Peace Embassy, located in the heart of Belize City.
Promoting Character Education in Kosrae
Based on the success of UPF's Character Education initiative in Pohnpei, Iso Iriarte, a High Traditional Leader of Micronesia, and I organized a visit to another state, Kosrae.
Promoting Character Education throughout Sri Lanka
The Universal Peace Federation held six programs over seven days; organizers traveled about 1,200 kilometers and reached 529 people. The participants were mostly students, but also included Ministry of Education officials, teachers, principals, religious leaders, Ambassadors for Peace, and alumni of Religious Youth Service and Interreligious Peace Sports Festivals.