The 20th century ended, marked by the beginning of mankind's exploration of outer space, scientific discoveries, new technologies in medicine, industry and ... in the military sphere. Two terrible world wars died out, and mankind created nuclear weapons.
Peacekeepers
XXI Century. And again here and there on the planet hot spots arise, crying mothers, from whom the war took the most valuable thing - children. And the children who heard shots and explosions not only in the cinema, when asked what they would like the most, answer in an adult way: “I want peace in the world.”
And through the streets past the ruins of residential buildings are patrols of armed peacekeepers. Everything, as always: the like is cured by the like. Nothing has changed since the days of Ancient Rome: if you want peace, be prepared for war.
But not only large uncles armed to the teeth are peacekeepers. There are others who are trying to help the world survive by pacifist methods, including educating the younger generation in the spirit of the struggle for world peace.
Formation and development of children's peace movements
After the Second World War ended, teachers in many countries intensified their work on raising children in the spirit of peacekeeping. The main center that supported this initiative was UNESCO, at the first session of which it 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 peacemaking began to be implemented in UNESCO associated schools. In many countries, peacekeeping children's organizations and volunteer movements began to appear and develop. The most famous of them are “Children - Ambassadors of the World”, “Children as Peacemakers”.
Forms of children's peacekeeping
In addition to children's organizations for world peace, there are many other options by which the young population of planet Earth protests against war. These are international gatherings of peacekeeping children, conferences, children's art festivals, events, various contests dedicated to the struggle for peace, and colorful flash mobs on an anti-war theme.
An interesting form of the declaration of the ideas of the world is projects, both regional, state, and worldwide. 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 example of such events is the annual project “The Ringing of Peace, Memory and Joy” and the UN Art for Peace Contest - an art marathon on the theme “World Peace”, a photo of which is posted on the website of this multi-year project. Every year, new participants from different countries join this project.
Especially popular because of its visibility, accessibility and relative simplicity in the organization are drawing contests on the theme of peace.
Children paint world peace
And for many years now, an old, uncomplicated, bright song has been heard about the boy who painted the world: the solar circle, the sky, mom and the house. And the world around the world, created by the hands of children, is seen. What can children oppose the brutality of war? His sincerity and kindness. Look at any competitive drawing "World Peace" - no matter how skillfully it is executed. After all, the point is not in clarity of lines, knowledge of perspectives and composition rules, it is in truthfulness, humanism in the real sense of the word. The nagging inscription "You want to live so much" is a drawing of 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 same nomination.
Children who saw the war ... Not only those who were not fortunate enough to live where adults decided to rattle their arms and measure the size of their geopolitical ambitions. But the children who know about the war from the news, where it is not about the battles that were once and ended, 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 the next time it will be painful and scary, you will need to hide from the explosions and dream only about one thing: "Let them stop shooting, let nothing happen to loved ones." Here is a "happy" childhood ...
Interesting facts about the symbols of the world
- 2001, the UN General Assembly proclaimed September 21 as the International Day of Peace. The main ceremony that day is held at the Peace Bell, which is located in the gazebo near the UN headquarters in New York. At exactly 2 p.m., the bell rings and a minute of silence is announced.
- The Peace Bell is cast from coins collected for it by children from sixty countries. The motto is engraved on its circumference: "Long live world peace."
- The dove is the main symbol of the world. He was painted by Picasso in 1949. Then the World Congress of Peace Supporters was held, the symbol of which was the dove of Picasso.
- The Pacific is another recognizable international symbol of disarmament and the anti-war movement. The creator of the pacific is the English designer Gerald Holt. The sign was invented for the British disarmament march in 1958. In the 60s, it became the main symbol of the anti-war movements of 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 atomic bomb in Hiroshima, the girl Sadako made them in the hospital room, making a wish that war would never happen again. According to Japanese belief, they had to be made a thousand to fulfill a desire. And the girl would have folded them, but did not have time - she died. After her left 644 paper birds. The rest of the cranes were made up by the girl’s classmates. After this story, the paper crane became a symbol of hope for peace and the struggle for disarmament.
- Sadako Monument is constantly decorated with paper cranes. Traditionally, they are made by children with thoughts about the world and brought to the monument.