PHILANTHROPY

          Philanthropy means giving and sharing of your time, talents or treasures for the common good. It means investing your extra time, your talents – whatever they are (e.g. playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing, painting, or being a good friend, kind or patient, etc.), and your money or belongings for the good of everyone. Philanthropy is a private citizen action for the common good when you give whatever you can in order to help people in the community and, at the same time, you expect nothing in return for your action. It means being unselfish, caring and appreciative of others.

Philanthropy 'etymologically means "love of humanity" in the sense of caring, nourishing, developing and enhancing "what it is to be human" on both the benefactors' (by identifying and exercising their values in giving and volunteering) and beneficiaries' (by benefiting) parts. The most conventional modern definition is "private initiatives, for public good, focusing on quality of life"(on Wikipedia). Philanthropy 'can be broadly defined as love for humankind. It is derived from the Greek words "philos," which means loving and "anthropos," which means humankind' (C. Zimmer on Learningtogive.org). 

A philanthropist is someone who practices philanthropy.

To learn more about the National Philanthropy Day follow this link.

          There are many different forms of philanthropy and a seemingly infinite amount of ways you can demonstrate it. When people think of philanthropy, the most common association they have is donating to a charity or some other non-profit organization that helps people. However, you can practice philanthropy in more ways than that. You can do anything that contributes to the common good (e.g. participating in an organization for homeless or needy people, doing  any form of community service that helps people somehow, volunteering, etc.).There is a large variety of ways you can practice philanthropy in your everyday life. Philanthropy is very important as it improves your character if you know that you can make a difference in people's lives and give them hope and happiness. Philanthropy is not just a good thing to do, it is a virtue of generous people who care about others and the common good.

For our class discussion, think about philanthropy and what it means to you. Do you consider yourself to be a philanthropist? Can you think of something you are capable of doing to help others? Can you identify a list of qualities/characteristics that define a philanthropist? Can you identify local citizens who are contributing to the common good? Can you identify and portray a local philanthropist in your family, neighbourhood, class, etc.? You can use this table (The Philanthropists in My Life) to help you organize your thoughts. Read Aesop's fable 'The Lion and the Mouse' about a character who made a difference by practicing philanthropy although he was small, meek and not so powerful. What lesson(s) does it teach you? Share your thoughts and ideas with your classmates on our class blog.

MULTICULTURALISM

Multiculturalism can be defined as 'the preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation' (a definition by Dictionary.com).

'Multiculturalism describes the existence, acceptance, or promotion of multiple cultural traditions within a single jurisdiction, usually considered in terms of the culture associated with an ethnic group. This can happen when a jurisdiction is created or expanded by amalgamating areas with two or more different cultures (e.g. French Canada and English Canada) or through immigration from different jurisdictions around the world (e.g. Australia,United States, United Kingdom, and many other countries)' (a defintion by Wikipedia). America is commonly considered to be a 'melting pot' of cultures, religions, nationalities, beliefs, and the like. Bosnia and Herzegovina is also a country where multiculturalism has a long tradition and is represented by the coexistence of people with different cultural, religious, ethnic or national backgrounds. It is therefore considered to be a multicultural, multiethnic and multiconfessional country. Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are among a few cities and countries in the world, where multiculturalism is symbolically represented by the Monumento to Multiculturalism by Francesco Perilli.

the Monumento to Multiculturalism in Toronto

the Monumento to Multiculturalism in Sarajevo

         Multiculturalism embraces the concept of diversity which encompasses acceptance and respect.  It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. Individuals or groups with different traditions and cultures can enrich society. Multicultural countries enjoy the advantages of the varied cultures, experiences, languages, skills and points of view of their citizens. Multiculturalism means the celebration of individualism and plurality at the same time. Diversity includes differences in gender, age, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic background, education level, and physical ability.  Each element of diversity is a unique and essential component to benefit society at large. Multiculturalism also means the practice of giving equal emphasis to the needs and contributions of all culture groups, especially minority groups which are traditionally underrepresented in a society. Therefore, all society members should engage in acts of multiculturalism while learning to appreciate and celebrate the differences among individuals.

          As multiculturalism is usually associated with the arrival of immigrant communities and their acceptance by the hosting countries, it 'occurs naturally when a society is willing to accept the culture of immigrants (with, ideally, immigrants also willing to accept the culture of the land to which they have come)' (from Wikipedia). Multiculturalism has also brought a number of challenges both on a global scale and in countries which are heterogenious and multiethnic. Some of the challenges are how to accommodate everyone and protect vulnerable groups from discrimination, prejudices, racism, etc., and how to give newcomers a fair treatment. Unfortunately, we are witnesses of migrations on a global scale in today's world, and how those poor people are more than often treated in a bad way.

          Generally speaking, there are two different trends in modern society, reflecting a twofold approach to multicultural policies. Multiculturalism or globalism? On the one hand, there is a tendency to maintain the distinctiveness of different ethnic groups, while on the other, there seems to be an appeal for all groups to assimilate and embrace the national identity, traditions and values of the country they live in. Many countries have developed different policies and strategies to promote multiculturalism. This is visible in education, in the media and other areas which propagate diversity and equal opportunities for all, regardless of background.

'Multicultural education refers to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds. At the classroom level, for example, teachers may modify or incorporate lessons to reflect the cultural diversity of the students in a particular class. In many cases, “culture” is defined in the broadest possible sense, encompassing race, ethnicity, nationality, language, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, and “exceptionality”—a term applied to students with specialized needs or disabilities' (a definition by the Glossary of Education Reform). For more about multicultural education, you can use these links: School of Education at Johns Hopkins University-The Scope of Multicultural Education and Multicultural Education – EdChange.

The basic goal of multicultural education is to teach and encourage our children to appreciate and understand other cultures as well as their own. Teaching with a multicultural perspective thus promotes the child's sense of the uniqueness of his own culture and also enables the child to accept and embrace the uniqueness of the cultures of others. Teachers can help children eliminate stereotypes about cultures different from their own by presenting materials and activities that enable them to learn about the similarities of all individuals (you may follow these links to find out more about Multicultural Education in Your Classroom and Multicultural Education/Curriculum). Children should learn about how they are different and similar to others in order to appreciate and understand the other and something which is not their own.

Generally speaking, the basic principle of multicultural education is educational equity for all students, removing barriers to educational opportunities and success for all, regardless of their different cultural backgrounds. Teaching multiculturalism is like playing a puzzle game, where every piece is unique and different, but the different pieces fit together into one whole picture when they are all put into their place. Teachers should teach students that every member of our society is unique, with different cultural backgrounds, but we all fit together to form one picture.

For our class discussion on the blog, think about the concept of multiculturalism and how can we benefit most from it? Would it make a difference in our lives in the future? Are there any drawbacks that you can think of as well? Multiculturalism or globalism, which one would prevail? Think about multiculturalism in our country and how it is reflected to our everyday life? How important is multicultural education? How is it different from classical education? How would you teach your students to appreciate and understand those who have different cultural, ethnic or religious backgrounds? ...

Here is the reminder of what we did in class and the materials we used for our class discussion and practice:

Warm-ups: 'Multiculturalism' and 'Multicultural'

Before reading / listening

The Article: Merkel – Multiculturalism 'failed' in Germany

Listening

While reading / listening

Multiculturalism Discussion

Language – Multiple Choice

Homework

TOLERANCE

          Tolerance can be defined as 'willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own' (a definition by Merriam-Webster) or as 'a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one's own' (a definition on Thesaurus.com). Or to put it in a simple way, tolerance is the ability to accept diversity and to live and let other people live. Follow these links to find out more about: the etymology of the word'tolerance' and related terms, and tolerance synonyms and antonyms.

          If you are tolerant, then you are supposed to endure practices that you are not related to or that you do not approve of, and also to demonstrate an objective and fair behavior towards those whose ways of thinking or behaving differ from yours. If you are tolerant, you respect and learn from others, you are willing to value differences, reject stereotypes, bridge cultural gaps and create new bonds with other people. Many researchers have pointed out that the level of tolerance that you have can actually be attributed to the level of happiness and contentment in your life. Nevertheless, some paradoxical questions still emerge, such as – 'are tolerant people happier, or are happier people more tolerant?'

          At the same time, tolerance does not mean accepting all kinds of behavior, especially those which show disrespect for others, i.e. lying, stealing, bullying, being mean, hostile or aggressive towards others,  etc. Behaviors that disrespect or hurt others should not be tolerated. To tolerate actually means to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

          If we want to live a full and healthy life in today's world, which is considered to be a rich blend of different cultures, ethnicities, nationalities, races and religions, then we have to learn to appreciate others and be tolerant to the differences that coexist. Being open to see new things and learn about other people without having negative prejudices about them is a form of tolerance.

          The International Day for Tolerance is on November 16th, established by the UN General Assembly in 1996 and you can read more about it following this link.

"On the International Day of Tolerance, let us recognize the mounting threat posed by those who strive to divide, and let us pledge to forge a path defined by dialogue, social cohesion and mutual understanding."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

          You can also watch a video with portraits from Cambodia, the Netherlands, Spain, France, the United States, and Australia to celebrate the International Day for Tolerance: 'On selected international days the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC), in partnership with the Good Planet Foundation, share clips from the ‘7 billion Others’ project to communicate the fears, dreams, ordeals, and hopes of citizens from all over world.'

For more about promoting tolerance by UNESCO's Member States and how can intolerance be countered follow this link, and you can also read  The Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

The part that might be of particular interest for us is Article 4 – Education, which I will quote in its full length here:

Article 4 - Education

4.1 Education is the most effective means of preventing intolerance. The first step in tolerance education is to teach people what their shared rights and freedoms are, so that they may be respected, and to promote the will to protect those of others.

4.2 Education for tolerance should be considered an urgent imperative; that is why it is necessary to promote systematic and rational tolerance teaching methods that will address the cultural, social, economic, political and religious sources of intolerance - major roots of violence and exclusion. Education policies and programmes should contribute to development of understanding, solidarity and tolerance among individuals as well as among ethnic, social, cultural, religious and linguistic groups and nations.

4.3 Education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people to develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning.

4.4 We pledge to support and implement programmes of social science research and education for tolerance, human rights and non-violence. This means devoting special attention to improving teacher training, curricula, the content of textbooks and lessons, and other educational materials including new educational technologies, with a view to educating caring and responsible citizens open to other cultures, able to appreciate the value of freedom, respectful of human dignity and differences, and able to prevent conflicts or resolve them by non-violent means.

For more about educating for tolerance, you can follow this link. 

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized the importance of education in the fight against intolerance by saying: 

'We must instill in [children] a respect for diversity before intolerance has a chance to take root, and a sense of vigilance in case it threatens to do so'.

Educators all over the world should teach tolerance and respect for the other and different, while at the same time making attempts to identify and fight against intolerance. There is also a guide for educators – Tolerance: the threshold of peace, published by UNESCO in 1994.

          Speaking about tolerance generally, you should also remember that December 18th is marked as the International Migrants Day, which you can read more about using this link, where you can find this quotation: 'Migration draws increasing attention in the world nowadays. Mixed with elements of unforeseeability, emergency, and complexity, the challenges and difficulties of international migration require enhanced cooperation and collective action among countries and regions. The United Nations is actively playing a catalyst role in this area, with the aim of creating more dialogues and interactions within countries and regions, as well as propelling experience exchange and collaboration opportunities. To mark this year’s International Migrants Day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling on the international community to come together and remember the refugees and migrants who have lost their lives or have disappeared while trying to reach safe harbour after arduous journeys across seas and deserts.'

          For our class discussion on the blog, think about tolerance and our lives, and how does tolerance weave itself throughout our society? Think about how tolerance is used in many different areas of life from a personal to a national perspective. Take a moment to think about your own lifestyle: your behaviors, actions, thoughts, and the environment you live in. Do you think you are a tolerant person? Explain. Do you have any examples of tolerance 'in practice', i.e. of tolerant or maybe intolerant behaviors in your family, among your friends, in your neighborhood or local community, at the faculty/university, in our country, or elsewhere? Share your stories and opinions with your classmates here. As a future teacher, how would you teach your students to be tolerant and respectful of others? What obstacles might you encounter? How would you help them differentiate between tolerable and intolerable behaviors?

You are welcomed to share your attitudes, ideas and thoughts with us.

Creating a Child-Friendly World

Children are the living messages

                                                         

we send to a time we will not see.

                                                            -John W. Whitehead 

                     

                                            Children are the world's most valuable resource

                                                         and its best hope for the future.

                                                          -John Fitzgerald Kennedy 

The child must know that he is a miracle,

                                      that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been,

                                            and until the end of the world there will not be,

                                                                   another child like him.

                                                                        -Pablo Casals 

          These wonderful quotes remind us of the most precious gifts we could ever get in our lives – our children. Each child is unique and he/she deserves to be treated with full respect and an enormous amount of love and understanding. Starting with the family, which should provide his/her safe base, continuing with the local community and all the way up to the global level, where the whole mankind should unite in one of the most important goals – to create a world which would fit the child and suit his/her needs.

         We should all act in the best interest of children, while promoting children's rights and protecting them from violence and any other kind of abuse. We should always make sure that each child is listened to and fully respected. As full-fledged right holders, children should have the effective access to justice and adequate treatment equally as any adult. And the justice system should be adapted to the child so that the child does not feel threatened by it, but protected. 

          All children should grow up in a child-friendly environment which guarantees their normal physical, cognitive, social and emotional development. Children should have the access to a quality education which will provide them opportunities to achieve real learning outcomes and reach their potential. Education should be child-centered and based on the principles of democratic participation, inclusiveness and protection.

         These are just some of the basic issues related to the topic – how to create a child-friendly world. You will be given some useful links for your own in-depth research.

          Although we live in 21st century and the new millenium, the sad fact is that not all children enjoy the same rights and not all of them are treated in a proper way. There are still some parts of the world where you can encounter child slavery and child labour. Here is the story of Kailash Satyarthi from India and his brave attempt to make his country a better place for all children:

http://freedocumentaries.org/documentary/pbs-the-new-heroes-kailash-satyarthi-child-slavery-in-india

        Find out more about the concept of child-friendly schools and listen to Dr. Cream Wright talking about the basic principles of the CFS model:

www.unicef.org/cfs

www.unicef.org/cfs/index_55.htm

What Makes a Child-Friendly Learning Environment:

 http://www.unicef.org/teachers/environment/friendly.htm

Here is the link to investigate the topic of child-friendly justice, along with a short introductory video:

http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/childjustice/default_en.asp

http://webtv.coe.int/index.php?VODID=216&CategoryID=29&SubCategoryID=33&arrows=1

Child friendly version of A World Fit for Children:

http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.se/library/child-friendly-version-world-fit-children

Child-friendly cities or communities:

http://childfriendlycities.org/

Principles of child-friendly housing:

http://www.courtyardhousing.org/downloads/ChildFriendlyHousing.pdf

 These are just the basic hints to motivate your own research of the topic and our class discussion on the blog. Think about your own experience and your local community. What can we all do to make this world better suited for all children? Remember Kailash Satyarthi's words: 'If not now, then when? If not you, then who?'

"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. 

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. 

Walk beside me and be my friend" 

Attributed to Albert Camus