INTERNATIONAL HOLISTIC TOURISM EDUCATION CENTRE - IHTEC
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PEACE GARDENS
PROTECTING THE GLOBAL COMMONS.
CLASSROOM IDEAS
A whole school approach
Written by Julia Morton-Marr
What are the Global Commons?
The concept of the ‘commons’ came from villages in England where the centre of the village is a grassed area. Each member of the community could graze their cattle on the green. However the natural balance had to be monitored before the carrying capacity was exceeded, and the usefulness of the commons was ruined.
The Global Commons refers to concepts around the biosphere use of planet earth. IHTEC uses the Council on Global Issues (CGI) whose concepts which include: scientific primary values, Eco-system health, soil, water, oceans, species, energy, space, atmosphere, international relations, population, consumerism, technology, and media. IHTEC has developed an education module for each of these. As the people on earth have created the 6th extinction, all education is now seen as ‘education for sustainability’, which is essential for all species in the ‘web of life’ on earth.
The role of the International School Peace Gardens program is to protect the Global Commons, through Global Sustainability Education (GSE) is very significant. The school and it’s community can help promote sustainability with Local Governments in their towns worldwide.
What is Global Sustainability Education (GSE)?
IHTEC has developed the use of Global Sustainability Education around current curriculum content. See http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=29
You will find three sides. The first describes GSE from the CGI perspective; the second explains how the IHTEC curriculum fits into the first; and the third explains how subject areas around the peace garden fit with the first GSE slide.
How can the ISPG programme, promote GSE?
General
1. Register your school with IHTEC on-line. www.ihtec.org
2. Hold a dedication ceremony in your school’s peace garden to initiate actions to solve global commons issues at the local level. (See the dedications on water and biodiversity) Invite local government representatives.
3. Contact your local government to see what areas you can help them with, regarding the global commons.
4. Encourage the formation of a Data-Base at Local Government level, for gathering all environmental programs within schools and community groups. This is to ensure that a variety of activities are achieved.
5. When planting your peace garden ensure that all of the designs and development of the garden resolves past or present conflicts in your area. ie: water, waste, food security, Eco-system protection, food for migrating species, coastal protection and ocean monitoring.
6. Develop strategies with students and the school community, for using the peace garden as a stimulus for writing about their problems.
Curriculum
7. Re-evaluate your curriculum to ensure all that is taught uses the ‘Precautionary Principal’ and focuses on the unintended consequences, to protect the survival of the ‘web of life’ on the global commons.
8. Links your current curriculum through an integrated study approach, to the global commons.
9. Builds on solutions for the global commons by asking how the issue studied affects other areas of the global commons. Peace and the Environment cannot be separated.
Environmental Integrity
10. Test the soil in your ISPG before you plant your peace garden, for proper soil balance. This is the same mixture of substances that are required for human nutrition.
11. Plant a ‘Bush Tucker’(Australia) Garden or plant your local bio-diversity. Label each species.
12. Bring copies of household water bills to school and work on reduction of water costs in every household in the community. House points for achievable results.
13. Invent ways to conserve more water: Create a card for the points in the ‘water dedication’. ie: “shower in 3 minutes”. Sign it at your dedication ceremony.
14. Use the ISPG to learn how to recycle water. Give house points to families who recycle their water.
15. Hold celebrations and discussions in your ISPG of United Nations Days, especially around Global Commons concerns, such as Bio-diversity day and UN International Bio-Diversity Year 2010. http://www.unac.org/en/news_events/un_days/index.asp
16. Use solar and wind energy in your peace garden, this could also extend to your buildings, in their design and management, water heating etc.
17. Build your own solar car and race it.
18. Know what substances deplete the ozone and encourage all families remove substances from their homes that cause harm.
19. Encourage the school to check and use cleaning supplies that protect the ‘web of life’. Remove all environmental pollutants. This too could involve all families.
20. Collect natural seeds and work with Dept of Environment or Natural Resources on seed collection. Plant a section of your ISPG with original seed stock.
21. Count the number of species in the garden, all kinds.
22. Leave a section of the ground free of activity, and monitor how the soil replenishes itself.
Societal Integrity
23. By using music and the arts to create songs, rap music using major sentences or catch phrases such as:
“There’s nowhere to throw away to!”
24. Reduce consumerism in every way possible.
25. Conflict resolution will be most important if we are to prevent wars.
a. Discuss the role of peace in yourselves, your school and community, and how your country as a member of the UN, participates in peacebuilding in the world.
26. If your country is a member of the United Nations, then you are member of the United Nations.
27. Create a school website to upload all the achievements as part of your ISPG.
28. Encourage new car owners in the district to purchase hybrid (lower fuel use) vehicles.
29. Food Security: Plant various food gardens: pizza garden, three sisters garden.
30. Only plant seeds that are not genetically modified.
31. Plant migrating species food and monitor who visits. This includes you as part of the Creature Corridors module.
32. Encourage non-pollution of the rivers in your area. Work with river and streams organizations. This is part of the Watershed Peace Pathways module.
33. Encourage non-pollution of the oceans in your area. Work with coastal and marine organizations in your area. This is part of the Marine Peace Parks module.
34. IHTEC encourages the protection of our Children’s Health in their Environment.
35. Remove all use of plastics near food (plastics produce estrogen).
Conflict Resolution
36. Build two friendship benches, in a ‘V’ shape, to be used for conflict resolution.
37. Protect local endangered species of all kinds.
38. Use the IIPT Credo of the Peaceful Traveler.
UN International Law; Local Environmental Laws.
39. Log onto the ‘Earth Charter’, www.earthcharter.org download, read, discuss and distribute it. Register your support on-line. The Earth Charter has be approved by UNESCO at their conference between October 30 - November 30, 2004. The IUCN World Congress endorsed it on November 24, 2004. IHTEC endorsed it in 2003.
40. Check local government By-Laws to ensure that they are “Protecting the Earth for Children”.
The Arts
41. We suggest that a visible outcome of the expression of the above items, could be reflected in the peace garden. Children may use language arts and performing arts, which can also can be presented in the peace garden.
Media
42. Create your own “Peace Garden News”.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
ISPG - Benefits for schools
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PEACE GARDENS - BENEFITS TO SCHOOLS
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PEACE GARDENS is an exciting and innovative Canadian Educational Program that invites every young person, in every school in the world to become involved in creating a better future for the planet. Schools are invited to plan, plant, dedicate a peace tree, peace garden, or peace park. ISPG supports schools existing curriculum in peace education, conflict resolution, environmental studies, inter-cultural understanding, and the arts. We encourage the school community to use their peace garden, as often as possible. ISPG has many educational and social benefits:
For Children it offers:
• Cooperation, friendship and support.
• Solutions to bullying and other life problems;
• Participation in a positive and nurturing activity;
• Greater awareness and tolerance;
• Physical and spiritual involvement;
• Skills development in Presentation and Fund Raising;
• Electronic sharing of ideas with other ISPG schools;
• Real world application in Design, Language Arts, Music and Art.
For Teachers it offers:
• Curriculum linkages;
• Peace Education training and materials;
• Earth Charter and Ecological Footprint Information;
• Ideas for Education in Peacebuilding, Human Security and Sustainability Education;
For Schools it offers:
• Increased awareness for the protection of the school environment;
• Development of a caring and supportive school culture;
• Evolution of a stewardship ethic amongst students and staff;
• Program Continuity within a school with changing Principals;
• Community building; and
• An enhanced community image;
International School Peace Gardens has:
• Letters of support from the Governor General of Canada, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the Minister of Foreign Affairs both in Canada and Australia, other Ministries of Education, schools and universities in Canada, Australia, Mexico, UNESCO MAB, Council on Global Issues;
• Awarded Official ECOSOC Special Status at the United Nations.
• Awarded: 1/1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
• Nominated for the Hague Appeal for Peace Prize in 2001.
• Awarded YMCA Canada Peace Medal in 1998;
• Added by the 'Hague Appeal for Peace' to its 'best practices' list;
• Been the focus of a “TVO Teacher of the Year Award”- St. Agnes School, Chatham, Ontario. Received very kind support from major industries, local businesses, community groups and many volunteers.
• Distributed information to members countries at the United Nations, NY;
• Offered countries their own individual choice of ISPG programs.
• Expanded from Ontario, Canada to 37 countries.
• Involved many students worldwide.
The ISPG program has helped schools to reduce bullying, vandalism and violence.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PEACE GARDENS is an exciting and innovative Canadian Educational Program that invites every young person, in every school in the world to become involved in creating a better future for the planet. Schools are invited to plan, plant, dedicate a peace tree, peace garden, or peace park. ISPG supports schools existing curriculum in peace education, conflict resolution, environmental studies, inter-cultural understanding, and the arts. We encourage the school community to use their peace garden, as often as possible. ISPG has many educational and social benefits:
For Children it offers:
• Cooperation, friendship and support.
• Solutions to bullying and other life problems;
• Participation in a positive and nurturing activity;
• Greater awareness and tolerance;
• Physical and spiritual involvement;
• Skills development in Presentation and Fund Raising;
• Electronic sharing of ideas with other ISPG schools;
• Real world application in Design, Language Arts, Music and Art.
For Teachers it offers:
• Curriculum linkages;
• Peace Education training and materials;
• Earth Charter and Ecological Footprint Information;
• Ideas for Education in Peacebuilding, Human Security and Sustainability Education;
For Schools it offers:
• Increased awareness for the protection of the school environment;
• Development of a caring and supportive school culture;
• Evolution of a stewardship ethic amongst students and staff;
• Program Continuity within a school with changing Principals;
• Community building; and
• An enhanced community image;
International School Peace Gardens has:
• Letters of support from the Governor General of Canada, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the Minister of Foreign Affairs both in Canada and Australia, other Ministries of Education, schools and universities in Canada, Australia, Mexico, UNESCO MAB, Council on Global Issues;
• Awarded Official ECOSOC Special Status at the United Nations.
• Awarded: 1/1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.
• Nominated for the Hague Appeal for Peace Prize in 2001.
• Awarded YMCA Canada Peace Medal in 1998;
• Added by the 'Hague Appeal for Peace' to its 'best practices' list;
• Been the focus of a “TVO Teacher of the Year Award”- St. Agnes School, Chatham, Ontario. Received very kind support from major industries, local businesses, community groups and many volunteers.
• Distributed information to members countries at the United Nations, NY;
• Offered countries their own individual choice of ISPG programs.
• Expanded from Ontario, Canada to 37 countries.
• Involved many students worldwide.
The ISPG program has helped schools to reduce bullying, vandalism and violence.
Climate Change & Energy Roundtable
To find information on the outcomes of the Science for Peace / Canadian Pugwash Roundtable on Climate Change & Energy visit
http://www.pugwashgroup.ca/events/documents/2008/2008.01.04-wasan-action-framework.pdf
also look for Climate Change footprints on
http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=137
http://www.pugwashgroup.ca/events/documents/2008/2008.01.04-wasan-action-framework.pdf
also look for Climate Change footprints on
http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=137
International School Peace Gardens Dedication
IHTEC’s
International School Peace Garden Dedication
I................................................................................................................... dedicate this International School Peace Garden at..........................................................................................(school name) to peace within ourselves, peace in our school, peace in our families and community, peace with nature, peace with the global family. May each tree become a sacred tree to help us breathe. May each plant feed migrating and local species.
I dedicate myself today to:
1. Clean up my environment HERE where I am.
2. Solve conflicts on our friendship benches.
3. Plant natural species that nurture and feed our environment.
4. Celebrate using the arts in our Peace Garden.
5. Re-dedicate our peace garden every new school year.
6. Invite new Principals, teachers and students to understand why we have a peace garden.
7. Share with hospitality this peace garden with our community, parents, grand-parents, uncles and aunty's. Invite then to sign the visitors book.
8. Share your International School Peace Garden with schools 'Pay it forward' to all nearby schools.
Signed:.........................................................
Date:.............................................
Instructions: The “ISPG Dedication” is a great example of action on sustainability for individuals, teachers can use it for teaching, religious groups, students and their communities can distribute, read, sign, keep and frame the dedication, as they dedicate themselves in their peace garden. Other documents are available on http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=77
International School Peace Garden Dedication
I................................................................................................................... dedicate this International School Peace Garden at..........................................................................................(school name) to peace within ourselves, peace in our school, peace in our families and community, peace with nature, peace with the global family. May each tree become a sacred tree to help us breathe. May each plant feed migrating and local species.
I dedicate myself today to:
1. Clean up my environment HERE where I am.
2. Solve conflicts on our friendship benches.
3. Plant natural species that nurture and feed our environment.
4. Celebrate using the arts in our Peace Garden.
5. Re-dedicate our peace garden every new school year.
6. Invite new Principals, teachers and students to understand why we have a peace garden.
7. Share with hospitality this peace garden with our community, parents, grand-parents, uncles and aunty's. Invite then to sign the visitors book.
8. Share your International School Peace Garden with schools 'Pay it forward' to all nearby schools.
Signed:.........................................................
Date:.............................................
Instructions: The “ISPG Dedication” is a great example of action on sustainability for individuals, teachers can use it for teaching, religious groups, students and their communities can distribute, read, sign, keep and frame the dedication, as they dedicate themselves in their peace garden. Other documents are available on http://www.ihtec.org/index.php?id=77
ISPG Water Dedication
ISPG Water Dedication
Supported by
Canadian Pugwash and Science for Peace
Expert Roundtable on Water, Nov. 2008
I ..........................................................................................................................................................
from ................................................................................................................. dedicate myself as a
trustworthy person to protecting freshwater wherever I am in the world. I understand that I am 80% water, that water is sacred for the web of life in this time of climate change, which is heating the planet. I will endeavor to:
1. Understand that where climate change is increasing the rate of evaporation there will be more rain. Where world precipitation is decreasing, there will be less rain and less fresh water.
2. Keep the planet cool with all my actions.
3. Reduce my water footprint, as Nature needs it to prime the pump for the hydrological cycle.
4. Keep water where it is on planet earth returning water to water courses.
5. Protect rivers and streams from pollution.
6. Build rain water tanks to collect water for the garden and household needs. Plant lawn cover and garden species that can grow with no or only minimal water other than rain water.
7. Wash my car with a bucket, not a hose. Wait until the next rainstorm -- this saves more water.
8. Drink tap water wherever it is safe. Boil water otherwise.
9. Remove water in plastic bottles (8 & 9 messages are brought to you by David Suzuki and the Canadian Federation of Municipalities)
10. Wash dishes by hand where possible, with the plug in the sink. Run the dishwasher only when fully loaded, after 8 pm.
11. Turn off the tap when brushing my teeth; use a low-flush toilet or reduce flushes; take a 3 minute shower.
12. Conserve electricity as it takes water to generate your power and power to pump water to my tap. Encourage my family, school & community to share their water bills to see how much we can reduce together.
13. Share water with all species.
14. Work with your politicians.
Signed:.........................................................
Date:.............................................
Instructions: The “Water Dedication” is a great example of action on sustainability for Earth Day, April 22, 2009. Individuals, teachers can use it for teaching, religious groups, students and their communities can distribute, read, sign, keep and frame the dedication, as they dedicate themselves in their peace garden to water conservation.
Supported by
Canadian Pugwash and Science for Peace
Expert Roundtable on Water, Nov. 2008
I ..........................................................................................................................................................
from ................................................................................................................. dedicate myself as a
trustworthy person to protecting freshwater wherever I am in the world. I understand that I am 80% water, that water is sacred for the web of life in this time of climate change, which is heating the planet. I will endeavor to:
1. Understand that where climate change is increasing the rate of evaporation there will be more rain. Where world precipitation is decreasing, there will be less rain and less fresh water.
2. Keep the planet cool with all my actions.
3. Reduce my water footprint, as Nature needs it to prime the pump for the hydrological cycle.
4. Keep water where it is on planet earth returning water to water courses.
5. Protect rivers and streams from pollution.
6. Build rain water tanks to collect water for the garden and household needs. Plant lawn cover and garden species that can grow with no or only minimal water other than rain water.
7. Wash my car with a bucket, not a hose. Wait until the next rainstorm -- this saves more water.
8. Drink tap water wherever it is safe. Boil water otherwise.
9. Remove water in plastic bottles (8 & 9 messages are brought to you by David Suzuki and the Canadian Federation of Municipalities)
10. Wash dishes by hand where possible, with the plug in the sink. Run the dishwasher only when fully loaded, after 8 pm.
11. Turn off the tap when brushing my teeth; use a low-flush toilet or reduce flushes; take a 3 minute shower.
12. Conserve electricity as it takes water to generate your power and power to pump water to my tap. Encourage my family, school & community to share their water bills to see how much we can reduce together.
13. Share water with all species.
14. Work with your politicians.
Signed:.........................................................
Date:.............................................
Instructions: The “Water Dedication” is a great example of action on sustainability for Earth Day, April 22, 2009. Individuals, teachers can use it for teaching, religious groups, students and their communities can distribute, read, sign, keep and frame the dedication, as they dedicate themselves in their peace garden to water conservation.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
World Citizen's - March 25, 2010
Today I was invited to speak at the monthly World Citizen's meeting about the work that UNAC Toronto Branch and IHTEC have been focusing on towards the Ontario Day of Peace. It was a time of testing the early research re how people celebrated International Day of Peace. There were five of us around the table. Although we are a small group the general feeling was that this was a worthwhile project. Discussion focused on the methodology of how we are going about the different stages of implementation, and the need for pan-political nature for inclusion of all. A folder containing the major documents that had been developed so far.
Julia
Julia
War 1812 Anniversary in 2012-14 Niagara Falls
IHTEC attended Friday's Arts event in Hamilton, Ontario.
As part of the War 1812 Anniversary Celebrations in 2012-14, IHTEC is working with the Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, to help schools plan and plant an International School Peace Garden in all schools both sides of the USA / Canada border.
IHTEC is partnering with Niagara Falls Parks Commission, Niagara Falls Secondary Schools, Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, Schools in Bloom and others. There are 14? City Council's along the Niagara Peninsula. Also several School Boards of Education.
As part of the War 1812 Anniversary Celebrations in 2012-14, IHTEC is working with the Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, to help schools plan and plant an International School Peace Garden in all schools both sides of the USA / Canada border.
IHTEC is partnering with Niagara Falls Parks Commission, Niagara Falls Secondary Schools, Niagara Falls City Council Parks & Recreation Department, Schools in Bloom and others. There are 14? City Council's along the Niagara Peninsula. Also several School Boards of Education.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)