AIMS AND
OBJECTIVES
CHILDREN OF THE
WORLD 2000
MOTTO:
"T.E.A.M. Together Everyone Achieves
More
C o T W 2000 has the goodwill and support of Mr Kofi Annan,
former Secretary General of the United Nations and Chief Emeka
Anyaoku, former Secretary General of The Commonwealth.
The goal of Children of the World 2000 is to educate future
generations on the values of being good neighbours, trusting
friendships and living together in peace.
Also we are focusing on the removal of racial & religious
prejudice by teaching youngsters from a very early age to respect
one another whatever their religion or the colour of their skin.
We're all alike, there are those who are being persecuted, tortured
or killed because of the tribe you belong to or the God you worship
- Nazi Germany , Northern Ireland and Kosovo are examples of ethnic
cleansing, racial hatred and religious prejudice.
The children will be taught the history and consequences for
humanity if this goes on. At our Summits, Forums and meetings young
delegates endeavour to address the aforementioned goals - these and
other issues will be the most important challenges facing humanity
for generations to come.
We are active in the Far East , Central America and Africa
financing projects to make life better for children and their
communities.
We try not to get embroiled in political disputes and remain
neutral but to gain assistance in the many countries we deal with we
need to have a dialogue with the Governments and their diplomatic
missions worldwide.
Ever since the first-ever World Summit for Children in New
York (1990) organised by the UN and UNICEF various NGOs have been
working to formalise a structure that would enable the youth of the
world to work closely with the UN.
Children of the World 2000 and other NGOs are aiming to
consolidate that idea, having young representatives attend a
permanent Young General Assembly in New York or other location i.e.
Geneva in Switzerland.
The ultimate wish of every human being is Peace and the only
way to a peaceful, better world is through our children. A couple of
major events are being planned - in 2009 the 1st World Creative
Youth Forum in Bulacan, 27.5 kilometres from the financial and
industrial centre of Metro Manila, the Philippines, and two
international conferences in 2010 are under discussion, one for
Istanbul, Turkey ~ the Global Youth Congress ~ and in India a
Commonwealth Children's Peace Festival has been proposed for New
Delhi.
These events will display to the world a huge multicultural
diversity of young people living and interacting together in a
cohesive and harmonious group whose main purpose is to contribute to
the world-wide activities of others in praying for a lasting Peace.
Another project we are actively engaged in is the planting of
the Children of Ireland Peace Garden in Downpatrick , Northern
Ireland , the garden will be a venue for children and adults to
visit from all over the world. We have an idea to institute an
annual award to children who promote peace within their community.
We are also pursuing the idea of doing a Children's Peace
Garden project in Northern Greece in the foothills of Mount Olympus
.
The present generation must take the lead and initiate a code
of compliance in step with the demands of the worlds' children. The
Children of the island of Ireland Peace Garden will celebrate that a
lasting peace in Ulster has finally come. The Peace Garden in Greece
will show the children's aspirations and dreams for a peaceful world
and they hope the garden will be part of the Athens 2004's Legacy to
the world following the successful Olympiad.
UNESCO will fund a DREAM Centre (visual arts, dance, music,
words and other forms of creative expressions) which will help
children from areas of conflict to heal in beautiful and peaceful
surroundings. They may not have had the opportunities to learn arts
and the centre will develop programmes designed to assist them in
appreciating their own creativity.
The connection to the Athens Olympics makes this initiative
all the more significant.
The 2009 World Creative Youth Forum in the Philippines and
other projects shall fulfil the aspiration of focusing the
attentions of nations on the need to give priority to our children
to whom we must hand over a more humane world infused with
sensitivity.
Children of the World supports initiatives that develop the
social and emotional competencies that are vital to their success in
building and maintaining healthy relationships, achieving academic
success, and making positive contributions to their communities and
the world.
Lessons teach students life-long skills for communicating
effectively, resolving conflicts, expressing empathy and care,
creating community, problem-solving, managing feelings and
behaviour, promoting diversity and countering bias and prejudice. A
variety of activity types including games, role-plays, songs,
cooperative learning, and connections to children's literature are
included to bring the lessons to life for students in the classroom.
Forums and seminars co-organised by Children of the World
2000 have been well - attended and one delegate said "We are not
future leaders, we are the leaders now, so let's get going because
we've got a whole world to change." Another youngster remarked: "We
are the children of today and we must help the children of tomorrow
by changing the world - the answer lies in our hands.
" Let us learn from this
quotation: "In respect for diversity lie the seeds of harmony."
PATRONS:
HRH Prince
Frederick v. Saxe-Lauenberg FIPS
HH Princess Rabiatou Njoya
of the Cameroon.
HH Prince Mohsin Ali Khan
HH Prince
Mansour al Khalid bin Saud of Saudi Arabia
HE Sir Colville
Young GCMG, PhD, Governor General of Belize
Goodwill
Ambassador: Margaret Gibney, UNICEF Youth Ambassador for Peace TOP
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CHILDREN OF GREECE
PEACE GARDEN PIERIA
The National Children of Greece Peace Garden is to be located
in the Prefecture of Pieria within sight of the sacred home of the Gods
- Mount Olympos and Mount Pieria home of the Muses.
It is hoped that the Garden will be planted in the foothills
of Mount Olympos and be under the eternal protection of the Gods.
This initiative we hope will be a legacy project of the 2004
Olympic Games in Athens as it shares the same noble ideals of the
Olympic Movement including the promotion of a permanent truce
amongst the nations of the world and the fostering of peace and
reconciliation through the youth of the world.
The garden will bring together young people together to build
lasting partnerships through peace and environmental education.
The garden will have a young people's centre with lecture
theatre, library, cafeteria, internet facilities and play areas.
The Peace Garden Secretariat is exploring the idea of
incorporating a Children's Trauma Centre in the garden with the
partnership of the Hamogelo Foundation. The trauma centre would be
residential and will act as a refuge for children who have suffered
abuse or who have come from areas of conflict. A team of counsellors
will be available 24 hours a day.
Students will do six months at the Peace Garden as part of
their university course on peace & conflict studies and
observe at close quarters children engaged on exchanges from
all over the world.
Nobel Peace Laureates, distinguished academics and those who
are famed for their work in the international peace
movement will be giving talks and lectures at this venue.
The Prefect announced that what an exciting project the Peace
garden is for Pieria .
"We are delighted at the prospect to have the National
Children of Greece Peace Garden here
in the beautiful land of Pieria . We can make a bright,
peaceful and happy world with children dancing, singing, playing,
dreaming and creating. With this inspiring idea we can spread the
fundamental universal principles of the Olympic spirit which are
peace, respect for human rights, anti-racism and so on throughout
the whole world."
The planet is presently aflame with irrational regional and
civil war. Differences and inequalities between people are
increasing instead of disappearing, the universal and everlasting
principles of the Olympic spirit are the guiding light of our dreams
and aspirations. The National Children of Greece Peace Garden will
focus on the children, they are the citizens of tomorrow, they will
be the future guardians of the planet..
Their actions will transform our collective hopes to a more
desirable change in our attitude towards life. Through the garden
which they have designed, their poignant words of
frustration and concern for the world and their artwork, the
struggle and vision for peace is strengthened and manifests the
hopes of children and the youth filling us with optimism and
anticipation.
Mr George Papastergiou is proud to be involved in this
struggle & vision. "If the end of this journey is still far
away, not yet visible on the horizon, we are content for having
paved the way in that direction. Because the road is dotted with the
bright smiles of the children who are dreaming of a world that will
be at peace, " he said.
This initiative is a process of constant learning and
understanding of the inter-related challenges we face." We demand to
be heard," say the children. This initiative will display to those
in power that the youth of the world have been empowered to
challenge those who seek to continue with war and conflict.
They will ask pertinent questions and propose dialogue rather
than conflict and appeal to the youth in those areas of conflict to
demand a permanent end to hostilities. A quotation comes to mind
from Chief Sitting Bull of the Sioux Nation "Those who damage the
Earth and are at war with each other are heaping contempt upon the
Creator."
Once the garden has been opened the site will be ideal for a
possible World Youth Peace Concert, Cultural Youth Festivals, Peace
rallies, community events, drama events, peace poets' gatherings,
art exhibitions etc.
The Greek National Tourist Office is interested in promoting
the Peace Garden nationally and internationally as a tourist
attraction and conference centre.
UNESCO the UN agency co-ordinating the Decade for a Culture
of Peace and non-violence towards Children of the World have
expressed an interest in the project through the office of the Chair
for Education on Peace; Human Rights & Democracy Aristotle
University Thessaloniki.
The Greek Mission to the EU is to be asked to help with
seeking funding from the European Social Fund and other sources. The Garden will be a permanent fixture in Pieria maintained
by the children under supervision of local government. |